Mirabeau Buonaparte Lamar (August 16, 1798 – December 19, 1859) was an American attorney , politician, poet, and leading political figure during the Texas Republic era. He was elected as the second president of the Republic of Texas after Sam Houston . He was known for waging war against bands of Cherokee and Comanche peoples to push them out of Texas, and for establishing a fund to support public education.
76-657: Lamar was born in 1798 in Louisville, Georgia , as the second eldest of nine siblings, growing up at Fairfield, his father's cotton plantation near Milledgeville , then the state capital. His family was descended from French Huguenot Thomas Lamar, who had settled in Maryland in 1660. His parents, John and Rebecca (Lamar) Lamar, who were first cousins through Thomas' sons John and Thomas, had allowed his mother's brother Zachariah to name their sons; he named them after his favorite historical heroes. The elder brother, Lucius ,
152-688: A Comanche tribe for a year before he returned to Ohio. In 1806, Burnet volunteered to serve the unsuccessful filibustering expeditions led by General Francisco de Miranda for the independence of Venezuela from Spain . He fought in Chile in 1807 and in Venezuela in 1808. After Miranda broke with Simon Bolivar , Burnet returned to the United States in 1812. In 1826, he moved to Stephen F. Austin 's colony in Mexican Texas . He received
228-459: A US Senator , and Isaac, who later served as mayor of Cincinnati. In 1817, Burnet moved to Natchitoches, Louisiana and set up a mercantile business. After several months, he developed a bloody cough. A doctor diagnosed him with tuberculosis and suggested he move to Texas , then a part of Mexico to recuperate in the dry air. Later that year, Burnet traveled alone into Texas. A Comanche tribe came to his aid when he fell off of his horse by
304-524: A 1934 photograph in the Library of Congress proves the sale of enslaved Black people happened at this market, with details. The Old Market is listed on the National Register of Historic Places . Roads and other transportation routes intersected at the market square, the hub of the region when the town was the state capital. The state capital was moved to Milledgeville and later to Atlanta , in
380-483: A Negro woman and boy. Filling the treasury would take more effort, and Burnet proposed to sell land scrip in New York State . The bids dropped as low as 1¢ per acre, so the plan was shelved. With no money and little respect for Burnet, it was unsurprising that "no one followed orders, and the government struggled to direct the state effectively." Burnet wished to replace Thomas Jefferson Rusk as commander of
456-692: A commission to select a permanent site for the capital of the Republic. After two months of debate, they recommended the small town of Waterloo, along the Colorado River toward the center of the state. The town was renamed Austin after the pioneer Stephen F. Austin . By October 1839, all of the records and employees were relocated there from Houston . That same year, Lamar founded the Texas State Library . During his administration, Lamar sent three separate agents to Mexico to negotiate
532-521: A constitutional convention, the Convention of 1836 , was held at Washington-on-the-Brazos. Burnet was not chosen as a delegate to the convention. On hearing of William B. Travis 's plea for help at the Alamo , Burnet immediately set out to offer his assistance. He stopped at the convention to try to recruit others to join the fight but soon became so "inspired by their deliberations" that he remained as
608-475: A deserted town. On April 17, Burnet received word that the Mexican Army was headed for his location. He and his family crowded into a rowboat immediately, leaving their personal effects behind. When they reached 30 yards (30 m) offshore, Colonel Juan Almonte and a troop of Mexican cavalry rode into view. Burnet stood up in the rowboat so the army would focus on him instead of his family. Almonte ordered
684-407: A land grant as an empresario but was forced to sell the land after he had failed to attract enough settlers to his colony, and he later lost his right to operate a sawmill after he refused to convert to Roman Catholicism . On hearing of William B. Travis 's plea for help at the Alamo , Burnet traveled to Washington-on-the-Brazos to recruit help from the Convention of 1836 . He remained at
760-577: A leave of absence from his military service and helped Burnet move to Galveston, where he lived with an old friend, Sidney Sherman . Burnet opposed secession and was saddened when his son joined the Confederate Army but later supported his son's efforts. Colonel William Burnet was killed on March 31, 1865, at Spanish Fort, Alabama , leaving Burnet as the only surviving member of his family. In 1865, Sherman's wife died, and Burnet left Sherman's home to live with Preston Perry. The following year,
836-477: A peace settlement, all of which failed. Lamar failed to gain official recognition for Texas from Great Britain , France , and Belgium ; it always eluded the would-be nation. He did succeed in getting the three nations to send observers, who would provisionally investigate the issue. He did not succeed in getting loans approved from them. To fill the treasury, he authorized issuance of a large amount of Republic of Texas paper money, known as Redbacks . The paper money
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#1732786615984912-730: A petition arguing that the Mexican Congress approve separate statehood for Texas. Stephen F. Austin carried the petition to Mexico City and was promptly jailed. Shortly after the Convention of 1833 disbanded, Antonio López de Santa Anna became Mexico's new president. Over the next two years, Santa Anna began consolidating his political control over the country by dissolving the Mexican Congress and disbanding state legislatures. In October 1835, Santa Anna declared himself military dictator and marched north to "reassert control over Texas". During this time, Burnet had been appointed
988-648: A priority to cultivate a knowledgeable citizenry. In keeping with other slave societies in the South, Texas prohibited free blacks from schools. A public school system was not firmly established until after the American Civil War , when the Reconstruction era legislature created an endowment to finance a school system. In 1869, it passed a law to give the public school fund the proceeds from sale of public lands. The constitution of that year authorized
1064-583: A proclamation declaring that a man would lose his Texas citizenship and any future claim to land if he left Texas, refused to fight, or helped the Mexican Army. In the hopes of gaining assistance from the US, Burnet sent Carson, now his secretary of state, to Louisiana to approach General Edmund P. Gaines , who had been given orders by US President Andrew Jackson not to cross the Sabine River into Texas. A small amount of relief came on April 9; however, with
1140-634: A speech on the floor of the US Senate that disparaged Burnet. Burnet's health deteriorated, and he needed help with his farm work. He and his wife enslaved a Black man and his sick wife for $ 1400. The man escaped, robbing the Burnets in the process. Unable to make ends meet on their own, Burnet and his wife rented their 300 acres (1.2 km ) to another family in 1857 while they continued to live in their house. Hannah Burnet died on October 30, 1858. Their only surviving child, William Estey Burnet, took
1216-538: A trunk of his private papers into an empty lot and burned them all. He died on December 5, 1870, aged 82, in Galveston. He was first buried in Magnolia Cemetery, but in 1894, his remains were moved to Galveston's Lakeview Cemetery , where he was buried next to Sidney Sherman 's grave. Burnet County was named in his honor when it was formed in 1852, as was its county seat. In 1936, the state erected
1292-574: A visitor. Speaking privately with many of the delegates, Burnet professed that he would be willing to serve as president of a new republic, even if that made him a target of Santa Anna. After hearing of the fall of the Alamo, the chairman of the convention, Richard Ellis , wanted to adjourn the convention and begin again in Nacogdoches. Burnet leaped onto a bench and made a speech asking the delegates to stay and finish their business. They did so, and
1368-452: The 2020 United States census , there were 2,381 people, 897 households, and 606 families residing in the city. The Jefferson County School District holds pre-school to grade twelve, and consists of two elementary schools, two middle schools, a high school, and an academy school. The district has 199 full-time teachers and over 3,526 students. David G. Burnet David Gouverneur Burnet (April 14, 1788 – December 5, 1870)
1444-614: The Battle of San Jacinto . On the eve of the battle, Lamar courageously rescued two surrounded Texians, an act that drew a salute from the Mexican lines. One of those rescued was Thomas Jefferson Rusk , later appointed as Texas Secretary of War. Lamar was promoted that night from private to colonel and given command of the cavalry during the battle the following day. Houston noted in his battle report: "Our cavalry, 61 in number, commanded by Mirabeau B. Lamar, (whose gallant and daring conduct on
1520-507: The Cherokee and Comanche tribes be driven from their lands in Texas, even if the tribes had to be destroyed. He proposed to create a national bank and to secure a loan from either the United States or Europe . Finally, he stated his opposition to potential annexation to the United States and desire to gain recognition of the Republic of Texas by European nations. He ordered attacks against
1596-422: The Colorado River , and he lived with them for two years until he made a full recovery. Near the end of the year, he met Ben Milam , who had come to the village to trade with the tribe. His cough improved, and Burnet returned to Cincinnati. He asked that the Mexican prisoners be released with him and allowed to return home. The Comanches agreed to this proposal, and the Mexican families were surprised that there
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#17327866159841672-486: The Continental Congress . David Burnet was orphaned as a child. In 1805, Burnet became a clerk for a New York counting house, Robinson and Hartshorne. When the firm suffered financial difficulty, Burnet gave his entire personal inheritance, $ 1,300 (equivalent to $ 26,000 in 2023), to try to save the company. The firm went bankrupt, and Burnet lost all of the money. In 1806, Burnet volunteered to serve
1748-587: The General Colonization Law of 1824. Burnet received authorization to settle 300 families in East Texas , northwest of Nacogdoches , an area that had already been settled by the Cherokee . Under the terms of his grant, a married settler could purchase a league of land 4,428 acres (20 km )) for $ 200. Burnet returned to Ohio to recruit settlers but could not entice the required number of families. In 1828, he sold his land grant to
1824-650: The Indian tribes. In 1839, Texian troops drove the Cherokee bands from the state. Houston's friend, Chief Bowles , was killed in battle, and Houston was furious with Lamar. The government conducted a similar campaign against the Comanche. Although losing many lives, the Comanche resisted leaving the area. Lamar believed the "total extinction" of the Indian tribes was necessary to make the lands available to whites. He drove
1900-650: The Piedmont . As a small city and county seat, Louisville now has few major businesses and industries. A marker dedicated to the Yazoo land scandal of the 18th century is located in front of the Jefferson County Courthouse. Queensborough National Bank and Trust Company was founded in 1902 and is currently headquartered in Louisville, on U.S. Highway 1 . Louisville is located slightly south of
1976-599: The Treaties of Velasco . In a public treaty, Santa Anna agreed to immediately cease all hostilities and withdraw his troops south of the Rio Grande . Burnet pledged that Santa Anna would have safe passage home. Secretly, the men agreed that Santa Anna would "use his influence with the Mexican government to secure the recognition of Texas Independence with its southern boundary as the Rio Grande." Mexico later repudiated
2052-430: The Treaties of Velasco . Many Texans were infuriated that the treaty allowed Santa Anna to escape execution, and some called for Burnet's arrest for treason. Burnet declined to run for president and resigned as interim president on October 22, 1836. He served as vice president under Mirabeau B. Lamar and participated in the Battle of Neches . He was defeated by Houston in the next presidential election. Burnet served as
2128-615: The United States Census Bureau , Louisville has a total area of 3.7 square miles (9.5 km ), of which 3.6 square miles (9.3 km ) are land and 0.1 square miles (0.2 km ), or 1.93%, are water. The western city boundary follows Rocky Comfort Creek, which flows into the Ogeechee River at the city limits' southwest corner. The Ogeechee flows to the Atlantic Ocean south of Savannah . As of
2204-476: The state capital of Georgia from 1796 to 1806. It was a center of trade, legislators, and political influence. The Jefferson County courthouse, built in 1904, stands on the site of Georgia's first permanent capitol building. Louisville's historic open-sided market house, Old Market , (Old Slave Market) still stands in the center of downtown. The original market had sections for sales of farm produce, household goods, and enslaved African Americans . The caption of
2280-583: The 200 settlers in the town and organized the first Presbyterian Sunday School in Texas. A profoundly religious man, Burnet neither drank nor swore and always carried a Bible in his pocket. After a failed venture with Milam, the Western Colonization and Mining Company, in 1827, Burnet traveled with Lorenzo de Zavala and Joseph Vehlein to the Coahuila y Tejas state capitol, Saltillo . The men applied for grants as empresarios under
2356-495: The Galveston Bay and Texas Land Company for $ 12,000. Burnet remained in the United States for several years, and on December 8, 1830, married Hannah Estey of Morristown, New Jersey . At their wedding, he was 43, and she was 30 years old. Eager to return to Texas, Burnet and his new wife chartered the ship Call and brought a steam engine to operate a sawmill. A storm grounded the ship along Bolivar Point , and, to lighten
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2432-725: The Indians out at the Battle of the Neches , where 500 Texans attacked 800 American Indians of several different tribes. Of these 800, between 400 and 500 were women, children, and elders. The Texians and Rangers who attacked the tribes were fully armed, while the Indians had an estimated 16–24 rifles and pistols. Before the attack, Duwali, Gatunwali, Big Mush, and other chiefs and leaders asked for time to gather their crops, then they would go in peace, but Lamar would not wait.. Lamar ordered Secretary of War Albert Sidney Johnston and General Thomas J. Rusk to run them out of Texas. Lamar appointed
2508-410: The Texas army officers threatened to execute Santa Anna and to try Burnet for treason. Most of Burnet's time was spent writing proclamations, orders, and letters appealing for funds and volunteers. The Texas treasury was empty as a taxation system had yet to be implemented. There was no money to pay Burnet a salary, and his family soon had trouble paying for their expenses. To make ends meet, they sold
2584-502: The Texas southern boundary to the Sierra Madres . His proposal was defeated by supporters of Houston, who was then serving in the legislature. Burnet dismissed several of Lamar's appointees during his time as acting president, angering the president. After Lamar's term, Burnet agreed to run for president. Lamar and his cronies only reluctantly supported Burnet after they could not entice Rusk to run. Burnet's primary competition
2660-454: The army and sent Secretary of War Mirabeau B. Lamar to take Rusk's place. Instead, Rusk proposed that General Felix Huston be named his replacement. Lamar called a vote of the men in the army, who overwhelmingly voted for Huston, essentially a vote of no confidence in Burnet's decisions. The first Texas presidential election was held on September 5, 1836. Burnet declined to run, and Houston
2736-542: The army, and distinguished himself in the U.S. Army at the Battle of Monterrey during the Mexican–American War . During this time, money was tight in Texas; Lamar borrowed money from his banker cousin Gazaway Bugg Lamar . Some of the letters on this subject between the two still exist. In late 1847, he was assigned as a post commander at Laredo , but disliked the job, as he wanted more action. Lamar
2812-459: The arrival of the "Twin Sisters," two 6 lb. cannons that had been sent as a gift from the people of Cincinnati to show their respect for the Burnet family since Burnet's brother Isaac was the mayor of Cincinnati. Burnet immediately sent the guns to Houston. Out of safety concerns, the government was moved again on April 13 to Galveston. Santa Anna's army reached Harrisburg two days later to find
2888-480: The battle as a volunteer and suffered minor wounds. In December 1840, Burnet became acting president when Lamar took a leave of absence to seek medical treatment in New Orleans for an intestinal disorder. His first official act, on December 16, was to deliver an address to Congress alleging that Mexican armies were preparing to invade Texas. Burnet wanted Congress to declare war on Mexico and to attempt to push
2964-471: The center of Jefferson County. U.S. Route 1 passes through the east side of the city, leading northeast 46 miles (74 km) to Augusta and south 30 miles (48 km) to Swainsboro . U.S. Route 221 passes through the north side of downtown as Peachtree Street and leads southwest 10 miles (16 km) to Bartow . US-221 leaves Louisville to the north, running with US-1 15 miles (24 km) to Wrens before continuing north toward Harlem . According to
3040-464: The convention and was elected interim president on March 17, 1836. On his orders, the government fled Washington-on-the-Brazos for Harrisburg , thus inspiring the Runaway Scrape . Burnet narrowly avoided capture by Mexican troops the following month. After Sam Houston 's victory at the Battle of San Jacinto , Burnet took custody of Mexican General Antonio López de Santa Anna and negotiated
3116-624: The distribution of $ 18,000 in specie that had been found in Santa Anna's treasure chest. Burnet insisted that the money should go to the Texas treasury, but Houston had already given $ 3,000 to the Texas Navy and distributed the rest among his men. In his distrust of civil government, Santa Anna requested that he be allowed to negotiate a treaty with Houston. His request was rejected, and Burnet took him into custody, first to Galveston Island and then to Velasco . On May 14, 1836, both men signed
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3192-479: The election returns were in, Burnet and Houston engaged in a shouting match, with Burnet calling Houston a "half-Indian" and Houston calling Burnet a "hog thief." Burnet challenged Houston to a duel, but Houston refused: "The people are equally disgusted with both of us." Lamar and Burnet were inaugurated on December 10, 1838. Burnet was an active vice president. In 1839, he briefly served as acting Secretary of State after Barnard Bee had been sent to Mexico. Burnet
3268-604: The first Reconstruction state legislature appointed Burnet and Oran Roberts to be US senators from Texas. Neither man could take the Ironclad oath , so they were not permitted to take their Senate seats. Burnet's last public service came in 1868 when he was appointed as a delegate to the Democratic National Convention , which nominated Horatio Seymour for president. In his later years, Burnet experienced senility. Before his death, he had carried
3344-616: The first judge of the Austin district and organized a court at San Felipe. From then on, he was known as Judge Burnet. He and other Texians determined that Texas should be an independent state within Mexico. In November 1835, the Consultation of 1835 was held at San Felipe. At the consultation, Burnet formed a provisional state government based on the 1824 Constitution of Mexico , which Santa Anna had already repudiated. On March 1, 1836,
3420-401: The law required settlers to convert to Roman Catholicism to receive the extra land grant. The devout Burnet refused, angering the Mexican authorities to the point that they canceled his grant for operating the sawmill. The mill was finally sold to Dr. Branch T. Archer at a large loss. Burnet was a delegate to the Convention of 1833 , where he was elected the chair of a committee that created
3496-429: The legislature to establish school districts and appoint directors. Freedmen 's children were included in the system, despite much opposition. When Lamar left office in 1841, Texas was almost $ 7 million in debt compared to $ 1.4 million when he was inaugurated in 1838. The majority of the debt was accrued from carrying out his policies. Houston was elected again as president after Lamar. The latter returned to service in
3572-557: The legislature to set aside three leagues of land in each county to be devoted to school development. He also allotted 50 leagues of land for the support of two universities, later developed as Texas A&M University (1876), under the Morrill Act , and The University of Texas (1883). Although no facilities were constructed during his term, he provided the base for a statewide public school system. Government gave 18,000 acres of public land for public schools. He wanted education to be
3648-489: The load, they were forced to discard all of Hannah's furniture and her hope chest. The steam engine was the only piece of cargo that could be saved. Burnet established his sawmill on 17 acres (10 ha) of land along the San Jacinto River , in an area that came to be known as Burnet's Bay. Under Mexican law, Burnet was entitled to an extra land grant because his sawmill provided a needed public service. However,
3724-449: The new constitution was adopted that evening. The frontrunners for the presidency of the new country, Austin, Sam Houston , and William H. Wharton , were absent from the convention. So the nominees became Burnet and Samuel Price Carson . Burnet won, on a vote of 29–23, in the early hours of March 17, becoming the interim president of the new Republic of Texas . De Zavala was elected vice president. One of Burnet's first acts as president
3800-467: The president to succeed Houston, was elected. He was inaugurated on December 1, 1838. Houston talked for three hours in his farewell address, "which so unnerved Lamar that he was unable to read his inaugural speech." It was given by his aide, Algernon P. Thompson. Lamar's vice president was David G. Burnet . Several weeks later, in his first formal address to the Texas Congress , Lamar urged that
3876-551: The presidential election, Burnet returned to his farm. When Texas was annexed into the United States , Burnet served as the state's first Secretary of State under Governor James Pinckney Henderson . His feud with Houston continued, and in 1852, Burnet wrote the pamphlet "Review of the Life of General Sam Houston," which recounted many rumors and allegations of Houston's improper behavior. Houston retaliated in February 1859 by giving
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#17327866159843952-534: The previous day, had attracted the admiration of his comrades and called him to that station), placed on our right, completed our line." After Texas achieved independence from Mexico , Lamar was appointed as the Secretary of War in the interim Texian government. In 1836, he was elected to the position of Vice President of Texas. Lamar, the unanimous choice as the nominee of the Democratic Party for
4028-537: The proceedings, and the government fled, inspiring a massive fight known as the Runaway Scrape . Burnet personally carried the Texas Declaration of Independence in his saddlebags. Sam Houston, leading the Texan Army, also decided to strategically retreat from Gonzales after learning of the defeat at the Alamo. On hearing of the government's flight, "Houston was pained and annoyed" and maintained it
4104-637: The state capital in the 1780s. Louisville was named for Louis XVI , who had aided the Continentals during the American Revolutionary War and was still the King of France when the decision to incorporate the city was made. Development of the city took years, and its state government buildings were completed in 1795. An old Revolutionary War soldiers' cemetery is located on the western side of town. The city of Louisville served as
4180-510: The state's first Secretary of State when the United States annexed Texas. The first Reconstruction state legislature appointed him to the United States Senate . Still, he could not take his seat because of the Ironclad oath . Burnet was born to Dr. William Burnet and his second wife, Gertrude Gouverneur Rutgers, widow of Anthony Rutgers (a brother of Henry Rutgers who founded Rutgers University ). His father had served in
4256-504: The state, giving speeches on behalf of the governor. On one of his trips, he met Tabitha Burwell Jordan, whom he married in 1826. They had a daughter together. When Troup lost his re-election bid in 1828, Lamar moved with his family to Columbus, Georgia , where he established the Columbus Enquirer . This venture was much more successful than his previous business attempts. In 1830, his wife Tabitha died of tuberculosis . Lamar
4332-545: The summer of 1835, he reached Texas , then part of Mexico. He decided to stay, where he was visiting his friend James Fannin . Fannin had recently settled there and was working as a slave trader in Velasco . After a trip back to Georgia, Lamar returned to Texas. Learning of a battle for independence, he traveled with his horse and sword to join Sam Houston's army in spring 1836, and distinguished himself with bravery at
4408-416: The transition of power, Burnet's son Jacob died at Velasco. The Burnets returned to their home, which had been looted, which left them with no furniture or other household articles. To support his family, Burnet practiced law and farmed. Houston's term as president expired in 1838. Burnet declined offers to run as his replacement but agreed to run as the vice president for his friend, Mirabeau B. Lamar. Once
4484-561: The treasury and sent an expedition on his own initiative. It was questioned on constitutional grounds. Its members were arrested when they reached Santa Fe , and were told they would soon be released. Instead, under guard, they were marched to prison in Mexico City , and many died during the journey. Lamar has been called "the Father of Texas Education" because of his provisions of land to support it. During his administration, he convinced
4560-688: The treaty. The people of Texas were incensed at the terms of the treaty. The public, the Secretary of War, and the Secretary of the Navy wanted to see Santa Anna executed for his actions. Despite the criticism, Burnet arranged for Santa Anna to travel by boat to Mexico. His ship was delayed for several days by wind, and while it was docked, 250 volunteers, commanded by Thomas Green , arrived. Green demanded that Burnet resign immediately. The ship's captain, afraid for his safety, refused to set sail unless Green approved. With few other options, Burnet ordered Santa Anna brought ashore and imprisoned at Quintana . Many of
4636-505: The troops not to fire, as he had seen Hannah Burnet in the boat and did not want to put her in danger. Burnet did not hear of Houston's victory at San Jacinto and subsequent capture of Santa Anna until several days after. He hurried to the battlefield, where he often complained about Houston's use of profanity. Houston's staff "complained that the president grumbled ungraciously, was hard to please, and spent all of his time giving orders and collecting souvenirs." The two men also argued over
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#17327866159844712-471: The unsuccessful filibustering expeditions led by general Francisco de Miranda for the independence of Venezuela from Spain rule. He fought in Chile in 1807 and in Venezuela in 1808. After Miranda broke with Simon Bolivar , Burnet returned to the United States in 1812. Upon his return Burnet moved to Cincinnati, Ohio , to study law. He lived with his two older brothers, Jacob , who later became
4788-470: Was 2,381. Its name is pronounced "Lewis-ville", though it and the differently pronounced city in Kentucky were both named for Louis XVI . Louisville was incorporated on January 26, 1786, as the prospective state capital, though it did not become so for a decade. Savannah had served as the colonial capital, but was considered too far from the center of population in the growing state, and Augusta became
4864-421: Was Houston, and insults and name-calling dominated the campaign. Houston questioned Burnet's honesty by accusing him of taking a $ 250,000 bribe from Santa Anna and calling him a "political brawler" and a "canting hypocrite." Houston also accused Burnet of being a drunk. Burnet again challenged Houston to a duel, but again, Houston refused. Houston won the election with 7,915 votes to Burnet's 3,619. After losing
4940-584: Was a cowardly action that had caused a great deal of unnecessary panic. Burnet was infuriated by Houston's criticism and accused Houston of staging a retreat because he was afraid to fight. Within several days, Burnet had stationed a spy, Major James H. Perry, on Houston's staff. To discredit Houston, Perry initiated a groundless rumor that Houston had begun taking opium . On March 25, Burnet declared martial law and divided Texas into three military districts. All able-bodied men between 18 and 55 were ordered to report for military duty. Four days later, Burnet issued
5016-457: Was accepted to Princeton University (then called the College of New Jersey), he chose not to attend. He started work as a merchant and then ran a newspaper, but both of those enterprises failed. In 1823, Lamar's family connections helped him to gain a position as the private secretary to the newly elected Georgia Governor George M. Troup . In this position, Lamar issued press releases and toured
5092-633: Was an early politician within the Republic of Texas , serving as the interim president of Texas in 1836, the second vice president of the Republic of Texas (1839–1841), and the secretary of state (1846) for the new state of Texas after it was annexed to the United States . Burnet was born in Newark, New Jersey , and attended law school in Cincinnati , Ohio . As a young man, he lived with
5168-504: Was deeply affected and took time to recover his drive. He withdrew his name from consideration for re-election to the Georgia Senate , in which he had served one term. After traveling, Lamar began to study law. He was admitted to the bar in 1833 and ran an unsuccessful campaign for a seat in the U.S. Congress . Lamar's brother Lucius committed suicide in 1834. A grief-stricken Lamar began traveling again to ease his sorrow. In
5244-722: Was elected from Eagle Pass in the Texas Legislature for several years after Texas was annexed to the United States in 1845. In 1857, President James Buchanan appointed Lamar as the Minister to Nicaragua , and a few months later to Costa Rica . He served in Managua for 20 months before returning to Texas in October 1859 because of poor health. He died of a heart attack at his Richmond plantation on December 19, 1859. Lamar's volume of collected poems, Verse Memorials ,
5320-435: Was elected to become the first president. Houston was expected to take office in December. On October 3, Burnet called the first session of the Texas Congress to order in Columbia . Houston arrived at the session on October 9, and the Congress quickly began lobbying Burnet to resign so that Houston could begin his duties. Burnet finally agreed to resign on October 22, the day after de Zavala resigned as vice president. During
5396-429: Was named for the Roman statesman Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus ; the younger, Mirabeau Buonaparte Lamar, for French heroes Napoleon Bonaparte and Honoré Gabriel Riqueti, comte de Mirabeau . The family had connections with other families throughout Georgia and the South . Confederate politician John Basil Lamar was a first cousin to Lamar. As a child, Lamar loved to read and educated himself through books. Although he
5472-638: Was no ransom or other agreement to the release of these prisoners. In Cincinnati, Burnet wrote a series of articles for the Literary Gazette detailing his time with the Native Americans. He practiced law for several years but returned to Texas after hearing of Stephen F. Austin's thriving colony for Anglos. Burnet settled in San Felipe , the headquarters of Austin's colony, in 1826. For the next 18 months, he provided law advice to
5548-433: Was part of a five-person commission to negotiate with Chief Bowl for the "peaceful" expulsion of the Cherokee tribe from their territory northwest of Nacogdoches. After a week of negotiations, the group did not agree. On July 15, three regiments of Texas troops attacked the Cherokee at the Battle of Neches . Chief Bowl and a hundred other Indians were killed; the survivors retreated into Arkansas Territory . Burnet fought in
5624-422: Was published in 1857 (New York, W.P. Fetridge & Co., 224 pages). Louisville, Georgia Louisville is a city in and the county seat of Jefferson County , Georgia , United States, and also a former state capital of Georgia. It is located southwest of Augusta on the Ogeechee River , and its population was 2,493 at the 2010 census , down from 2,712 at the 2000 census. By 2020, its population
5700-426: Was to transfer the capital of the new state from Washington-on-the-Brazos to Harrisburg , which was located nearer to the small Texas Navy at Galveston Island . Harrisburg was also closer to the US border and would allow easier communication with US officials. The move became urgent when the convention received word that Santa Anna was within 60 miles (100 km) of Washington-on-the-Brazos. Burnet quickly adjourned
5776-467: Was virtually worthless. Spending doubled during Lamar's term, and combined with the worthless currency, caused financial difficulties for the government. Lamar wanted the Rio Grande to be the western boundary of Texas. He wanted to send an expedition to New Mexico to conquer it, and convince the residents, still loyal to Mexico, to join the Republic. The Texas Congress refused to fund the expedition in 1839 and 1840. In June 1841, Lamar took $ 89,000 from
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