The first document under review is titled “Texas Declaration of Causes”. This piece of writing represents an account of the grudge held by the authorities of this state against the Federal Government. The authors of the “Declaration” describe the history of perceived political oppression that they experienced from the non-slave-owning states. According to them, other members of the U.S. government deliberately put Texas and its neighbors in the minority. Furthermore, the rights of the citizens of the South are reported to have been violated in various ways. As such, federal government allegedly failed to protect the borders of Texas from Native Americans’ raids, as well as the threats from the other side of the Mexican border. In this document, appealing for cutting ties with the United States, slavery holds a special place. The rhetoric of the writing repeatedly places slavery on the pedestal of the cultural values of the South. In fact, it is presented as an inherent right of the local white population, whereas non-slave states are demonized by the authors of the document.
The second historic document, “Address by Sam Houston”, introduces a different perspective on Lincoln’s America. More specifically, Houston invites the South to partake in a dialogue with the Northern States. He describes a paradigm of peaceful relations within the country that does not undermine its integrity. According to Sam Houston, the legacy of the United States should not become damaged by dividing the country. On the contrary, the North and the South need to learn to coexist under Lincoln and build the country’s resilience to external threats (Houston, 1860). Similarly to “Texas Declaration of Causes”, this address refers to slavery as an inherent feature and an innate right of the South. For both authors, it is an integral component of the Southern economy that ensured the well-being of the white citizens. However, Sam Houston does not find slavery threatened by the North. Thus, both documents view slavery as a normal part of the state organization, but their opinions diverge in terms of this institute’s perception and position in the rest of the country.
Reference
Houston, S. (1860). Address by Sam Houston.