Secretary of State consular correspondence, 1836-1850, 1873-1875 (bulk 1836-1846).

ArchivalResource

Texas. Secretary of State. Secretary of State consular correspondence, 1836-1850, 1873-1875 (bulk 1836-1846).

Secretary of State consular correspondence, 1836-1850, 1873-1875 (bulk 1836-1846).

http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/713873858

Consuls acted as representatives for the Republic of Texas providing potential immigrants with information regarding Texas, certifying documents, and giving information back to Texas regarding foreign attitudes towards the Republic. On December 18, 1837, the Congress of the Republic of Texas adopted the consular system of the United States for the government of the consular agents of the Republic of Texas, and delegated to the Secretary of State the duty of furnishing the Texan consuls with instruction "for the proper regulation of the commercial intercourse between this and foreign countries." Correspondence with Texan and foreign consuls was created in the course of conducting normal consular business, particularly the regulation of commercial ties between Texas and other nations. These records consist chiefly of letters and reports received in the Department of State of the Republic of Texas from agents and consuls, as well as letter books of consular correspondence, and registers of certificates, affidavits, and fees. The records date 1836-1850, 1873-1875, bulk 1836-1846. Some correspondence is from Texan consuls in Great Britain (cities of London, Liverpool), France (cities of Paris, Bordeaux, Marseilles, Le Havre), and other countries (cities of Amsterdam, Bremen, Calcutta), but the majority comes from the Texan consulate office in New Orleans. Other U.S. cities with Texas consular offices included New York, Philadelphia, St. Louis, Baltimore, Boston, Charleston, Cincinnati, Detroit, Mobile, Natchez, and Natchitoches. The finding aid contains a full list of Texan consuls, with dates of appointment, arranged by city to which they were assigned. Also included in these records is correspondence of the Department of State of the Republic of Texas with foreign consuls, all located in Galveston (1841-1845). Countries with consuls in Texas were the United States, Great Britain, France, the Netherlands, and the Hanseatic League or Hanse towns. Subjects of both kinds of correspondence deal generally with the activities of Texan consuls in attempting to obtain loans, supplies, and favorable commercial relations from other nations, complaints of other nations against the Republic, and attitudes toward the Republic in other countries. Correspondents include William Bryan, David G. Burnet, Thomas Toby, Robert Triplett, Robert Irion, and Anson Jones. Also included are four letter books of consular correspondence, 1837-1845; three registers of certificates, affidavits, and fees from New Orleans, 1837-1841, giving name of person, service rendered by the consul, and fee; and a file regarding the efforts of the widow of Thomas Toby, agent for the Republic, 1836-1838, to collect state monies owed her husband for his services (this file is dated 1873-1875). A list of consuls is given in the online finding aid.

2.26 cubic ft.

Texas State Library & Archives Commission