Since the annexation of Texas by the United States of America, segments of its population have sought independence from the union. While those who have sought to secede from the union have often been a minority of the population, Texan nationalism has been highlighted through history in events such as the American Civil War, where Texas separated from the union to join the Confederate States of America. While not legally recognized by President Lincoln, the Confederate States were considered a belligerent power and were eventually defeated by the Union, thus nullifying the secession of Confederate States and reunifying the country.
In 1868, in Texas v. White, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Texas continued to be a State, and a State of the Union, notwithstanding its adoption in 1861 of the Ordinance of Secession. Texas was not readmitted to congressional representation until 1870, after the state had adopted a constitution of state government which reestablished a republican form of state government.[1]
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The Republic of Texas fought and won its independence from Mexico in its war of independence in 1836. For the next nine years, Texas was an independent nation, the Republic of Texas. In 1845, the Republic of Texas was annexed by the United States. The annexation was accomplished by means of a joint resolution from the United States Congress and endorsed by the Congress of the Republic of Texas and President of Texas, Anson Jones. Following the adoption of the Constitution of the State of Texas, Texas became the 28th state in the Union on December 29, 1845.
As part of the Cotton Kingdom, planters in parts of Texas depended on slave labor. In 1860, 30% of the state population of 604,215 were slaves.[2] In the statewide election on the secession ordinance, Texans voted to secede from the Union by a 76% majority. The Secession Convention immediately organized a government, replacing Sam Houston when he refused to take an oath of allegiance to the Confederacy. Texas declared its secession from the United States on February 1, 1861, and joined the Confederate States of America on March 2, 1861. Texas was mainly a "supply state" for the Confederate forces until mid 1863, when the Union capture of the Mississippi River made large movements of men, horses or cattle impossible. Texas regiments fought in every major battle throughout the war. On August 1, 1862 Confederate troops killed 34 pro-Union German Texans in the "Nueces Massacre" of civilians. The last battle of the Civil War, the Battle of Palmito Ranch, was fought in Texas on May 12, 1865.
When the news of the Confederate collapse arrived in Galveston on June 19, 1865, the freed slaves rejoiced, creating the celebration of Juneteenth. The State had suffered little during the War, but trade and finance were disrupted. Angry returning veterans seized state property, and Texas went through a period of extensive violence and disorder. Most outrages took place in northern Texas and were committed by outlaws who had their headquarters in the Indian Territory and plundered and murdered without distinction of party. President Andrew Johnson appointed Union General A. J. Hamilton, who had been a prominent politician before the war, as provisional governor on June 17, 1865. Hamilton granted amnesty to ex-Confederates if they promised to support the Union in the future, appointing some to office. On March 30, 1870, although Texas did not meet all the requirements, the United States Congress readmitted Texas into the Union.
The modern movement for independence was started by the research of Richard Lance (Rick) McLaren. McLaren claimed that, in 1861, Texans had voted four-to-one to leave the Union. Despite almost universal claims of legal scholars and historians, McLaren claimed that Texas met the qualifications, under international law, of a captive nation of war, since the end of the American Civil War in 1865.[3] McLaren engaged in a protracted series of court and actual battles.
The "Republic of Texas" is a group of individuals that claims that the annexation of Texas by the United States was illegal and that Texas remains an independent nation under occupation. Group activists draw on Tenther political thinking to advocate their ideas.[4] The issue of the Legal status of Texas led the group to claim to reinstate a provisional government on December 13, 1995. Activists within the movement claim over 40,000 active supporters; however, there is no widespread popular support for an independent Texas. The movement split into three factions in 1996, one led by McLaren, one by David Johnson and Jesse Enloe, and the third by Archie Lowe and Daniel Miller. In 1997 McLaren and his followers kidnapped Joe and Margaret Ann Rowe, held them hostage at the Fort Davis Resort, and demanded the release of two movement members in exchange for the Rowes. McLaren's wife, Evelyn, convinced him to surrender peacefully after a week-long standoff with police and Texas Rangers. The McLarens and four other Republic of Texas members were sent to prison, which effectively destroyed the McLaren faction; the Johnson-Enloe faction was discredited after two of its members, Jack Abbot Grebe Jr. and Johnie Wise, were convicted in 1998 of threatening to assassinate several government officials, including President Bill Clinton.
In 2003 what remained of the movement consolidated into one dominant group recognizing the current "interim" government (which replaced the "provisional" government), headed by President Daniel Miller. This interim government claims authority from the original proclamations of 1995 and set up a seat of government in the town of Overton, Texas. Most of the original personalities of the movement have disappeared from public view. Finance has come from donations and the sale of some items such as a Republic of Texas passport. The Republic of Texas headquarters in Overton burned down on August 31, 2005; one person was moderately injured. A separate movement, called the "Texas Convention Pro-Continuation 1861" (TCPC) claims to be the official authority "recognized by the State of Texas and the United States Government for the contemporary effort to bring to power, by popular vote of the People of Texas, the government of the Republic of Texas."
Yet another Republic of Texas group, sometimes referred to as the 10th Congress, meets at Washington-on-the-Brazos. Many of these members have splintered from previous RoT groups. Their President is Larry Hughes, and Vice President is V. Dale Ross.
Republic of Texas President Miller and Laurence Savage published the Republic of Texas's manifesto Texan Arise in 2004. The book outlines the history of Texas, the history and philosophy of the Republic of Texas group, a road map to independence, and some spiritualistic views of Texas. A second important book for the movement is The Brief by the Republic of Texas, published in 2003, a comprehensive case against the United States and State of Texas governments. The book is laid out like a court case, and cites approximately 250 exhibits.
In January 2004, a man in jail in Aspen, Colorado claimed that the state of Colorado had no jurisdiction to extradite him to California on a probation warrant, on the grounds that he was a citizen of the Republic of Texas. He claimed that the sliver of land which contains Aspen was a part of the original Republic of Texas and, as such, he was not a citizen of the United States. His claim was rejected by the courts.[5]
In April 2009, Rick Perry, the Governor of Texas, appeared to endorse a resolution supporting Texan sovereignty at a Tea Party in Austin, Texas, following a question from a reporter.
There's a lot of different scenarios. Texas is a unique place. When we came into the union in 1845, one of the issues was that we would be able to leave if we decided to do that.... My hope is that America, and Washington in particular, will pay attention. We've got a great union. There's absolutely no reason to dissolve it. But if Washington continues to thumb their nose at the American people, who knows what may come of that? But Texas is a very unique place, and a pretty independent lot to boot.
On April 19, 2009, the Amarillo Globe-News posted an editorial,[8] writing that Perry "uttered some words that take that discussion to a level not heard since, oh, 1861 - when Texas in fact did secede and joined the Confederate States of America. We all know what happened next."
On February 17, 2009, House Concurrent Resolution 50 was introduced and on May 30, 2009 the resolution passed in the Texas House of Representatives with amendments.[9][10] The resolution reads in part:[11]
RESOLVED, That the 81st Legislature of the State of Texas hereby claim sovereignty under the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States over all powers not otherwise enumerated and granted to the federal government by the Constitution of the United States; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That this serve as notice and demand to the federal government, as our agent, to cease and desist, effective immediately, mandates that are beyond the scope of these constitutionally delegated powers; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That all compulsory federal legislation that directs states to comply under threat of civil or criminal penalties or sanctions or that requires states to pass legislation or lose federal funding be prohibited or repealed.
On April 9, 2009 Governor Perry affirmed his support for the resolution.[12] Cal Jillson, a political science professor at Southern Methodist University, said "We haven't heard as much talk about Texas sovereignty and states' rights in the last 30 years as we have in the last week."[13]
However, the Texas resolution is not binding on the Federal government, nor does it supersede the existing prohibition against any state seceding from the Union. Among other things, the U.S. Supreme Court case Texas v White established this principle, and remains the last legal word in the debate.
After Perry's comments received considerable attention and news coverage, Rasmussen Reports issued a poll and found that about 1 in 3 of those surveyed believed that Texas has the right to secede from the United States, although only 18% would support secession and 75% would oppose secession.[14] In another poll, 60% of Texans surveyed opposed becoming an independent nation. However, 48% of Texas Republicans surveyed supported it.[15]
More information
Republic of Texas independence movement websites
Terrorism Knowledge Base profile of Republic of Texas
Texas Convention Pro-Continuation of 1861