I guess I should expect nothing better from Slate

I do, however, expect something better from my fellow Texans, which Jeff Turrentine supposedly is.

In his article "How Texas Could Mess With Us", Turrentine correctly points out that the commonly-held belief that our annexation treaty allows us to secede is erroneous.

However, he follows that up with this gem:

A few years ago, while conducting research for a novel I was writing about Lone Star politics, I discovered a short clause in the state's 1845 annexation agreement that's well known to any serious state historian, though far less well known to the average Texan. Buried beneath some highly boring details about how the republic's resources were to be transferred to the federal government in Washington is language stipulating that "[n]ew States, of convenient size, not exceeding four in number, in addition to said State of Texas, and having sufficient population, may hereafter, by the consent of said State, be formed out of the territory thereof, which shall be entitled to admission under the provisions of the federal constitution."

 Emphasis, of course, is mine.

Dude, you "discovered" this obscure fact?  You, a native Texan, who presumably went through the same two years of Texas history classes I did, think this is something that is known only to serious state historians and not the average José on the street?  Good grief.  This is taught in our schools, Mr. Turrentine.  It's not a secret by any means.  MentalFloss has written about it, for crying out loud.

It would also be a pretty asinine way to push for secession.