Secession Movement In Texas Essay

The secession movement in Texas becomes a hotly debated topic as historians of the past and present, determine how the secessionists obtain enough power to overcome the government controlled Unionists? By researching primary and secondary sources, it becomes evident that following the 1859 Gubernatorial election the secessionists sought political and social power in Texas over the pro-Unionist. Evidence demonstrates that following the 1860 Presidential election; the secessionist achieved their goal of dominance over the Unionist. There exist several factors for secessionist success in defeating the Unionist in Texas. Following the annexation of Texas to the Union in 1845, the population tripled, with most of the population migrating

These historians state that since the annexation of Texas in 1845, the Democratic party has represented the dominated political party, with small elements of the Southern Whig’s supporters. Following the demise of the Whig party in 1854, the American party or the Know-Nothing party briefly garnered some support, but only for the next two years when it too died as a political party by 1856. Due to the association with abolitionists and the anti-slavery stance, the newly formed Republican party failed to materialize in

For example, editorials by John Marshall in Austin Texas State Gazette, June 9. 1859, and B. W. Loughery in Marshall Texas Republican, June 3, 1859. Utilizing these editorials, Buenger provides the cultural and ideological identity associated with four political factions, two associated with the secessionist and two with the Unionist. The radical separatists (secessionist), a small group, wanting to secede immediately, shared the Lower South culture and ideology of defending Southern rights. They believe the responsibility of the nation centers on protecting “the rights and property of the individuals.” Moderate secessionists shared the Lower South Democratic party characteristics, of the “slaveholding and cotton growing culture.” These moderates’ also included some wheat growers from the Upper South and Germans living close to the cotton growers that supported secession. Moderate unionists shared the attributes of the Upper South or European culture, believing in the Union “and less concern for the responsibilities of the nation to the individual.” These moderates’ resisted secession until after the referendum but later accepted it. Radical Unionists comprised of a small group of immigrants from Germany and the Upper South. These radicals’ never agreed to secession believing that “the nation deserved to be