February 15, 2015 -
Texas Statehood Day - February 19, 1846
In the first election after Texas won its independence from Mexico in 1836, the citizens voted overwhelmingly to ask for annexation by the United States of America. However, it took a period of nearly ten years before annexation was accomplished and several issues had to be resolved first. There did not exist any solid document or evidence that Mexico accepted the defeat by the Texans since the Treaties of Velasco were ignored by both countries. This caused the Texans to be concerned that Mexico would again attack them and led to another petition to the United States for statehood status. The U S Congress passed, after much debate, a Joint Resolution for Annexing Texas to the United States. In this resolution Texas would keep its public lands as well as its public debt, and have the power to divide into four additional states if desired.
A Constitutional Convention was called to meet at Austin in July of 1845 to review the Resolution for Annexation from the United States as well as a peace treaty with Mexico, which would officially end the state of war between the two countries. This was needed only if Texas remained a Republic, and not a state of the United States. Those present for the Convention began discussion to frame a Constitution that would transform Texas from a Republic to a State of the United States. It did not go smoothly because the number of delegates continued to grow and Sam Houston, who had been elected to represent Montgomery County, continued to be absent because he was at the bedside, and later burial, of his friend Andrew Jackson. Thomas J. Rusk, of Nacogdoches, served as President of the Convention. The Convention accepted the United States’ proposal and it was submitted to popular vote in October 1845.
After voters approved the proposal, the Annexation Ordinance and State Constitution were submitted to the U.S. Congress. Both the House and the Senate accepted these documents in a Joint Resolution to admit Texas as a state. It was signed by the president on December 29, 1845. The formal transfer of government, however, did not occur until February 19, 1846, which is the date we celebrate as Texas Statehood Day. On that date Anson Jones proclaimed “The Republic of Texas is no more,” as he stood on the steps of the old wooden Capitol in Austin and lowered the Lone Star Flag. The ceremony was the culmination of years of effort on the part of Jones, Sam Houston and other Texas leaders, who orchestrated the annexation of Texas by the United States of America. J. Pinckney Henderson became the first governor of the State of Texas.
Texans today remember with pride our historic time as the Republic of Texas as well as our proud heritage of statehood. Everyone is encouraged to visit a library or a website and learn more about these two phases of Texas history.
The William Carroll Crawford Chapter of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas encourages you to fly your Texas flag in celebration of this day in our Texas history.
Rita Drabek, William Carroll Crawford Chapter
