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99-469: On April 11, 1842, George H. French began publication of the Daily News , as a single broadsheet paper. At the time, Texas was an independent Republic , with Sam Houston serving as president, and Galveston was its largest port and primary city. By 1843, Willard Richardson was named editor of the paper and in 1845 decided to purchase the growing publication. The News continued to grow and became

198-579: A state of the United States of America . Coahuila joined with Nuevo León and Tamaulipas , to form the short-lived Republic of the Rio Grande . In 1821, the Mexican War of Independence severed the control that Spain had exercised on its North American territories, and the new country of Mexico was formed from much of the lands that had comprised New Spain . In the early days of

297-690: A "major voice in the Republic of Texas ", and was one of the first papers in the US with a dedicated train to manage its circulation in cities across the Republic and later the U.S. state of Texas . During the Civil War, the Daily News was briefly published in Houston , after Galveston was occupied by Union forces, but by 1866, it had returned. Alfred Horatio Belo , joined the staff in 1865 and purchased

396-529: A Mexican force of over 500 men, led by Ráfael Vásquez , invaded Texas for the first time since the revolution. They soon headed back to the Rio Grande after briefly occupying San Antonio . About 1,400 Mexican troops, led by the French mercenary general Adrián Woll , launched a second attack and captured San Antonio on September 11, 1842. A Texas militia retaliated at the Battle of Salado Creek while simultaneously,

495-484: A charter in 1844 for the Herman University for medicine but classes never started due to lack of funds. The University of San Augustine was chartered June 5, 1837, but did not open until 1842 when Marcus A. Montrose became president. There were as many as 150 students enrolled. However, attendance declined to 50 in 1845, and further situations including animosity and embittered factions in the community closed

594-800: A different relationship with the Spanish crown. Some Anglo Americans fought on the side of Mexico against Spain in filibustering expeditions. One of these, the Gutiérrez–Magee Expedition (also known as the Republican Army of the North), consisted of a group of about 130 Anglo Americans under the leadership of Bernardo Gutiérrez de Lara . Gutiérrez de Lara initiated Mexico's secession from Spain with efforts contributed by Augustus Magee . Bolstered by new recruits, and led by Samuel Kemper (who succeeded Magee after his death in battle in 1813),

693-660: A failed battle to retake Ciudad Mier . The Naval Battle of Campeche took place on April 30, 1843, and May 16, 1843. The battle featured the most advanced warships of its day, including the Mexican steamer Guadalupe and the equally formidable Montezuma which engaged a squadron of vessels from the Republic of Yucatan and the Republic of Texas. The latter force consisted of the Texas Navy flagship sloop-of-war Austin , commanded by Commodore Edwin Ward Moore ,

792-508: A mile and a half away, Mexican soldiers massacred a militia of fifty-three Texas volunteers who had surrendered after a skirmish. That night, upon their defeat, the Mexican Army retreated from San Antonio, back to Mexico, while being pursued by Texas soldiers. The Texas Army took the city of Laredo, at which point they were given official orders from Sam Houston to return to San Antonio. Several soldiers ignored this order, and launched

891-417: A new constitution formalized under President Antonio Santa Anna, called Siete Leyes , and began to strengthen the central government. American immigrants described it as restoring pre-enlightened forms of governance, depriving them of their rights and liberties. They objected to mandatory Catholicism and when Santa Anna began enforcing anti-slavery laws, many feared religious coercion could be next. In 1835,

990-617: A new governor. Texans in Saltillo recommended establishing a provisional government in Bexar during the unrest to strengthen the autonomy of Texas. Juan Seguin , political chief of Bexar, called for a town meeting to create a government but was forced to postpone it when Mexican troops advanced in the direction of Texas. In 1835, President Santa Anna revoked the Constitution of 1824 and began consolidating his power. In various parts of

1089-403: A proposed state constitution. In March 1833, the capital of the state was transferred from Saltillo to Monclova , which was closer to Tejas. Shortly thereafter, civil war erupted as the federal government moved away from federalism and towards a more centralized government. As fighting erupted, residents in Saltillo declared that Monclova had been illegally made the state capital and selected

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1188-738: A second expedition. Fifty men attempted to join him from the United States, but they were arrested by American authorities as they tried to cross into Texas. The men who had joined Long were disappointed they were paid in scrip, and they gradually began to desert. By December 1820, Long commanded only 50 men. With the aid of Ben Milam and others, Long revitalized the Supreme Council. He later broke with Milam. The expedition led an uncertain existence until September 19, 1821, when Long and 52 men marched inland to capture Presidio La Bahía. The town fell easily on October 4, but four days later Long

1287-512: A slave. The new laws also stated that any slave brought into Texas should be freed within six months. Two years later, slavery was officially prohibited in Mexico. American settlers in Texas began to discuss revolt. The governor of Coahuila y Tejas, Jose Maria Viesca , wrote to the president to explain the importance of slavery to the east Texas economy, and the importance of the Texas economy to

1386-506: A slaveholding country and Mexico's claim on the territory caused significant problems in the foreign relations of Texas with other nations. Although it was supported by the vast majority of Texians at the time of independence, annexation by the United States was prevented by the leadership of both major U.S. political parties, the Democrats and the Whigs , who opposed the introduction of

1485-606: A small European population. Spain maintained a small military presence to protect Catholic missionaries working among Native American tribes, and to act as a buffer against the French in Louisiana and British North America . Following defeats by the British in North America and Europe, in 1762 Bourbon France ceded to Bourbon Spain most of its claims to the interior of North America, including its claim to Texas, as well as

1584-488: A vast slave-holding region into a country already divided into pro- and anti-slavery sections and wished to avoid a war with Mexico. On March 3, 1837, U.S. President Andrew Jackson appointed Alcée La Branche as chargé d'affaires to the Republic of Texas, thus officially recognizing Texas as an independent republic. France granted official recognition of Texas on September 25, 1839, appointing Alphonse Dubois de Saligny to serve as chargé d'affaires . The French Legation

1683-501: Is engraved on the cylinder of every Colt 1851 Navy , 1860 Army, and 1861 Navy revolver. Mexico's attacks on Texas intensified conflicts between political factions, including an incident known as the Texas Archive War . To "protect" the Texas national archives, President Sam Houston ordered them removed from Austin. The archives were eventually returned to Austin, albeit at gunpoint. The Texas Congress admonished Houston for

1782-578: The Republic of the Rio Grande (another Mexican breakaway republic), and the United States of America . Much of its territory was controlled by Mexico or Comancheria ; Mexico considered it a rebellious province during its entire existence. It was bordered by Mexico to the west and southwest, the Gulf of Mexico to the southeast, the two U.S. states of Louisiana and Arkansas to the east and northeast, and United States territories encompassing parts of

1881-595: The Associated Press and the Texas Press Association in editorial writing, headline writing and general excellence, as well as breaking news articles. In November 2011 the paper dropped the "Galveston County" moniker and returned to its original name, The Daily News . It is currently published by Galveston Newspapers Inc., and owned by the Carmage B. Walls family. The Wallses also operate

1980-643: The Convention of 1836 came to order, and the next day declared independence from Mexico, establishing the Republic of Texas. Sam Houston was elected as the new President of the Republic of Texas on September 5, 1836. The second Congress of the Republic of Texas convened a month later, in October 1836, at Columbia (now West Columbia) . Stephen F. Austin , known as the Father of Texas , died December 27, 1836, after serving two months as Secretary of State for

2079-492: The Estado Libre y Soberano de Coahuila y Tejas ( lit.   ' Free and Sovereign State of Coahuila and Texas ' ), was one of the constituent states of the newly established United Mexican States under its 1824 Constitution . It had two capitals: first Saltillo (1822–1825) for petition of Miguel Ramos Arizpe, that changing the capital for dispute of political groups, but Monclova recovered primacy because it

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2178-568: The Houston , Texas -based media group, Southern Newspapers Inc. It is Southern Newspapers' flagship publication and has a circulation of 33,000 in 2008. It has a weekday circulation of approx. 14,200 and a weekend circulation of approx.14,900. Republic of Texas The Republic of Texas ( Spanish : República de Tejas ), or simply Texas , was a breakaway state in North America . It existed for 10 years, from March 2, 1836 to February 19, 1846. It shared borders with Mexico ,

2277-527: The Louisiana Purchase to the United States. The status of Texas during these transfers was unclear and was not resolved until 1819, when the Adams–Onís Treaty between Spain and the United States ceded Spanish Florida to the United States, and established a clear boundary between Texas and Louisiana. Starting in 1810 with the outbreak of the Mexican War of Independence , New Spain sought

2376-759: The Pacific Ocean , but ultimately decided to claim the Rio Grande as boundary, including much of New Mexico , which the Republic never controlled. They also hoped, after peace was made with Mexico, to run a railroad to the Gulf of California to give "access to the East Indian, Peruvian and Chilean trade". When negotiating for the possibility of annexation to the U.S. in late 1836, the Texian government instructed its minister Wharton in Washington that if

2475-814: The Plan of Iguala , which created Mexico as a constitutional monarchy under its first Emperor Agustín de Iturbide . During the transition from a Spanish territory to a part of the independent country of Mexico, Stephen F. Austin led a group of American immigrants known as the Old Three Hundred , who negotiated the right to establish colonies in Texas with the Spanish Royal governor of the territory, and to bring their slaves with them. These colonies were limited in quotas and to specific locations. Since Mexican independence had been ratified by Spain shortly thereafter, Austin later traveled to Mexico City to secure

2574-627: The Texas Revolution and signatories of the Texas Declaration of Independence from Mexico 20 years later. After the failure of the expedition, there would be no serious push for a "Republic of Texas" for another six years, until 1819. That year Virginian filibuster James Long invaded Spanish Texas in an attempt to liberate the region. The Americans were eager to gain territory where they could extend slavery for agricultural and other development. Eli Harris led 120 men across

2673-543: The United States were permitted to move to Mexico. States were responsible for implementing the General Colonization Law . Officials in Saltillo, the capital of Coahuila y Tejas, were soon besieged by foreign land speculators who wanted to claim land in Texas. The state passed its own colonization law in 1825. Approximately 3,420 land grant applications were submitted by immigrants and naturalized citizens, many of them Anglo-Americans . Only one of

2772-475: The brig Wharton , and several schooners and five gunboats from the Republic of Yucatán, commanded by former Texas Navy Captain James D. Boylan. Texas had declared its independence in 1836, but by 1843, Mexico had refused to recognize it. In Yucatán, a similar rebellion had begun and was fought off-and-on from 1836 to 1846. The battle ended in a combined Yucatecan and Texian victory. A scene from this battle

2871-431: The 1840s after a cotton price crash, in a failed attempt to coerce Texas to give up slavery (replacing slave-produced cotton from southern U.S. states) and to stop expansion of the United States to the southwest. The cotton price crash of the 1840s bankrupted the Republic, increasing the urgency of finding foreign allies who could help prevent a reconquest by Mexico. Coahuila y Tejas Coahuila y Tejas , officially

2970-649: The Comanches attacked Texas in a series of raids. After peace talks in 1840 ended with the massacre of 34 Comanche leaders in San Antonio , the Comanches launched a major attack deep into Texas, known as the Great Raid of 1840 . Under command of Potsanaquahip ( Buffalo Hump ), 500 to 700 Comanche cavalry warriors swept down the Guadalupe River valley, killing and plundering all the way to the shore of

3069-715: The General Provisions of the Constitution stated that all persons who resided in Texas on the day of the Declaration of Independence were considered citizens of the Republic, excepting "Africans, the descendants of Africans, and Indians." For white immigrants, Section 6 established to become citizens, they needed to reside in Texas for at least six months and take an oath of loyalty to the Republic; in contrast, under Section 9, African slaves brought to Texas were to remain slaves and could not be emancipated without

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3168-515: The Gulf of Mexico, where they sacked the towns of Victoria and Linnville . The Comanches retreated after being pursued by 186 rangers and were caught at the Battle of Plum Creek , in which they lost the plunder they had taken. Houston became president again in 1841 and, with both Texians and Comanches exhausted by war, a new peace was established. Although Texas achieved self-government, Mexico refused to recognize its independence. On March 5, 1842,

3267-499: The Lone Star Flag. Internal politics of the Republic were focused on two factions. The nationalist faction, led by Lamar, advocated the continued independence of Texas, the expulsion of the native Americans , and the expansion of Texas to the Pacific Ocean . Their opponents, led by Houston, advocated the annexation of Texas to the United States and peaceful coexistence with the native Americans where possible. The Congress of

3366-577: The Mexican Congress refused to recognize the independence of the Republic of Texas, as the Treaties of Velasco was signed by Mexican President General Antonio López de Santa Anna under duress as prisoner of the Texians. The majority of the Mexican Congress did not approve the agreement. Intermittent conflicts between Mexico and Texas continued into the 1840s. The United States recognized

3465-753: The Mexican leadership, the Anglo Americans under Kemper returned to the United States. The ephemeral Republic of Texas came to an end on August 18, 1813, with the Battle of Medina , where the Spanish Army crushed the Republican Army of the North. The harsh reprisals against the Texas rebels created a deep distrust of the Royal Spanish authorities. Veterans of the Battle of Medina became leaders of

3564-532: The Republic of Texas even passed a resolution over Houston's veto , claiming The Californias for Texas. The 1844 Republic of Texas presidential election split the electorate dramatically, with the newer western regions of the Republic preferring the nationalist candidate Edward Burleson , while the cotton country, particularly east of the Trinity River , went for Anson Jones . The Comanche Indians, whose territory included northwest Texas, furnished

3663-619: The Republic of Texas in March 1837 but declined to annex the territory at that time. Texas was annexed by the United States on December 29, 1845, and was admitted to the Union as the 28th state on that day, with the transfer of power from the Republic to the new state of Texas formally taking place on February 19, 1846. However, the United States inherited the southern and western border-disputes with Mexico, which had refused to recognize Texas's independence or to accept U.S. offers to purchase

3762-596: The Sabine River to Nacogdoches. Long followed two weeks later with an additional 75 men. On June 22, the combined force declared a new government, with Long as president and a 21-member Supreme Council. The following day, they issued a declaration of independence, modeled on the United States Declaration of Independence . The document cited several grievances, including "Spanish rapacity" and "odious tyranny" and promised religious freedom, freedom of

3861-479: The United States might wish to annex the area, possibly using force. On April 6, 1830, the Mexican government passed a series of laws restricting immigration from the United States into Texas. The laws also cancelled all unfilled empresario contracts and called for the first enforcement of customs duties. Implementation of the new laws angered colonists in Texas, and in June 1832 a group of armed settlers marched on

3960-566: The United States to work around the abolition of slavery. Angered at the interference of the Mexican government, the Empresarios held the Convention of 1832 , which was the first formal step in what became the Texas Revolution . By 1834, American immigrants in the area greatly outnumbered Mexicans. Following a series of minor skirmishes between Mexican authorities and the immigrants, the Mexican government increased its military presence in Texas throughout 1834 and early 1835. Mexico created

4059-399: The area covered by Texas ; Monclova, comprising northern Coahuila ; and Río Grande Saltillo, comprising southern Coahuila. The state remained in existence until the adoption of the 1835 "Constitutional Bases" , whereby the federal republic was converted into a unitary one, and the nation's states ( estados ) were turned into departments ( departamentos ). The State of Coahuila and Texas

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4158-418: The boundaries of Spanish Texas but did not include the area around El Paso , which belonged to the state of Chihuahua and the area of Laredo, Texas , which became part of Tamaulipas . Erasmo Seguin , Texas's representative to Congress during the constitutional deliberations, originally advocated for Texas to become a federal territory. He knew that Texas's small population and insufficient resources made

4257-584: The boundary were an issue, Texas was willing to settle for a boundary at the watershed between the Nueces River and Rio Grande, and leave out New Mexico. During its existence, the Republic of Texas received diplomatic recognition from only six nations: Belgium , France , the Netherlands , the Republic of Yucatán , the United Kingdom , and the United States of America . Texas' status as

4356-587: The central government split Coahuila y Tejas into two separate departments. The Texian leadership under Austin began to organize its own military, and hostilities broke out on October 2, 1835 at the Battle of Gonzales , the first engagement of the Texas Revolution . In November 1835, a provisional government known as the Consultation was established to oppose the Santa Anna regime (but stopped short of declaring independence from Mexico). On March 1, 1836,

4455-444: The children of slaves be freed when they reached fourteen. Any slave introduced into Mexico by purchase or trade would also be freed. Many of the colonists in Texas, however, had already owned slaves and brought them to the new territory when they immigrated from the United States. In 1827, the legislature of Coahuila y Tejas banned the admission of additional slaves into the state and granted freedom at birth to all children born to

4554-584: The competing Galveston Tribune , chose to discontinue that publication and convert the Daily News into a daily evening publication. In June 1967 Galveston Newspapers Inc., purchased the paper and changed The News to daily morning format. On Sunday November 7, 2004, The Daily News absorbed the Texas City Sun , a smaller sister publication that had been founded in 1912 and was based in Texas City , Texas. The paper has won first place awards from

4653-450: The conflict, siding with the law-and-order party. Sam Houston ordered 500 militia to help end the feud. Citizenship was not automatically granted to all previous inhabitants of Texas, and some residents were not allowed to continue living legally within the Republic without the consent of Congress. The Constitution of the Republic of Texas (1836) established different rights according to the race and ethnicity of each individual. Section 10 of

4752-498: The consent of Congress. Furthermore, the Congress was not allowed to make laws banning or restricting either slavery or the slavery trade. Section 9 also established that: "No free person of African descent, either in whole or in part, shall be permitted to reside permanently in the Republic, without the consent of Congress." In September 1836 Texas elected a Congress of 14 senators and 29 representatives. The Constitution allowed

4851-570: The country federalists revolted, and in May 1835 Santa Anna brutally crushed a revolt in Zacatecas. The federalists, including Agustín Viesca , the governor of Coahuila y Tejas, were afraid that Santa Anna would march against Coahuila after subduing the rebels in Zacatecas , so they disbanded the state legislature on May 21, 1835, and authorized the governor to set up an office in a different part of

4950-448: The country, there was much disagreement over whether Mexico should be a federal republic or a constitutional monarchy . In 1824, a new constitution restructured the country as a federal republic with nineteen states and four territories. One of the new states was Coahuila y Tejas, which combined the sparsely populated Spanish provinces of Texas and Coahuila . The poorest state in the Mexican federation, Coahuila y Tejas covered

5049-542: The current U.S. states of Oklahoma , Kansas , Colorado , Wyoming , and New Mexico to the north and west. The Anglo residents of the area and of the republic were referred to as Texians . The Mexican state of Coahuila y Tejas declared its independence from Mexico during the Texas Revolution in 1835–1836, when the Centralist Republic of Mexico abolished autonomy from states of the Mexican federal republic . Major fighting ended on April 21, 1836, but

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5148-406: The development of the state. Texas was temporarily exempted from the slavery prohibition rule. By 1830, the state was ordered to comply in full with the emancipation law. Many colonists converted their slaves to indentured servants with 99-year terms, a practice which the state also banned in 1832. As the number of Americans living in Texas blossomed, Mexican authorities became apprehensive that

5247-552: The eastern boundary of Spanish Texas and western boundary of the Missouri Territory . Under that treaty, the United States had renounced its claim to Spanish land to the east of the Rocky Mountains and to the north of the Rio Grande , which it claimed to have acquired as part of the Louisiana Purchase of 1803. The southern and western boundary of the Republic of Texas with Mexico was disputed throughout

5346-437: The expedition gained a series of victories against soldiers led by the Spanish governor, Manuel María de Salcedo . Their victory at the Battle of Rosillo Creek convinced Salcedo to surrender on April 1, 1813; he was executed two days later. On April 6, 1813, the victorious Republican Army of the North drafted a constitution and declared the independent Republic of Texas, with Gutiérrez as its president. Soon disillusioned with

5445-438: The first president to serve for two years and subsequent presidents for three years. To hold an office or vote, a man had to be a citizen of the Republic. The first Congress of the Republic of Texas convened in October 1836 at Columbia (now West Columbia). Stephen F. Austin , often referred to as the "Father of Texas", died on December 27, 1836, after serving just two months as the republic's secretary of state. Due mainly to

5544-483: The first English-language newspaper ever published in Texas, named the Texas Republican . It operated only for the month of August 1819. Long contacted Jean Lafitte , a French pirate who ran a large smuggling operation on Galveston Island . His letter suggested that the new government establish an admiralty court at Galveston, and offered to appoint Lafitte governor of Galveston. Unbeknownst to Long, Lafitte

5643-418: The first chief justice. The county-court system consisted of a chief justice and two associates, chosen by a majority of the justices of the peace in the county. Each county was also to have a sheriff, a coroner, justices of the peace, and constables to serve two-year terms. Congress formed 23 counties, whose boundaries generally coincided with the existing municipalities. In 1839, Texas became the first nation in

5742-707: The frontier, so many garrisons were composed of convicts or others forcibly recruited. In 1828, Coahuila y Tejas passed legislation authorizing an official state militia. Texas had at least three militia units – at Bexar, Goliad, and in Stephen F. Austin 's colony along the Brazos River . Despite the influx of settlers from the United States after the colonization laws were passed, the majority of settlers within Coahuila y Tejas were either Mexican citizens or Tejanos. Within Texas, however, by 1830 approximately 80% of

5841-407: The garrisons were usually disbanded. The bulk of the rest of the army remained in Mexico City, in large part so its leaders could curry political favor. The government had little money, and troops were often unpaid, with ammunition, guns, and food in short supply. In many cases townspeople were forced to provide food and other supplies to the soldiers. Few men volunteered for military service in

5940-440: The gates to St. James's Palace , the original Embassy of the Republic of Texas is now a hat shop but is clearly marked with a large plaque and there was a nearby restaurant in Trafalgar Square called the Texas Embassy Cantina, which closed in June 2012. A plaque on the exterior of 3 St. James's Street in London notes that the upper floors of the building housed the Texas Legation. The United Kingdom eventually recognized Texas in

6039-471: The incident, and this episode in Texas history solidified Austin as Texas's seat of government for the Republic and the future state. There were also domestic disturbances. The Regulator–Moderator War involved a land feud in Harrison and Shelby Counties in East Texas from 1839 to 1844. The feud eventually involved Nacogdoches , San Augustine, and other East Texas counties. Harrison County Sheriff John J. Kennedy and county judge Joseph U. Fields helped end

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6138-528: The independent Republic of Texas . Coahuila y Tejas was divided into several departments, each of which was governed by a political chief. Departments were further subdivided into municipalities, which were governed by alcaldes , similar to a modern-day mayor . Each municipality also had an elected ayuntamiento , similar to a city council. Originally, all of Texas was included in the Department of Béxar, while Coahuila comprised several departments. After many protests from residents of Texas, in early 1834

6237-431: The main tribal opposition to the Republic, manifested in multiple raids on Mexican, indigenous, and European settlements. In the late 1830s, Sam Houston negotiated peace between Texas and the Comanches. When Lamar ascended to presidency in 1838 he reversed the Houston administration's policy towards the Native Americans. War soon resumed with the Comanches and Lamar ordered an invasion of Comancheria itself. In retaliation,

6336-558: The military base at Anahuac , and deposed the commander, Juan Davis Bradburn . A second group forced the surrender of another Mexican military commander at the Battle of Velasco . The small rebellion coincided with a revolt led by General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna against the centralist policies of Mexican president Anastasio Bustamante . Texans aligned themselves with Santa Anna's federalist policies. Settlers in Texas continued to press for changes in Mexican law. In 1833, they requested separate statehood, going so far as to draft

6435-467: The new Republic. In 1836, five sites served as temporary capitals of Texas ( Washington-on-the-Brazos , Harrisburg , Galveston , Velasco and Columbia ), before President Sam Houston moved the capital to Houston in 1837. The next president, Mirabeau B. Lamar , moved the capital to the new town of Austin in 1839. The first flag of the republic was the " Burnet Flag " (a single gold star on an azure field), followed in 1839 by official adoption of

6534-470: The new country and name Lafitte as governor. Within weeks, 500 Spanish troops arrived in Texas and marched on Nacogdoches. Long and his men withdrew. Over 40 of his men were captured. Long escaped to Natchitoches, Louisiana . Others fled to Galveston and settled along Bolivar Peninsula. Undeterred in defeat, Long returned again in 1820. He joined the refugees at Bolivar Peninsula on April 6, 1820, leading more reinforcements. He continued to raise money to equip

6633-414: The ongoing war for independence, five sites served as temporary capitals of Texas in 1836: ( Washington-on-the-Brazos , Harrisburg , Galveston , Velasco and Columbia). The capital was moved to the new city of Houston in 1837. In 1839, a small pioneer settlement situated on the Colorado River in central Texas was chosen as the republic's seventh and final capital. Incorporated under the name Waterloo,

6732-436: The paper in 1875. By 1885, Belo saw the need for a strong independent publication in Dallas , and sent staff there to establish a satellite publication, The Dallas Morning News . In 1923, William Lewis Moody Jr. , a prominent banker and insurance man purchased the paper from A. H. Belo . In 1963 the Moody Foundation chose to sell the paper to William P. Hobby Jr. , owner of the Houston Post . The Hobbys, who also owned

6831-408: The plantation business model. In the Law of April 6, 1830 , Mexican President Anastasio Bustamante outlawed American immigration to Texas, following several conflicts with the Empresarios over the status of slavery, which had been abolished in Mexico in 1829, but which the Texians refused to end. Texians replaced slavery with long-term indentured servitude contracts signed by "liberated" slaves in

6930-399: The population was from the United States or Europe. In the frontier areas of the state, similar to the rest of the Mexican frontier, there was more ethnic intermarriage than in the interior regions. Although both the federal and state constitutions established the Catholic Church as the official religion, the frontier areas often disobeyed the rule. For the most part, only enough food

7029-405: The press, and free trade. The council allocated 10 square miles of land to each member of the expedition, and authorized the sale of additional land to raise cash for the fledgling government. Within a month, the expedition had grown to 300 members. The new government established trading outposts near Anahuac along the Trinity River and the Brazos River . Long's Republic of Texas also established

7128-422: The region ill-prepared to be an independent state, and that the federal government had an obligation to assist territories. Because Coahuila was more populous than Texas, he feared that in a combined state Coahuila would wield greater power in decision making. The representative from Coahuila, Miguel Ramos Arizpe , was likewise concerned that his region was ill-equipped to become an independent state. Ramos Arizpe

7227-434: The region was divided into three departments, Béxar, Brazos, and Nacogdoches. At the same time, Texas was granted three representatives to the state legislature from the original two. Laws were set by a state legislature. Ten of the 12 members were elected from Coahuila, with two coming from Texas. Legislators met at the state capital, originally Saltillo, Coahuila , later Monclova, Coahuila . The choice of capital city

7326-517: The regulations, each of the garrisons in Texas (at the Alamo Mission in Bexar and at Presidio La Bahia in Goliad) should have 107 soldiers, not including officers. By 1832 there were a combined 70 soldiers with guns (with an additional 70 who had no weapons). The federal government occasionally established other garrisons within Texas, but when the immediate threat was considered to be gone

7425-455: The republic's existence, since Mexico refused to acknowledge the independence of Texas. Texas claimed the Rio Grande as its southern boundary, while Mexico insisted that the Nueces River was the boundary. In practice, much of the disputed territory was occupied by the Comanche people and outside the control of either state. Texian claims included the eastern portions of New Mexico , which

7524-508: The state of Coahuila y Tejas . The capital was controversially located in southern Coahuila, the part farthest from Texas. Following Austin's lead, additional groups of immigrants, known as Empresarios , continued to colonize Mexican Texas from the United States. A spike in the price of cotton, and the success of plantations in Mississippi encouraged large numbers of white Americans to migrate to Texas and obtain slaves to try to replicate

7623-460: The state. Viesca was arrested as he traveled to San Antonio. When Viesca escaped and reached Texas, no one recognized him as governor. In October 1835, Santa Anna abolished all state governments, replacing them with administrative divisions from Mexico City. Settlers in Texas revolted the same month, and, at the conclusion of the Texas Revolution in April 1836, Texas had become self-established as

7722-493: The support of the new country for his right to colonize. The establishment of Mexican Texas coincided with the Austin-led colonization, leading to animosity between Mexican authorities and the acceleration of American immigration to Texas. The First Mexican Empire was short-lived, being replaced by a republican form of government in 1823. In 1824, the sparsely populated territories of Texas and Coahuila were joined to form

7821-657: The territory. Consequently, the annexation led to the Mexican–American War (1846–1848). The Republic of Texas claimed borders based upon the Treaties of Velasco between the newly created Republic of Texas and General Antonio López de Santa Anna . The eastern boundary had been defined by the Adams–Onís Treaty of 1819 between the United States and the Spanish Empire , which recognized the Sabine River as

7920-442: The town was renamed Austin shortly thereafter in honor of Stephen F. Austin. The court system inaugurated by Congress included a Supreme Court consisting of a chief justice appointed by the president and four associate justices, elected by a joint ballot of both houses of Congress for four-year terms and eligible for re-election. The associates also presided over four judicial districts. Houston nominated James Collinsworth to be

8019-483: The trade was run by recent immigrants; few Tejanos were involved in exporting or industry. The newcomers may have had increased access to capital markets and to transportation, and may have had closer ties with, or at least a better understanding of, foreign markets. Many inhabitants of the Mexican frontier chafed at rules that limited trade with the United States. As these areas, including Texas, were far from federal – and often state – control, smuggling

8118-431: The twenty-four empresarios , Martín De León settled citizens from within Mexico; the others came primarily from the United States. From the time Mexico became independent from Spain, there was public support for abolishing slavery. Fears of an economic crisis if all of the slaves were simultaneously freed led to a gradual emancipation policy. In 1823, Mexico forbade the sale or purchase of slaves, and required that

8217-588: The university in 1847. Later it became the University of East Texas, and soon after that became the Masonic Institute of San Augustine in 1851. Guadalupe College at Gonzales was approved January 30, 1841; however, no construction efforts ensued for the next eleven years. The Texian independence movement was one of many such movements faced by Mexico between 1835 and 1935. The Texian leaders at first intended to extend their national boundaries to

8316-657: The vast interior west of the Mississippi River, which became Spanish Louisiana . During the years 1799 to 1803, the height of the Napoleonic Empire in France, Spain returned Louisiana to France. Following the loss of numerous troops and failure to suppress the revolution by slaves and free people of color in Saint-Domingue, Napoleon decided to abandon North America; he sold what became known as

8415-424: The world to enact a homestead exemption , under which creditors cannot seize a person's primary residence. President Anson Jones signed the charter for Baylor University in the fall of 1845. Henry Lee Graves was elected Baylor's first president. It is believed to be the oldest university in Texas; however, Rutersville College was chartered in 1840 with land and the town of Rutersville . Chauncey Richardson

8514-491: Was administered by Mexico throughout this period. During the late Spanish colonial era , Texas had been one of the Provincias Internas , and the region is known in the historiography as Spanish Texas . Though claimed by Spain, it was not formally colonized by the empire until competing French interests at Fort St. Louis were a catalyst for Spain to establish permanent settlements in the area. The region

8613-457: Was also lucrative, and Texas exported over 5,000 head of cattle in 1834. Lumber was exported in small quantities, primarily to Matamoros. In the mid-1830s, Texas imported approximately $ 630,000 worth of goods. Exports amounted to only about $ 500,000. The trade deficit resulted in a lack of currency in Texas; in a report to his superiors Juan Almonte estimated that only about 10% of transactions within Texas were conducted with specie. Much of

8712-694: Was built in 1841, and still stands in Austin as the oldest frame structure in the city. Conversely, the Republic of Texas embassy in Paris was located in what is now the Hôtel de Vendôme , adjacent to the Place Vendôme in the 1st arrondissement of Paris . The United Kingdom hesitated to grant official recognition to the Republic of Texas due to its own friendly relations with Mexico, but nevertheless admitted Texian goods into British ports. In London , opposite

8811-428: Was controversial; Saltillo was located in the extreme south of the state, more than 300 leagues from the northernmost part of Texas. The federal government recognized that border states required a different military model than other states. In 1826, Coahuila y Tejas and the nearby states of Tamaulipas and Nuevo León were placed under a single military commandant general, who was stationed near Laredo . According to

8910-564: Was elected Rutersville first president. The college later became Southwestern University in Georgetown, Williamson county . University of Mary Hardin-Baylor was also chartered by the Republic of Texas in 1845, and received lands in Belton, Texas . Wesleyan College, chartered in 1844 and signed by president Sam Houston , another predecessor to Southwestern did not survive long due to competition from other colleges. Mirabeau Lamar signed

9009-514: Was enough to persuade the Texans to drop their opposition to the merger. The federal government had little money to spare for the military, so settlers were empowered to create their own militias to help control hostile native tribes. The border region of Texas faced frequent raids by Apache and Comanche tribes. In the hopes that an influx of settlers could control the raids, the government liberalized its immigration policies, and settlers from

9108-457: Was forced to surrender by Spanish troops. He was taken prisoner and sent to Mexico City; about six months later he was shot and killed by a guard, who reportedly was bribed to do so by José Félix Trespalacio. The Long Expeditions were ended. Along with the rest of Mexico, Texas gained its independence from Spain in 1821 following the Treaty of Córdoba , and the new Mexican state was organized under

9207-399: Was grown for use in the area; little was exported. This was partially due to labor shortages and partly due to raids from native tribes. Wild game was abundant, and many families survived by hunting, keeping a few head of livestock, and subsistence farming. Within Texas, the economy depended heavily on the cultivation of cotton. In 1834, Texas exported over 7,000 bales of cotton. Ranching

9306-471: Was long occupied and claimed by the existing indigenous groups of Native Americans. During the period from the 1690s–1710s, sporadic missionary expeditions took place before the Spanish established San Antonio as a permanent civilian settlement. Because the area was relatively densely settled with Native American peoples, was remote from the population centers of New Spain , and lacked any obvious valuable resources such as silver, Texas had attracted only

9405-509: Was rampant. Coahuila did not have a coastline, and thus could not import goods from other countries. From 1823 through 1830, Texas settlers had an exemption on tariffs for some goods. Tariffs could not be collected on other goods because there was no customs house to collect the duties. A customs house was established in Anahuac in 1830, but the soldiers were expelled by settlers in 1832. A similar incident occurred in 1835, again resulting in

9504-910: Was serving as a Spanish spy. While making numerous promises – and excuses – to Long, Lafitte gathered information about the expedition and passed it on to Spanish authorities. By July 16, the Spanish Consul in New Orleans had warned the viceroy in Mexico City that "I am fully persuaded that the present is the most serious expedition that has threatened the Kingdom". Lafitte failed to assist the expedition, which soon ran low on provisions. Long dispersed his men to forage for food. Discipline began to break down, and many men, including James Bowie , returned home. In early October, Lafitte reached an agreement with Long to make Galveston an official port for

9603-503: Was split in two and became the Department of Coahuila and the Department of Texas. Both Coahuila and Texas seceded from Mexico because Antonio López de Santa Anna attempted to collect taxes, end slavery, and centralize the government, and groups of rebels, led primarily by immigrants and slave-owners, were unwilling to obey the laws of the rest of Mexico. Texas eventually became the independent Republic of Texas , which in 1845 became

9702-402: Was the colonial capital since 1689; this action provoked a struggle between the residents of Saltillo and Monclova in 1838–1840, but the political actions of Santa Anna convinced the monclovitas to accept the final change of political powers to Saltillo. In the case of Tejas its territory was organized for administrative purposes, with the state being divided into three districts: Béxar, comprising

9801-443: Was unwilling to join with other nearby states, as Coahuila compared unfavorably to those states in either population or economy and would thus be a weaker partner. To convince the Texans to join forces with Coahuila, Ramos Arizpe wrote to the ayuntamiento in Bexar to warn the political leaders that a territory would lose its ownership of public lands to the federal government. State governments retained ownership of public land. This

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