Republic of Bexar República de Bexar (Spanish)
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| 1870–1919 | |||||||||||
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Motto: "God guides our liberty" "Dios guía nuestra libertad" | |||||||||||
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| Capital | Saint Antonio | ||||||||||
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| Religion | Christianity
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| Demonym(s) | Bexar Texian | ||||||||||
| Government | Bandit Republic (Until 1872) Federal semi-presidential republic (until 1912) Presidential Republic under Socialist Dictatorship | ||||||||||
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| Legislature | National Assembly | ||||||||||
| History | |||||||||||
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Introduction[]
Bexar was established as a Frontier State of Mexico in 1835, the sparsely populated and under-developed region was a breeding ground for native conflicts and potential resource extraction, settlement had begun during the Spanish colonial era but in very small numbers, thus, Bexar was relatively unaffected by Centralized Mexican governance.
Settlement and Rebellion: In the mid-19th century, settlers in the Bexar region push for self-governance, resisting Mexican rule or local aristocracy. A Bexar militia or “Tejano rancher coalition” declares a republic in 1870, citing economic independence and protection of Catholic settlers. Early Diplomatic Recognition: The British recognize Bexar as a client republic in 1871. Bexar signs a protection treaty to gain military and economic backing in exchange for trade and recognition of their independence. By treaty, they will be guaranteed protection by Britain in case of war with Mexico.
Growth and Internal Politics[]
Bexar becomes a prosperous cattle and ranching economy, with some mineral resources like oil. Immigrants from Europe, particularly from Bohemia and France drive local economies and boost productivity. Political factions arise: Pro-British conservatives vs. Frontier liberals. At the same time, tension with neighboring Tejas force Bexar into a defensive mobilization, raising citizen militia, and often fighting border skirmishes with their neighbors. Raids from the Comanche devastate farmer settlements provoke Bexar to join the Texan-Indian Wars.
Bexar served as a buffer state between the Pro-Bandido nations of the West (Tejas, Bravo, Santa Fe) and the more conservative settler-frontier states in the East and towards the Mississipi (Nuevo Iberia, New Acadia, Mouroune etc.)
Its cavalry and militias helped defend the frontier; its economy became vital for trade, livestock exports, and resource extraction.
Turmoil and Eventual Collapse[]
Bexar faced multiple political challenges, sources vary, but the main causes for political instability were: Internal divisions: Tension between settler elites and local (Tejano & Indigenous) communities. External threats: Pressure from Mexico & neighboring Texas, as well as other colonial states. As well as Governance challenges including: Limited infrastructure, frontier insecurity, militia-based defense rather than a large standing army.
The Saint Antonio riots, the Republic under Oligarch Rule[]
In 1872, a disasterous drought brought rapid political change in an otherwise calm and uneventful climate. The Settler communities were unable to sustain themselves on their own, and begun to rely on imported and smuggled goods from Cuba and Mexico. Out of this drought rose a class of merchants, previously upper middle class urbanites, mainly concentrated around the capital of Saint Antonio. These influential, 'Creole' businessmen were rising due to their significant capital, gained from foreign trade and finance. Bringing a schism to the traditional 'Bandit Diplomacy' that governed the Bexar state, forcing the Spanish rulers to adapt. A form of economic guerilla warfare begun, with the cities becoming contested battlegrounds for regional influence between Spanish and English Barrons. The 'Bandits' attempted to shut down English businesses by plundering their industrial assets and attacking villages under their control. This caused 2 major problems, First of all it created an invisible civil war within the country, and second, it heavily damaged social relations, dividing the population and turning them against their former Spanish landlords.
This social disobedience culminated in the Saint Antonio riots (1872), a 3 week long protest in the capital by local inhabitants, cooperating with Creole businessmen against their Spanish overlords. Eventually, the mob stormed the Capitol building at Saint Antonio de Bexar. Seizing the officials and putting the Bandido governor under house arrest. A week later, the Creole businessmen convened at the capital to proclaim the August Constitution. Bexar was transformed into a Semi-presidential Republic. With land owners being given rights in political representation, and legislature allowing for peasants to purchase the land they have lived in under the Spanish rulers. Whilst modernising and progressive at first, the constitution did little to secure political representation for other classes within the country, like the Spanish farmers, Enligsh and other European settlers outside of the 2 main cities and especially the Indians. Who saw a wave of reprisals commited against them by the Frontier Militia. Land reform was desperately needed, but was overlooked due to the akwardness that it would create amongst the new Oligarchs of the country, land disputes were not rare, and often they could lead to violence, as there was no judicial system to resolve such disputes.
Elections and a misguided Democracy[]
Post-Antonio riot Bexar was a breeding ground for political radicalism, Kenneth L. Anderson, ruling president since 1872, was now succumbing to the ills of old age, and thus proclaimed the first elections during his 11 year term in 1883, An action protested by the hardlined Oligarchs of the South, who feared elections would strifle economic dominance and erect an unfavourable candidate to the Presidency. It was under this environment of strong Urban-rural divide that the United Commitie of the Independent Social Workers of America (UCISWA for short) would be formed in September 1879, at the Confrence of American Revolutionaries and Trade Unions at Mobelles. By middle class trade unions delegate Eugene V. Debs.
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