Jack of Harts

The new Republic of Texas had an interesting relationship with both Mexico and America. America recognized Texas independence, and Texas happily welcomed further immigration from America. But neither major political party in America wanted to annex Texas. Mexico refused to accept Texas independence, and promised to drag them back whenever they found the time to do it from all their other distractions. Texas therefore did what was best for Texas, and tried to negotiate terms for peaceful annexation into both nations, at the same time. The Mexicans neither rejected nor accepted the deal, but President Tyler of the United States sought to win a second term and thought annexing Texas could provide him that win. He failed to win the next election, but did succeed in getting the annexation passed by Congress. At which point, Mexico finally agreed to accept Texas independence as long as they did not join America. Texas, with their typical respect for the demands of others, smiled, gave Mexico the proverbial middle finger, and voted to join America in 1846.

The Mexican government renounced the treaties Santa Anna signed to end the Texas Revolution and promised to retake the rebellious region. But there were so many other, more important to them, regions rebelling from the central government, that the army was far too busy to make good their promise. And who in the central government truly cared about the far frontier out beyond the Rio Grande? It was a wild land of bloodthirsty Indians, restive Tejanos, and crazy Texians, none of which anybody liked. To the Spaniards who had slowly brought civilization to both sides of the Rio Grande, they had grown up in the Province of Nuevo Santander, now known as the Free and Sovereign State of Tamaulipas by the Mexican Republic. They were separated from the old Province of Tejas by a wide desert and the Nueces River, the long recognized provincial border under both the Spanish and Mexican governments. The settlements on either side of the Rio Grande had little to do other than trade with that distant province, and certainly did not consider themselves part of Texas, no matter what the Texans said.

General Santa Anna soon overthrew the old constitution and dismantled the Republican-style government that had grown up in the previous decade. He wanted central rule, and was perfectly willing to execute anyone who stood up to him. As he proved when his army pillaged the rebellious city of Zacatecas in 1835 and killed thousands of civilians. The Tejanos and Texians rebelled, once again, and Santa Anna marched north to deal with them. His army executed hundreds of Texians they found fighting for the rebellion in famous places like Goliad and the Alamo, though the Tejanos were spared that final punishment. Santa Anna was finally defeated and captured at San Jacinto, whereupon he offered to sign a pair of treaties in exchange for his life and freedom. They promised the Mexican armies would leave and accepted Texas independence and sovereignty over all lands north of the Rio Grande. He was then released to go home and the Republic of Texas breathed a collective sigh of relief and celebration that their long-sought freedom was finally at hand. Then the Mexican government renounced the treaties by saying Santa Anna signed them under duress and pledged to retake the rebellious region.