After four years of clashes between Mexican and Texian residents the Revolution of Texas ended. Texas and Mexico signed the Treaties of Velasco, and the Republic of Texas was born. Shown above is the first official flag of the Republic of Texas, designed by General Lorenzo de Zavala. It was adopted on May 11, 1836, by the Convention held at Washington-on-the-Brazos shortly after the victory at San Jacinto. Texas was now independent, and they expressed their desire to be annexed into the United States, but President Andrew Jackson declined. He even refused to recognize the new republic without prior congressional approval. Looking back this seems to be contradictory of both Jackson's and America's desire. Especially considering that Americans had volunteered their blood, sweat and gold to help Texas gain their independence so much so that the Government of Mexico accused America of not sufficiently enforcing neutrality between the nations.
Andrew Jackson was a bold man, and a bold president. He was never one to back down from a fight and it was under Andrew Jackson's leadership that advocates of Jacksonian Democracy established the doctrine of "Manifest Destiny", yet here we see Andrew Jackson backing away from embracing the annexation of Texas. In his 1836, State of the Union address President Jackson acknowledged the desire of Texans to become part of the United States and the desire for Americans to embrace their lands but explained that to do so now would in the eyes of the world make America look too ambitious and be accused of embracing harmful policies towards their neighboring nations including both the Mexicans and the Cherokee. It's an accusation that history would nevertheless level on both Andrew Jackson and the United States. But in 1836, Andrew Jackson was in his final year as president and perhaps was concerned about his legacy. Moreover, in 1836 the United States was not prepared to enter war with Mexico and possibly Spain. Here are a few paragraphs from Jackson's final state of the union address in 1836 regarding our relations with Mexico and her struggle with Texas.
"No danger is apprehended, however, that they will not be peacefully, although tardily, acknowledged and paid by all, unless the irritating effect of her struggle with Texas should unfortunately make our immediate neighbor, Mexico, an exception.
It is already known to you, by the correspondence between the two Governments communicated at your last session, that our conduct in relation to that struggle is regulated by the same principles that governed us in the dispute between Spain and Mexico herself, and I trust that it will be found on the most severe scrutiny that our acts have strictly corresponded with our professions. That the inhabitants of the United States should feel strong prepossessions for the one party is not surprising. But this circumstance should of itself teach us great caution, lest it lead us into the great error of suffering public policy to be regulated by partially or prejudice; and there are considerations connected with the possible result of this contest between the two parties of so much delicacy and importance to the United States that our character requires that we should neither anticipate events nor attempt to control them.
The known desire of the Texans to become a part of our system, although its gratification depends upon the reconcilement of various and conflicting interests, necessarily a work of time and uncertain in itself, is calculated to expose our conduct to misconstruction in the eyes of the world. There are already those who, indifferent to principle themselves and prone to suspect the want of it in others, charge us with ambitious designs and insidious policy."
References
"Andrew Jackson: Foreign Affairs | Miller Center". Miller Center, 2022, https://millercenter.org/president/jackson/foreign-affairs.
"Eighth Annual Message | The American Presidency Project". Presidency.Ucsb.Edu, 2022, https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/eighth-annual-message-2.
Wagner, Dennis. "1835 Andrew Jackson - Texas Revolution - "Come And Take It"". Stateoftheunionhistory.Com, 2022, https://www.stateoftheunionhistory.com/2020/08/1835-andrew-jackson-texas-revolution.html.
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