J. Pinckney Henderson to Memucan Hunt, December 31, 1836

Summary: Henderson instructed Hunt to travel to Washington to join the Texas minister there and continue to lobby for both the recognition of Texas independence and then annexation of Texas to the Union. He wanted Hunt to point out the stable organization of the Texas government and the commercial and defensive advantages the Union would acquire after annexation. The most opposition was expected to come from the northern states and abolitionists because of slavery. At the very least, Hunt needed to convince the United States government to maintain their soldiers at the border to fend off Indian attacks.

REPUBLIC OF TEXAS

DEPARTMENT OF STATE

Columbia Decr[sic] 31 1836

To the Honbl[sic] Memucan Hunt

SIR

The following instructions are given you as a general guide by which you are to be governed in order to effect the important objects of your Mission. You have received your commission as Minister Extraordinary of Texas, to the United States of North America together with other papers necessary to show the perfect organization of the Government of this Republic etc[sic] And fearing that some difficulties may arise in relation to your reception as Minister previous to the Recognition of the Independence of this Republic by the Government of the United States you have been furnished with seperate credentials authorizing you to urge this desireable object as Agent of this Republic in which event you will act in concert with The Honb.[sic] W H Wharton the resident Minister or agent of this Republic near the Government of the United States. But should no difficulty arise in relation to your reception as Minister and you should be received as such you will then act in concert with The Honbl[sic] W H Wharton the resident Minister Plenepotentiary, and will be governed or guided in your negotiations by the instructions already given to that Honbl[sic] Gentleman by the late Secy[sic] of State, together with this letter which contains instructions for you and he jointly; founded principally upon facts arising out of the more complete organization of this Government since the departure of Mr Wharton for the United States. You will discover by the instruction above alluded to that, the principal objects of your Mission are 1st The recognition of the Independence of this Republic, 2nd. The annexation of this Country to the United States either as a seperate[sic] State to be on equal footing with the other States of the Union or as a Teritory[sic] with the right to admission into the Union as a State when she can number a sufficient amount of population to entitle her to admission according to the Laws of the United States. You will therefore procede to the Government of the United States at Washington City with as little delay as possible where you will confer and act in conjunction with the resident Minister of this Republic The Honbl[sic] Wm[sic] H Wharton, and in all your intercourse with the Government you will doubtless use the utmost frankness and candor. You will urge the recognition of the Independence of this Republic upon the ground that it is so de jure and de facto. So far as regards the right of Texas to declare herself Independent or the sufficiency of the reasons upon which she founded her Declaration of Independence it is very clear that no other Nation has the right to enquire. This position has in all cases upon which the Government of the United States has heretofore acted been acknowledged, but from such an inquiry you will not find it necessary to shrink and your own knowledge of the causes together with the reasons contained in the instructions heretofore given to the resident Minister at Washington will be sufficient to satisfy so just and liberal a Government as that with which you will have the honor to negotiate should any be required. Therefore it occurs to me that the only point upon which the Government of the United States will require of you to satisfy it, is whether Texas is Independent de facto--has established a regular organized Government in all its parts, and is capable of sustaining itself. In addition to the evidence of these facts already furnished the Minister resident at Washington, you have been furnished with evidence to show that the Judiciary has been regularly and completely organized since the departure of Mr Wharton for that Government. The Supreme Court consisting of a chief justice and the Judges of the Supreme or Circuit Courts as his associates, the District or Circuit Courts consisting of a Judge for each Circuit or District, and the County or inferior Courts consisting of a Chief Justice in each County all have been organized by the late Congress of the Republic and the Judges of each elected and commissioned and are now prepared to hold their severl[sic] courts so soon as the time shall arrive when Congress have declared they shall hold them respectively. For the evidences to show that the other constituent parts of this Government are organized and in full opperation you are refered to the documents and instructions heretofore furnished to the resident Minister. To this end it may not be unimportant to show with what unanimity and good feeling the late Congress of this Republic acted and the harmony which prevaded throughout between it and the Executive also the entire confidence which prevailed throughout the whole Country in the several departments of the Government. Upon this point it will not be difficult to satisfy the Government to which you go that there is no danger of the permanancy of the Government being effected by internal dessentions. Another fact bearing upon this point may well be mentioned which is that of two of the three Gentlemen who were candidates for the Presidency having been appointed to two of the most important offices in the Cabinet, and all acting now with the most perfect harmony and good faith. As regards all other facts bearing upon this point you will find the instructions alluded to above amply sufficient.

Should the Government of the United States have recognized the Independence of Texas previous to your arrival at Washington or should it be done during your stay there in your capacity as Minister Extraordinary you will then with the resident Minister urge the second object of your Mission--The annexation of Texas to that Government.

In addition to the reasons given in the former instructions you may urge it on the ground of the verry[sic] great commercial advantages as well as the naval strengt[h] which it would give to the United States, for in the event of [the refusal of] that Government to receive this Country into the Union either as a State or a Territory it may become necessary for Texas to form a Treaty of amity and commerce with England or some other European power which would forever and entirely preclude the people of the United States from enjoying any of the benefits resulting in Texas from the richness of her soil commerce etc etc etc[sic] These reasons may be very forcibly impressed particularly upon the Representatives of the Northern States from whom we may expect to meet the greatest opposition, because should Texas be attached to the United States the immense consumption of those articles principally manufactured in the Northern States will more than compensate for the additional strength which its annexation will add to the political influence of the South. The great and abundant supply of raw material from this Country will reduce the price which they will have to pay for the same and at the same time keep it at a more uniform price thus preventing the great fluctuations so frequently occuring in the United States to the distress and ruin of thousands. As things now are in the United States a partial failure one year will raise the price of the raw material much above its intrinsic or ordinary value, the next it will be suddenly reduced by an abundant crop, but open as this Country would do an immence territory for the production of cotton--land the richest and most productive in the world these fluctuations would not occur, as no failure w[h]ich could ordinarily happen would visibly shorten the supply. On the other hand should the Government of the United States refuse to admit this Country into the Union etc etc[sic] Texas would in all probability in order to gain immediate wealth strength and respectability be induced to form a Treaty with England by which all the advantages of commerce, wealth and strength would be fo[r]ever lost to the United States and important advantages given to a Power on her Southern border w[h]ich already confines her on the North.

In a nation[al] defensive point of view it is all important to the United States that she should possess this Country, with it, she might rest satisfied to see Cuba the key of the whole West Indies together with that whole chain of Islands in the hands of any other one power. The immence forest[s] of the best live oak in the world which are to be found in Texas would enable the Government at a reduced expence to build and keep up a Naval power superior to that of any European Nation. She could in sight of the forests of live oak build launch and protect her Navy which would enable her to keep possession of the whole Ocean bordering on South American and the West Indies. But take from the United States these advantages and add them to England or any other power and it would hang like an Incubus upon her prosperity.

You may expect perhaps to meet with some opposition to the annexation of Texas to the United States from that portion of the States which is in favour of Abolition or opposed to slavery. So far as it regards slavery in Texas it cannot seriously be made an objection to our annexation, because it will not be increasing the number of slaves in the World as none are imported here from Africa or any other country except the United States. The Constitution of Texas forbids it and a law passed by Congress punishes any violation of it with death.

In the event that there should be doubts entertained whether a treaty made with this Government for its annexation to the United States would be ratified by a constitutional majority of the Senate of the United States you are instructed to call the attention of the authorities of that Government to the propriety and practicability of passing a law by both houses (in which it would require a bare majority) taking in this Country as a part of her Territory, this law could be passed, (provided Congress has the power to do so) based upon the vote of the people of Texas at the last election but in framing such an act great care should be used in order to secure all of the rights of Texas and its citizens as fully as your are instructed to have them attended to in any treaty which may be made. If such an act is passed you can give that Government the fullest assurance that it will be approved by this Government and people But inasmuch as this is rather a novel position you will speak of it with great prudence and caution. It is desirable under any and all circumstances that the United States troups now stationed near Nacogdoches should remain in that position. The position which they now occupy is one of the most favourable to promote the great object of watching and keeping the different Indian tribes from committing hostilities upon the frontier of the United States and should the Independence of Texas be acknowledged or should no steps be taken towards it still the great regard which this Government and the people of Texas have for the Government and people of the United States will induce this Government to afford any and every facility in its power to secure to them peace and prosperity. Intelligence but recently received from Matamoras states that negotiations have been carried on successfully with the Cherokees east of Naches to commence hostilities against the whites as soon as they are informed of the approach of the Mexican army upon Texas.

The withdrawal of the American Troops stationed at Nacogdoches, from that vicinity, would operate as an Inducement to the Indians to commence aggressions upon the Inhabitants.

You will therefore urge this upon the consideration of that Government in the most impressive manner.

The President desires that you should renew the assurance of the very high regard and attachment which this Government and its people entertain for the Government and people of the United States and the distinguished person at its head.

J PINCKNEY HENDERSON

Acting Secy[sic] of State,

Source Copy Consulted: J. Pinckney Henderson to Memucan Hunt, December 31, 1836, in George Garrison, ed., Diplomatic Correspondence of the Republic of Texas, Annual Report of the American Historical Association for the Year 1908, (Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1911), 3 vols., 2:161-165