John O'Sullivan on Annexing Texas: Hold Onto Your Stetsons, Folks, It's Manifest Destiny Time!
John O'Sullivan, a man whose name sounds like a fancy law firm but was actually an editor with a flair for the dramatic, had some very strong opinions about the annexation of Texas. Let's just say, he wasn't exactly rocking a "Keep Out" sign on the continent.
Dude Coined the Phrase "Manifest Destiny"
That's right. This fella basically invented the whole idea that the US was destined to stretch from sea to shining sea, like a bald eagle with a serious case of the wingspans. In 1845, he declared in a very important-sounding magazine (because apparently magazines were super fancy back then) that it was America's manifest destiny to annex Texas. Think of it as divine real estate acquisition.
So, How Pumped Was O'Sullivan About Texas Joining the Party?
Let's say he was more enthusiastic than a toddler at a candy factory. He basically argued that Texas was America's long-lost cousin who just happened to be chilling south of the border for a while. He felt it was practically rude not to welcome them back into the family fold.
Here's a Taste of O'Sullivan's Pro-Annexation Flavor:
- "Enough with the negativity already!" Apparently, some folks weren't too keen on the whole annexation thing. O'Sullivan, however, was like, "C'mon guys, lighten up! Texas practically has our name on it!"
- "Mexico is being a spoilsport!" O'Sullivan argued that Mexico was just being grumpy about the whole situation. He basically said the US wasn't stealing Texas, they were just reuniting it with its rightful owner (which, according to him, was obviously America).
- "It's not about land, it's about FREEDOM!" Okay, maybe there was a smidge of land involved, but according to O'Sullivan, it was all about spreading the glorious gospel of American liberty. Texas just happened to come with a whole lot of wide-open spaces for liberty to roam free (presumably on horseback).
The Bottom Line: O'Sullivan Was All In on Annexation
John O'Sullivan was a big ol' cheerleader for Texas becoming part of the US. His ideas about Manifest Destiny helped fuel westward expansion and, well, let's just say it wasn't all sunshine and rainbows for the folks who were already living on that land. But hey, at least it was with a healthy dose of self-righteousness, right?
