Mirabeau Lamar became Texas’ second president in 1839. Lamar’s Presidency Mirabeau Lamar became Texas’ second president in 1839.

1st Order of Business: Education Upon becoming president he stressed the need for a public education system. Congress started by giving each county some land for schools. 1st college to receive permission to operate was Rutersville College, a private college.

2nd Order of Business: Capital Many members of Congress along with Lamar weren’t happy with the capital in Houston, so moved it westward to Waterloo, which became present day Austin. Named for the father of Texas Stephen F. Austin. Not everyone was happy like Sam Houston with the change because it was isolated, too far west, in Comanche territory, and vulnerable to attacks from Mexico & Plains Indians.

3rd Order of Business: Land & Economy Homestead Law passed in Jan. 1839 protected a family’s home from being taken by creditors. Debt increased while the value of Texas’ money decreased. Much of the debt came from the money spent on the military. Military spending went from $881,000 under Houston to $1.5 million under Lamar.

Lamar & American Indians Lamar’s American Indian Policy contributed to the military spending. Lamar did not like American Indians and didn’t feel they had rights to land or that they should be in Texas. Lamar led an all out war to get the American Indians out of Texas, with battles all over Texas.

Results of Lamar’s Administration While Lamar was successful at pushing the American Indians out of the main part of Texas, it came with a price of $2.5 million. Texas’ national debt rose to over $8 million.

Houston’s 2nd Administration In 1841 Sam Houston was elected president for the 2nd time.

1st Order of Business: Budget When Sam Houston first took office he first had to balance the budget –save more spend less. To fix the budget Houston did the following: Cut government jobs & salaries Cut the size of the TX army & TX Rangers The result of all the cuts dropped the spending from $4.8 million with Lamar to around $500,000. Even with all the cuts Houston could not balance the budget.

2nd Order of Business: Amer. Indian Policy As soon as Houston entered into office he returned the Amer. Indian Policy to a peaceful one. He accomplished this by: Signing treaties with various Indian groups like the Caddo, Tawakoni, & Waco to end fighting. Established more frontier trading posts to encourage trade with Indians. Peace was returned to the Texas frontier with Houston’s Amer. Indian Policy.

The Regulator-Moderator War A war between two groups of settlers over fake land certificates in East Texas. Jackson organizes “Moderators” to “fight crime” Goodbread’s supporters form “Regulators” Local officials unable to stop feud Each side numbered in the hundreds Houston had to send the Texas Army to settle this in 1844.