Essay On Texas Secession

The Declaration of Independence is one of the most valuable documents in the history of the United States. It addresses problems that the country had with Britain and gave a reason to separate. Texas decided to withdraw from the Union in 1861, and acted much like the United States declaring independence. Texas’s Declaration of Clauses expressed ideas alike that provided justification for withdrawing from the Union. These ideas included property, happiness, government,and equality. The Lone Star State was only one of the numerous places that felt obligated to remove themselves from the country and join the Confederate States of America. Texas’s separation letter and the Declaration of Independence share many themes like government, equality, property, and happiness. 

One of the reasons why Texas seceded was because of the government. Texas believed this was important because the government made an effort to take slaves out of the South. “ By consolidating their strength, they have placed the slave-holding States in a hopeless minority in the federal congress, and rendered representation of no avail in protecting Southern rights…” (Texas 1861). The state explained that the Union encouraged lawless organizations to steal slaves from the owner and make sure they will not be captured again. Citizens were murdered by emissaries sent by Northern administrations, and weapons were distributed to slaves. Also, slave-holding states were not recognized well, and whomever was elected president would continue to ruin southern states. This compares to the Declaration of Independence with the idea of equal representation in government. “ For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent “ (U.S. 1776). The United States opposed taxation without representation. The Declaration and Texas’s Declaration of Clauses may be similar through the idea of government, but are also similar by addressing the theme of equality. 

The secession letter from Texas clearly states the problem of equality. Texas uses the way the Federal Government has acted to support this claim. They believed citizens of the Southern states got excluded due to owning slaves. Texans felt as if they had no purpose in the Union and were being ruined. This claim is close to what is written in the Declaration of Independence. “ We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness “ (U.S. 1776).

Equality is a large reason for both the Declaration and the Texas Declaration of Clauses. Another related idea between the two documents is property. 

Property was a big deal in the Texas secession letter. “ The Federal Government, while but partially under the control of these our unnatural and sectional enemies, has for years almost entirely failed to protect the lives and property of the people of Texas… “ (Texas 1861). The state was on the outside of the United States and Indians commonly came into the territory and destroyed things. The Southern borders were not well secured and the government did not seem to mind what the people said about it. This is close to a reason for the United States declaring independence because Britain used land that belonged to America for things. This included soldiers making themselves at home at places they were not welcomed. Some redcoats were quartered in the houses of American citizens without the Americans having a say. Property, government, and equality are themes of both the Declaration of Independence and the Texas Declaration of Causes as well as happiness. 

Happiness is a theme represented in America’s Declaration to Britain and the secession letter of Texas. A substantial reason that Texas left the Union was because they felt happiness was taken away from them. The theme of happiness ties the conflict of property, equality, and government together. “ They have impoverished the slave-holding States by unequal and partial legislation, thereby enriching themselves by draining our substance “ (Texas 1861). The Lone Star state felt as if they should leave because they were not taken into consideration for the decisions the government made. This took away the satisfaction of being a Texan. The people also had to worry about an underprotected border.

Texas’s separation letter and the Declaration of Independence share a number of themes including property, government, happiness, and equality. Texas borders were close to completely open and the government didn’t seem bothered by it. The Union was also out to get southern slaves from the owner. Southerners in Texas wanted to keep slaves. The Federal Government did not allow Texas to represent itself well and it ruined the South. Texas wanted to secede from the Union and join the Confederate States of America in order to keep what they had, and to be able to have representation in the government. The Declaration of Independence and the Texas Declaration of Causes shared many ideas and provided justification for withdrawing.