One Way Road Secession

One Way Road: Secession
Even as President Anson Jones turned the leadership of Texas over to Governor James Henderson in 1846, the national issue of slavery was heating up. The ongoing debate had already split the country into North and South factions, the Southerners supporting not only slavery, but defending their established economy and way of life. The annexation of Texas as a slave state fueled the fire of abolitionists who were concerned slavery would continue west even as southerners welcomed the opportunity Texas provided to expand their “peculiar institution” (Howell 137,138). The early statehood of Texas was a one-way road paved with social, economic and political bricks forged in the institution of slavery that led inescapably

Settlers brought their cultures with them, and the southerners quickly established the slave-driven plantation culture with class distinctions they were accustomed to. The upper class was comprised of planters who enjoyed benefits of economic wealth and political power gained via slave labor. Middle class consisted of farmers and city dwellers while poor whites were considered lower class and free blacks were even lower than poor whites (147). Each social class was distinct from the other, yet there existed a societal co-dependency that tied most of the population to slavery in one form or another (156). The layered Texas southern culture and lifestyle based on slavery formed strong social bricks which reinforced the road to secession with shared values and heritage of the other slave

From Wilmot’s controversial amendment during the Mexican War to the dispute over Texas’ claim to Santa Fe, Texans were very aware of the attempts to curb slavery’s expansion, and the Compromise of 1850 only delayed again the sectional crisis over slavery that loomed ahead. Three chief events stand out as the catalyst for finally forcing Texas to the end of the brick-laden road to secession: John Brown’s raid on Harper Ferry, the “Texas Troubles”, and the election of Abraham Lincoln. Abolitionist John Brown’s failed attempt to start an armed slave revolt caused Texans and other southerners to believe the institution of slavery was in direct danger (153). The “Texas Troubles,” a series of fires across the state, were suspected to be the actions of an organized plot by the Republicans or abolitionist ministers. After months of fires, “sentiments toward breaking away from the Union increased throughout Texas” (153). The Conflict between the North and South reached a breaking point during the presidential election of 1860. Southerners were convinced any candidate that “did not strongly support slavery [was] an enemy to the South” (153). Republican Abraham Lincoln was therefore equated to be the greatest threat to slavery and upon his election secessionists in Texas demanded a special legislative session to approve the