Jackson and tlic Texas Revohition 791 But- Poinsett was not the man to carry this negotiation to a succes'sful issue. He had made many enemies during his four years at the Mexican capital, so about the middle of October President Jackson recalled him, notified Butler on October 19 of his appointment, to replace Poinsett, and expressed complete con- fidence in his success. He was sure, he said, that if Texas was not purchased, it would create jealousy between the United States and Mexico, on account of the Americans settling there; they would declare independence as soon as their numbers justified, and the United States would be accused of instigating it, though all " con- stitutional powers will be exercised to prevent " } Butler arrived in ]Iexico at an inopportune time. The public vas very suspicious,- and the press chose to regard the proposition to purchase Texas as a national insult. This feeling expressed itself officially in the celebrated report which the secretary of foreign rela- tions, Lucas Alaman, introduced into Congress, February 8, 1830.- It recommended, in eflfect, that immigration from the United States to Texas be henceforth prohibited, and on April 6 this recommenda- tion became a law.* The law was received in Texas with some little ebullition,* and this in turn increased the storm in Mexico. Butler wisely decided, therefore, to wait and say nothing, and it was not until the middle of 1831 that he manifested any activity on the subject nearest his heart. On June 23 he wrote President Jackson that he had high hopes for the pecuniary feature of the proposition : " As the influence of money is as well understood and as readily conceded by these people as any under Heaven, I have no doubt of its doing its office." But he asked whether, in view of the great importance of the object, he might not be authorized to offer as much as seven millions, if it appeared necessary. To this the President replied, August 17, that it had been unanimously de- cided in executive council that the maximum must not exceed five million dollars. On February 27, 1832, Butler wrote that the government was very much pressed for money, because General Santa Anna had seized the custom-house at 'era Cruz and was raising a revolu- tion against President Bustamante. He had improved the occasion, 'Jackson to Butler, October 19, 1829. Jackson MSS. in the Library of Con- gress. Letters not otherwise cited in this paper belong to this collection. 2 The report is printed in FiHsola, Memorias para la Historia de la Gtierra de Tejas, IL 590-612. There is a partial translation in 25 Cong., 2 sess.. House Exec. Doc, No. 351, Vol. XIL, pp. 312-322. ' Dublan y Lozano, Legislacion Mexicana, IL 238-240.
- Rowe, " The Disturbances at Anahuac ", in Quarterly of the Texas Stale
Historical Association. VL 269.
