alternatehistory.com
Chapter 26 Rise of the Two Party System
Chapter 26 Rise of the two party system
"God help our country now that the fool is in power."- President Sam Houston 1841
"For Freedom. For the Republic. For Texas."- Slogan of the Republican Party 1841
"We all know that with Lamar in charge the country will suffer greatly. Everything that we've worked for to this point will be for naught if those damn Republicans lead the nation to a path of ruin. So I say we start our own party. A united party that will stand together in defiance to protect our rights, our representation, and our liberty. The Western Union Party."- Doctor Anson Jones 1841
In the beginning of Texas during its time under Mexico as well as the first years of the Republic, there was little involvement or need for partisan politics. Most of the Tejano settlers in Texas had belonged to the liberal faction of Mexican politics and there was little opposition in Coahuila to the party's power. In addition most of the American settlers who had immigrated were former southern Democrats, who were all roughly in the same mindset fiscally and socially. Thus, the politics that went on in Texas mostly consisted of disputes, negotiations, and agreements between the men and women of the various counties who all vied for their common interests. This system would change after Texas's independence with the formation of two factions within the government, the nationalists and unionists. The nationalists led by Lamar largely represented the interests of the frontier settlers and would later be joined by the German, Catholics, and half of the Tejano population. The official policies of the nationalist layed upon full exploitation of the California territory, expulsion of hostile Indian tribes and extensive settlement of the west, protectionist trade, high spending on education, increased industrialization, and a large standing military. The Unionists meanwhile primarily advocated for statehood to the United States and were generally in the more liberal side of politics. There support was drawn from American immigrants, Native Americans, French, Mormons, New Mexico and California, and the liberal Tejanos. Their official policies were based upon annexation, peace with the Indians, large support for the agriculture industry, free trade, good relations with neighbors, and fiscal savings on the budget. At first the Unionists were in control of the government with many of the first congressmen being Americans who wanted a return to the United States as well as Revolution veterans who had served under Houston's command. Ironically for each law that the Unionist dominated congress passed that benefited Texas, the nationalists gained strength and popularity among the electorate. Citizens of Texas were beginning to become patriotic for their new land and with each domestic and foreign success that was achieved in Houston's two terms, the public began to become increasingly distant from the idea of annexation. When Van Buren was assassinated and the Whigs took power in the United States, it seemed that the issue of annexation would come to an end with politics eventually shifting towards a conservative vs. liberal divide. That was not the case though as President Sam Houston stubbornly refused to back down on his stance of annexation and continued to seek annexation. Many Texan historians over the years have attempted to find out the exact reason why Houston refused to fully support Texas independence. Some say that Houston wanted for Texas to be annexed so that he could gain political power to one day be President of the United States, others claimed that he wanted for Texas to enter the union so that slavery could extend to the Pacific, most however agree that Houston wanted for Texas to become a state out of fears of a future Mexican invasion and the desire to use federal support and the northern industry to give Texas an easier access to industrialization. Whatever the reason, as Houston continued to make speeches about the benefits of the Union many in Congress and the population began to worry. Most wondered why their President and war hero did not have faith in the successful republic and was ready to surrender sovereignty. Did he never believe in Texas all along? It was in these conditions that Lamar and the nationalists began to reach popularity as soon thousands of citizens all across the Republic pledged their allegiance to the nationalist cause. Using his newfound influence Lamar called a meeting of likeminded politicians in the beginning of July 1840 and called for the founding of a political party that would represent the interests of the Texas people first and foremost, defending their freedom and independence. After several days debating on party structure the Republican Party was born on July 14th, 1840. The Republicans named themselves as such due to their nationalist ideals in representing the Republic (and more importantly the state of Texas) first and foremost. At first Houston laughed at the party and called them a bunch of backwards idealists who would not stand a chance against his coalition. Houston soon found his worse fears to came true though as in the 1840 congressional elections through either direct election or induction to the party by incumbent politicians; the House of representatives now comprised of 2/3rds republicans (36/54) while the Republican party maintained a slight majority in the senate (15/25). The worst betrayal to Houston was when Senator Juan Seguin announced his intentions to join the Republican party, this defection caused Houston to lose the Tejano vote as the Mexican settlers of Texas would listen to the will of Seguin no matter what side he was on. On September 30th Lamar officially announced his candidacy for President of Texas with David Burnett as his running mate. Houston now found himself running in a battle against his vice-president, in an election that would nowhere be easy as his last one.
View attachment 290174
The Lone Star Bull. A popular symbol of the Republican party.
Despite the intense rivalry between the two candidates the 1841 Texas Presidential Elections were a rather civil affair. While both sides openly attacked each other in criticism and slander, with Lamar calling Houston a traitorous Judas and Houston calling Lamar a wild madman, there were no open brawls between both sides and the supporters of both factions hardly ever went into a gunfight on their positions. Rather it was a battle of stamina and wits to see who could convince the people of Texas that they were the man best suited for the job. Lamar used his control of congress to bail out on the congressional session and traveled across Texas gathering support for his election. With a retinue of Texas Rangers for protection, Lamar went all across the frontier, visiting local farms, making speech at church sermons, conversing with the average merchant and the lowliest Tejano farmer. These actions earned Lamar much respect and love from the common people as they saw him as an honest politician who fought for the little man instead of the plantation aristocrats in the east. Lamar also took the effort to send party members west to Santa Fe and Monterrey in order to secure as many votes as possible from the new territories, as Texas's low population at the time necessitated for every vote to count. Since Houston had far more duties as President he was forced to stay behind in Austin, sending out close friends such as Robert Wilson and Anson Jones to campaign on his behalf to the Texan people. Despite Lamar's energetic campaign Houston was for the most part confident of his win. Both of his past elections had resulted in a resounding landslide that carried him to the President's mansion. The man was the leader and hero of the revolution, he could rely on votes from the newly enfranchised Indian citizens and the large amount of American immigrants east. While Houston's popularity was so high his inaction would come to be a major factor in the election as it gave Lamar increasing support while Houston's base was static. Perhaps the most important event of the campaign was the first ever Presidential debate which commenced on May 16th between both Houston and Lamar in San Antonio. Houston started to worry about Lamar's chances and sought to end his opposition by trumping against Lamar in front of the people against Texas in a debate that would prove all of Houston's successes. This move for Houston backfired as Lamar came to the debate prepared and spoke with a firey passion and knowledge of affairs that only later U.S President Abraham Lincoln could possibly match. Lamar was able to in front of a live audience of over 1000 people answer each and every question and fire back at Houston's retorts and criticisms. It was here that the public would learn of Houston's faults such as his refusal to initially receive California, continued refusals to expand the Navy and army until immense pressure for congress, and immense support for American immigration to Texas over other nations. It was the issue of annexation where Lamar firmly bested Houston where he continually demanded why Houston sought to enter the Union when Texas was doing fine on its own. Whenever Houston attempted to give a valid reason or could not find a valid counterargument the crowd quickly went against him. The most remembered part of the debates was Lamar's final attack against Houston's annexation desire, where he said "This the people of Texas, is a man who is willing to sell out his own country to a stronger nation for personal gain. A man who does not seek to make his country great but rather restrain it in its infancy. This man who you call president is but a disgrace to the office. Now I ask you once again ladies and gentlemen, who will you choose? A Judas for the Republic, or a man who will save it." Despite popular misconception that the debate ruined Houston's image (as he still had a strong following across the country with many finding logic in his arguments), the debate firmly put Lamar in the forefront and Houston under constant attack as the debate's contents was spread throughout the nation's newspaper system. For the next four months both men gave it their all for their campaign. Traveling all across the country seeking votes to grant them the highest office. The results of their work were revealed on September 6th, as with little more than 151 votes ahead, the closest election in the nation's history. Mirabeau Buonaparte Lamar was elected as the second President of Texas.
Mirabeau Lamar. 2nd President of the Republic of Texas
To say that the results of the election had deeply divided the country was quite the understatement. One half rose in celebration as they believed the Republic had been protected and their independence guaranteed for years to come. While the other half lamented in sorrow and with fear that immense change was about to come to Texas. Houston spent his last two months in power quickly trying to use every effort to get his final laws passed and his supporters placed in power of bureaucratic and judicial positions. Indian tribes who were previously in the middle of the process of citizenship rushed to get their approval finalized in fear of Lamar's wrath at inauguration. Americans chose to finalize their ties with the United States as there was no chance of Texas becoming a state any longer. Houston himself was in a state of shock as he was so sure of his victory and now found his biggest opponent soon holding an office that was his. While many were left paralyzed by the results others chose to take action. Doctor Anson Jones chose to call a meeting with various men of Houston's supporters on October 1st to formulate a plan to deal with the new government. There the men in similarity to Jefferson and the Democratic-Republicans, vowed to undertake every effort to preserve the peace and advance of reforms so far that they had achieved in the last five years. These men vowed to oppose Lamar on all fronts and when the next election came in three years to unseat him from power. United they would stand and guide all of the west to liberty and prosperity. The Western Union Party was born.
Results of the 1841 Texas Presidential Election
Lamar/Burnett (R): 8972 50.4%
Houston/Wilson (I): 8821 49.6%
"God help our country now that the fool is in power."- President Sam Houston 1841
"For Freedom. For the Republic. For Texas."- Slogan of the Republican Party 1841
"We all know that with Lamar in charge the country will suffer greatly. Everything that we've worked for to this point will be for naught if those damn Republicans lead the nation to a path of ruin. So I say we start our own party. A united party that will stand together in defiance to protect our rights, our representation, and our liberty. The Western Union Party."- Doctor Anson Jones 1841
In the beginning of Texas during its time under Mexico as well as the first years of the Republic, there was little involvement or need for partisan politics. Most of the Tejano settlers in Texas had belonged to the liberal faction of Mexican politics and there was little opposition in Coahuila to the party's power. In addition most of the American settlers who had immigrated were former southern Democrats, who were all roughly in the same mindset fiscally and socially. Thus, the politics that went on in Texas mostly consisted of disputes, negotiations, and agreements between the men and women of the various counties who all vied for their common interests. This system would change after Texas's independence with the formation of two factions within the government, the nationalists and unionists. The nationalists led by Lamar largely represented the interests of the frontier settlers and would later be joined by the German, Catholics, and half of the Tejano population. The official policies of the nationalist layed upon full exploitation of the California territory, expulsion of hostile Indian tribes and extensive settlement of the west, protectionist trade, high spending on education, increased industrialization, and a large standing military. The Unionists meanwhile primarily advocated for statehood to the United States and were generally in the more liberal side of politics. There support was drawn from American immigrants, Native Americans, French, Mormons, New Mexico and California, and the liberal Tejanos. Their official policies were based upon annexation, peace with the Indians, large support for the agriculture industry, free trade, good relations with neighbors, and fiscal savings on the budget. At first the Unionists were in control of the government with many of the first congressmen being Americans who wanted a return to the United States as well as Revolution veterans who had served under Houston's command. Ironically for each law that the Unionist dominated congress passed that benefited Texas, the nationalists gained strength and popularity among the electorate. Citizens of Texas were beginning to become patriotic for their new land and with each domestic and foreign success that was achieved in Houston's two terms, the public began to become increasingly distant from the idea of annexation. When Van Buren was assassinated and the Whigs took power in the United States, it seemed that the issue of annexation would come to an end with politics eventually shifting towards a conservative vs. liberal divide. That was not the case though as President Sam Houston stubbornly refused to back down on his stance of annexation and continued to seek annexation. Many Texan historians over the years have attempted to find out the exact reason why Houston refused to fully support Texas independence. Some say that Houston wanted for Texas to be annexed so that he could gain political power to one day be President of the United States, others claimed that he wanted for Texas to enter the union so that slavery could extend to the Pacific, most however agree that Houston wanted for Texas to become a state out of fears of a future Mexican invasion and the desire to use federal support and the northern industry to give Texas an easier access to industrialization. Whatever the reason, as Houston continued to make speeches about the benefits of the Union many in Congress and the population began to worry. Most wondered why their President and war hero did not have faith in the successful republic and was ready to surrender sovereignty. Did he never believe in Texas all along? It was in these conditions that Lamar and the nationalists began to reach popularity as soon thousands of citizens all across the Republic pledged their allegiance to the nationalist cause. Using his newfound influence Lamar called a meeting of likeminded politicians in the beginning of July 1840 and called for the founding of a political party that would represent the interests of the Texas people first and foremost, defending their freedom and independence. After several days debating on party structure the Republican Party was born on July 14th, 1840. The Republicans named themselves as such due to their nationalist ideals in representing the Republic (and more importantly the state of Texas) first and foremost. At first Houston laughed at the party and called them a bunch of backwards idealists who would not stand a chance against his coalition. Houston soon found his worse fears to came true though as in the 1840 congressional elections through either direct election or induction to the party by incumbent politicians; the House of representatives now comprised of 2/3rds republicans (36/54) while the Republican party maintained a slight majority in the senate (15/25). The worst betrayal to Houston was when Senator Juan Seguin announced his intentions to join the Republican party, this defection caused Houston to lose the Tejano vote as the Mexican settlers of Texas would listen to the will of Seguin no matter what side he was on. On September 30th Lamar officially announced his candidacy for President of Texas with David Burnett as his running mate. Houston now found himself running in a battle against his vice-president, in an election that would nowhere be easy as his last one.
View attachment 290174
The Lone Star Bull. A popular symbol of the Republican party.
Despite the intense rivalry between the two candidates the 1841 Texas Presidential Elections were a rather civil affair. While both sides openly attacked each other in criticism and slander, with Lamar calling Houston a traitorous Judas and Houston calling Lamar a wild madman, there were no open brawls between both sides and the supporters of both factions hardly ever went into a gunfight on their positions. Rather it was a battle of stamina and wits to see who could convince the people of Texas that they were the man best suited for the job. Lamar used his control of congress to bail out on the congressional session and traveled across Texas gathering support for his election. With a retinue of Texas Rangers for protection, Lamar went all across the frontier, visiting local farms, making speech at church sermons, conversing with the average merchant and the lowliest Tejano farmer. These actions earned Lamar much respect and love from the common people as they saw him as an honest politician who fought for the little man instead of the plantation aristocrats in the east. Lamar also took the effort to send party members west to Santa Fe and Monterrey in order to secure as many votes as possible from the new territories, as Texas's low population at the time necessitated for every vote to count. Since Houston had far more duties as President he was forced to stay behind in Austin, sending out close friends such as Robert Wilson and Anson Jones to campaign on his behalf to the Texan people. Despite Lamar's energetic campaign Houston was for the most part confident of his win. Both of his past elections had resulted in a resounding landslide that carried him to the President's mansion. The man was the leader and hero of the revolution, he could rely on votes from the newly enfranchised Indian citizens and the large amount of American immigrants east. While Houston's popularity was so high his inaction would come to be a major factor in the election as it gave Lamar increasing support while Houston's base was static. Perhaps the most important event of the campaign was the first ever Presidential debate which commenced on May 16th between both Houston and Lamar in San Antonio. Houston started to worry about Lamar's chances and sought to end his opposition by trumping against Lamar in front of the people against Texas in a debate that would prove all of Houston's successes. This move for Houston backfired as Lamar came to the debate prepared and spoke with a firey passion and knowledge of affairs that only later U.S President Abraham Lincoln could possibly match. Lamar was able to in front of a live audience of over 1000 people answer each and every question and fire back at Houston's retorts and criticisms. It was here that the public would learn of Houston's faults such as his refusal to initially receive California, continued refusals to expand the Navy and army until immense pressure for congress, and immense support for American immigration to Texas over other nations. It was the issue of annexation where Lamar firmly bested Houston where he continually demanded why Houston sought to enter the Union when Texas was doing fine on its own. Whenever Houston attempted to give a valid reason or could not find a valid counterargument the crowd quickly went against him. The most remembered part of the debates was Lamar's final attack against Houston's annexation desire, where he said "This the people of Texas, is a man who is willing to sell out his own country to a stronger nation for personal gain. A man who does not seek to make his country great but rather restrain it in its infancy. This man who you call president is but a disgrace to the office. Now I ask you once again ladies and gentlemen, who will you choose? A Judas for the Republic, or a man who will save it." Despite popular misconception that the debate ruined Houston's image (as he still had a strong following across the country with many finding logic in his arguments), the debate firmly put Lamar in the forefront and Houston under constant attack as the debate's contents was spread throughout the nation's newspaper system. For the next four months both men gave it their all for their campaign. Traveling all across the country seeking votes to grant them the highest office. The results of their work were revealed on September 6th, as with little more than 151 votes ahead, the closest election in the nation's history. Mirabeau Buonaparte Lamar was elected as the second President of Texas.
Mirabeau Lamar. 2nd President of the Republic of Texas
To say that the results of the election had deeply divided the country was quite the understatement. One half rose in celebration as they believed the Republic had been protected and their independence guaranteed for years to come. While the other half lamented in sorrow and with fear that immense change was about to come to Texas. Houston spent his last two months in power quickly trying to use every effort to get his final laws passed and his supporters placed in power of bureaucratic and judicial positions. Indian tribes who were previously in the middle of the process of citizenship rushed to get their approval finalized in fear of Lamar's wrath at inauguration. Americans chose to finalize their ties with the United States as there was no chance of Texas becoming a state any longer. Houston himself was in a state of shock as he was so sure of his victory and now found his biggest opponent soon holding an office that was his. While many were left paralyzed by the results others chose to take action. Doctor Anson Jones chose to call a meeting with various men of Houston's supporters on October 1st to formulate a plan to deal with the new government. There the men in similarity to Jefferson and the Democratic-Republicans, vowed to undertake every effort to preserve the peace and advance of reforms so far that they had achieved in the last five years. These men vowed to oppose Lamar on all fronts and when the next election came in three years to unseat him from power. United they would stand and guide all of the west to liberty and prosperity. The Western Union Party was born.
Results of the 1841 Texas Presidential Election
Lamar/Burnett (R): 8972 50.4%
Houston/Wilson (I): 8821 49.6%
- Kaiser Chris
- Word Count: 2.1k