Reasons for Annexation from the Perspective of the United States

Many wanted the United States government to annex Texas as one of the states. One reason was for more land, which meant more cotton farms and more plantations. Slave-based agriculture greatly went down in Maryland and Kentucky at the time, meaning that Texas would greatly help the economy of the United States. Along with this, the Republic of Texas had established diplomatic relations with Britain and France, who believed that they would stop the expansion of the United States. The United States feared that these relations would stop them from expanding into Texas and further West. Finally, the cattle industry of Texas was also very prominent and would also help the United States. All of these reasons convinced the Senate to approve the annexation of the Republic.

Why Texas Wanted to be Annexed

Texas asked to join the United States as the 28th state on multiple occasions, but it was denied the first few times. Texas wanted to be a part of the US because they were afraid of being invaded by Mexico. Anson Jones, the fourth and last president of the Republic of Texas, shown above, stated this in his "Letters Relating to the History of Annexation": "Had I have said at any time that I was decidedly in favor of annexation, whatever the terms and conditions might be, I should at once have lost the good offices of England and France in favor of the other mode... The "contingencies" of annexation would have been materially softened if I could have been let alone by emissaries, factionists, and disorganizers; and if these, and thew demagogues in Texas who were anxious to slide into office on the hobby, or break down the government, had been frowned down by the people." What Jones meant in this paragraph is that he wanted to join the United States, although it might mean that relations with France and England would be lost. He also states that there were many who wanted to take control of the office and destroy the government. However, by being annexed, Jones believed that it could be stopped.

Cons of Annexation and the Slave State Imbalance

Along with those who wanted the Annexation of Texas, many hated the idea of it. They also had reasons for their opinion. One of the biggest ideas that drove the opposition of annexation was that adding Texas to the states would cause an imbalance of slave states. This imbalance greatly displeased and infuriated the Union, those against slavery. According to Edward Everett Hale in his book "How To Conquer Texas Before Texas Conquers Us", he states in a list of reasons to object annexation, "III. The continuation, through an undefined time, of slavery, in a region adapted to it as Texas is by its position. IV. The destruction of the balance of power between free and slave States, and Atlantic and western States." What Hale was saying was that by annexing Texas, the United States was planning to continue slavery. Along with this, he states the main reason for refusing annexation, which was the imbalance of free and slave states. In "An Address on the Annexation of Texas" by Stephen Clarendon Phillips, the author states, "Still, as long as the Union, such as it may be, can last, what with Texas annexed, will the country in which we shall live, and with the Constitution sacrificed to slavery, under what government shall we find ourselves?" Phillips also believes that by annexing Texas, we are giving up our country to slavery. Along with this, another reason that drove anti-annexation opinions was Mexico's declaration that it would wage war on the United States if they annexed Texas. This would ruin diplomatic relations, and war is something that many wanted to avoid.