Surrogate Arguments in the Controversy Over the Annexation of Texas to the United States

Zarefsky, David; Boogaart, Ronny; Garssen, Bart; Jansen, Henrike; Leeuwen, Maarten van; Pilgram, Roosmaryn; Reuneker, Alex

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Proceedings of the Tenth Conference of the International Society for the Study of Argumentation

Zarefsky, David (2024)

Surrogate Arguments in the Controversy Over the Annexation of Texas to the United States

Article / Letter to editor

Surrogate arguments stand for other arguments that it is undesirable to make explicitly. They are selected through topical choice, a mode of strategic maneuvering. In the 1840s controversy over the annexation of Texas, the argument to avoid was that annexation would extend slavery. The need for strategic topical choice is illustrated by the failure of a prominent counter-example. Then three surrogate arguments are examined: nationwide economic benefits, thwarting a conspiracy, and respecting public opinion. Surrogate arguments also refuted reinstatements of the original argument.

abolitionism

annexation of Texas

British conspiracy diffusion theory