Lamar’s Presidency. Lamar In Office In September of 1838, Texans had elected new leaders. Under...
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Transcript of Lamar’s Presidency. Lamar In Office In September of 1838, Texans had elected new leaders. Under...
Lamar In Office• In September of 1838,
Texans had elected new leaders.
• Under the Republic’s constitution, a president could not serve consecutive terms , or two terms in a row.
• Texans elected Mirabeau B. Lamar as their new president and David G. Burnet as vice-president.
Lamar In Office• On taking office in 1839,
President Lamar stressed the need for a public education system.
• Following Lamar’s lead, the Congress passed education acts in 1839 and 1840.
• These acts granted each county 17,772 acres of land to support public schools.
• The government also sent aside 231,400, for the future establishment of two public universities.
Lamar In Office• The first college in the
Republic to receive a charter, was Rutersville College, near LaGrange, in 1840.
• The Republic never established a public school system or public universities.
• Because of low land prices, land grants set aside to fund these schools were not worth much money.
• Lamar is know as the Father of Texas Education.
• Rutersville College
A New Capital• During Lamar’s
administration, the government selected a permanent capital for Texas.
• Lamar thought Houston was too far east and wanted to move the political center of Texas west.
• The capital was moved to a settlement called Waterloo on the Colorado River and it was renamed Austin.
• Many Texans thought Austin was too isolated and too far west.
• Austin, 1840
Land and Economic Policies
• In January 1839, the Congress passed a Homestead Law that protected a family’s home and up to 50 acres of land from seizure for debts.
• Thus, most creditors could not sell a Texan’s home to cover debts.
Land and Economic Policies
• The public debt increased as the value of Texas currency fell.
• The Republic responded by issuing new paper money certificate called “red backs”.
• The value of these red backs dropped quickly and were worthless within three years of their printing.
• Republic of Texas Red back
Land and Economic Policies
• Texas Naval Ship “Zavala”
• The Republic’s debt was largely to blame.
• Because of rising military expenses, the government spent more than it collected in revenue.
• Military spending rose from $881,000 under Houston to more than $1.5 million under Lamar.
• Part of this money went to reoutfit the Texas Navy with new ships.
Lamar’s American Indian Policy
• Lamar’s American Indian policy contributed to the rise in military spending.
• Lamar disliked Indians and wanted to remove them from Texas.
Lamar’s American Indian Policy
• In 1839, Lamar ordered the Cherokee out of Texas.
• When the Cherokee refused, Lamar sent some 500 soldiers led by Kelsey Douglass to forcibly remove them.
Lamar’s American Indian Policy
• In July, fighting broke out near the Neches River.
• After several days of fighting in this Battle of the Neches, more than 100 Cherokee lay dead, including Chief Bowles.
Lamar’s American Indian Policy
• Texas forces then pursued most of the surviving Cherokee north into Indian Territory in the United States.
• Some other American Indians, including the Caddo and Shawnee, also left northeastern Texas during this time.
Lamar’s American Indian Policy
• Conflict between Texas settlers and the Comanche had also worsened.
• In January 1839, Lamar sent Col. John H. Moore to attack the Comanche living west of the Texas settlements.
• Moore and his troops fought the Comanche in a series of conflicts.
• As a result of these raids, the Comanche eventually agreed to peace talks.
Lamar’s American Indian Policy
• In March 19, 1840, about 65 Comanche men, women and children arrived at the Council House in San Antonio for peace talks.
• The Texas officials had ordered the Comanche to bring all their captives.
• The Comanche representatives only brought a few.
• One captive, a teenage girl, Matilda Lockhart, reported that the Comanche still held 15 Texans captive.
Lamar’s American Indian Policy
• When Texans demanded their release, the Comanche chief Muk-wah-ruh, responded that he did not have the authority over the Comanche holding those captives.
Lamar’s American Indian Policy
• Then the Texans tried to take the Comanche representatives hostage in exchange for the captives.
• The Comanche leaders called for help from their friends who were waiting outside.
• Fighting broke out in and around the Council House.
Lamar’s American Indian Policy
• By the battle’s end, 35 Comanche lay dead, including 12 chiefs, 3 women and 2 children.
• At least 7 Texans also died.
• This Council House Fight, probably destroyed any hope for peace.
Lamar’s American Indian Policy
• When the Comanche heard about the massacre, they were outraged.
• Large Comanche raiding parties struck Linnville and Victoria, killing more than 20 settlers, burning houses and stealing supplies and livestock
Lamar’s American Indian Policy
• Texas settlers called for revenge for the Comanche raids.
• A force of volunteers, regular soldiers and Texas Rangers formed.
• The Texans found the Comanche on August 11, 1840.
• The Texan force attacked.• During the Battle of Plum
Creek, more than 130 Comanche were killed.
• One Texan was killed and seven were wounded.
Results of Lamar’s Policies
• Despite this victory, many Texas settlers still feared the Comanche.
• Texas officials decided to strike farther into the frontier area known as Comanche country and had several skirmishes with the Comanche.
• Following these defeats, the Comanche moved farther north beyond the Red River.
Results of Lamar’s Policies
• By the end of his term, Lamar had achieved his goal of removing the Cherokee from East Texas.
• The Comanche had also been pushed further north and west, opening up vast lands for settlement.
Results of Lamar’s Policies
• However, Lamar’s new policy prove a disaster for Texas Indians.
• American Indians in Texas has lost land and suffered severely.
• Some Texans were concerned about the increased warfare and the expense that went with it.
• Lamar’s Indian Policy had cost the Republic $2.5 million and many lives.