Lamar arrived at Victoria, where the army was encamped, he found that General Rusk refused to surrender his command, a decision that was backed by Green, Felix Huston, and a majority of the troops. In keeping with the democratic spirit of the times, the matter was put in the hands of the men. Lamar addressed the army, defending his right to take command. This speech was followed by a rebuttal from Green, who argued that the cabinet had no right to supersede General Rusk, who enjoyed the confidence of the troops. In the vote that followed, the government's choice of commander was overwhelmingly rejected, Lamar receiving less than two hundred votes, as opposed to fifteen hundred in favor of Rusk. Notwithstanding his mandate from the army, General Rusk decided to accept the cabinet's decision, but by this time Lamar's position was untenable. Rebuffed by the army, with Green and Huston still defiantly refusing to accept his leadership, Lamar withdrew, leaving Rusk still in command. It soon became clear that Green had not acted out of loyalty to General Rusk, but hoped to turn the volatile situation to his own advantage.19 Having defended Rusk's right to lead the army, Green now refused to serve under him, maintaining that his own commission was the senior of the two. "God help the work when the army of Texas is commanded by such a man," wrote an individual who had known him well in Florida.20

While scheming to advance his military career, Green also nurtured political ambitions. Returning with his regiment from the frontier in July, Green stopped briefly in San Antonio de Bexar on the eve of elections to the First Congress. Here he declared his candidacy for a seat in the House of Representatives, and although he was not a resident of Bexar County, won the election handily with the support of his troops. Green proved to be a highly active and visible member of the First Congress, introducing the first bill establishing the Rio Grande as the southern boundary of the Republic, a piece of legislation that served to validate, at least for Anglo-Texans, their country's dubious claim to Mexican land below the Nueces.21

Green's frequent bids for high political office, however, like his other endeavors, appear to have been inspired more by a desire to promote his own interests than by any sense of civic duty. A top priority for Green in the First Congress was to obtain compensation for his expenses during the Revolution. He presented the treasury with a bill for $24,000, which the government eventually paid to him in land scrip. Years later, he complained that he was obliged to sell the land at one-tenth of its assessed value.22 He was also disgruntled by the Houston administration's failure to reward him with the military rank he believed he deserved for his service in the war. Although Houston nominated him for the post of senior brigadier general, Green evidently had hoped to be awarded the rank of major general, which would have made him the highest ranking officer in the Texas army.23 The Senate refused to confirm the appointment