Little known Texas fact, or fiction?

J

Jarhead_22

New member
I have heard that the Texas legislature has to vote every year to STAY IN the USA. This was brought up in a conversation about some of the southwestern states, such as Arizona and Oklahoma, that have recently passed legislation outlining the conditions under which they would secede from the US. Is this true about Texas? Or was I being sold a bill of goods.

I know that Texas was their own country for a few years, and this is supposedly the basis for our right to opt out at will.

Jarhead out.

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"There are only two things we should fight for. One is the defense of our homes, and the other is the Bill of Rights."
--Major General Smedley D. Butler, U.S. Marine Corps 1930
 
Along the same lines, I understand a motion is put forth every couple of years to secede, Texas being the only country to be annexed into the US, all the others areas being colonies, territories and the like.

Whether or not Texas has to vote every year to remain in the USA is a little silly. Texas is in the USA whether they vote on it or not. What you may be questioning is whether Texas votes to secede every year.

My understanding is that Texas, as a former country, kept the right of secession. On a fairly regular basis (yearly or maybe by 2 year session), a motion is ceremoniously put forth to secede and is sometimes debated in jest, and then voted down.

See, as a person from Texas, I gave you some hard, fast "information" that I have known my entire life, never once tried to verify, and now I am spouting it over the internet like I know the truth.

In summary, your urban lore is along the right lines, but the specifics are a little cattiwompus from my urban lore.
 
Um, this is a myth.

Texas tried to succeed once. It was blocked, it made big news at the time. 12 other states tried also. Something about a war that was not so civil.

The truth is that Texas kept the right to split into upto 4 states. Why would Texans want to split up our power/size?


Eric
Born in Abilene
 
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Eric Blair:

The truth is that Texas kept the right to split into upto 4 states. Why would Texans want to split up our power/size?


Eric
Born in Abilene[/quote]

Eight extra Senators, maybe?
 
Rick;

Good point.

Harvard Prof. William Gienapp uses Texas as why the CW wasn't about slavery.
A lot of the "educated" slavery argument goes that there weren't going to be any more slave states south of the Mason Dixon, so the south felt pinned in, as such, that caused the war.
Gienapp's argument is that it was all economical. Slavery could have expanded in 3 additional state(Texas splitting) or into Mexico, which many though would end up part of the US.
I forget if it was Jackson or Harrison who figured that the US Capital would eventually be moved to Mexico City, as that would be in the center of the completed United States.

Texas might be considered two or three states already for practial terms. East Texas vs West Texas vs The Panhandle. However, by that right Jersey is two states. North Jersey is a suburb of NYC, and South Jersey
is a suburb of Phila.

Eric
(A couple years ago when "The Republic of Texas" was having it's little stand off with Uncle Sam, I considered writing and asking for a Passport application. As a native born Texan I though it would be a hoot. After all R'o'T had an "Ambassdor" and such. But, in the end I figured the few laughs I'd get out of it wasn't work getting .Gov pissed at me.)
 
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Eric Blair:
Texas tried to succeed once. It was blocked, it made big news at the time.[/quote]

Why, Texas has a thriving economy.
 
If Texans voted to secede why was it blocked? Surely thats an infringement of the right to self-determination and a human rights violation?

Just curious that's all.

------------------
"Quemadmoeum gladius neminem occidit, occidentis telum est."
("A sword is never a killer, it's a tool in the killer's hands.") -
Lucius Annaeus Seneca "the Younger" (ca. 4 BC-65 AD).


[This message has been edited by The Lone Ranger (edited October 07, 2000).]
 
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