Our Catholic Heritage in Texas
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postal system, organized a force of rangers for defense against Indians, appointed commissioners to negotiate with the Cherokees, closed all land offices, suspended land surveys, and confiscated public funds in the hands of local agents of the Mexican Government. It issued a ringing appeal to the people of the United States for aid, and named an agent to whom it gave full authority to "pledge the public faith, the public domain, or both" in negotiating a loan of $100,000. And while attending to all these different matters, it faithfully kept the public informed of the true state of affairs in Texas. 19 In accordance with the call for a consultation, elections had been held in twelve municipalities of the Departments of Brazos and Nacogdoches on October 5, three days after hostilities had begun at Gonzalez. But when the delegates assembled on October I 5, the opening of the Con- sultation had been postponed, as already stated, to November 1. When they did meet on the appointed day, conditions· were no better, for many were delayed on the road. With fifty-eight members present out of the ninety-eight elected, "The Consultation of the Chosen Delegates of all Texas, in General Convention assembled," as it was officially named, began its first session on November 3. Twelve municipalities were represented: Columbia, Gonzalez, Harrisburg, Matagorda, Mina, San Felipe de Austin, Viesca, Washington on the Brazos, Bevil, Liberty, Nacogdoches, and San Augustine. Subsequently, delegates from Goliad, Guadalupe Victoria, Refugio, and San Patricio participated. From the time the Consultation was called to the time it met, the situation had drifted into a shooting war. The fear of tyranny had become a reality. Santa Anna had seized dictatorial power, had sent an advance guard of the Mexican army into Texas, and had the Constitution of 1824 annulled. The self-styled Napoleon of the West was on the march in person to the distant province to stamp out all opposition, and teach the Texans a lesson. The colonists, meanwhile, had driven the Mexican garrison out of Gonzalez, had surprised Goliad, and had laid formal siege to General Cos in San Antonio. It had become necessary to state clearly the causes for such actions whether they were fighting for independence from Mexico, or merely for separation from • l9The agent sent to the United States to negotiate the loan was Thomas F. McKinney. For the correspondence of the Council, see Binkley, Official Correspond- ence of the Te:ran Revolution, I, 3-36. Part of the Journal of the Council (October 11-27) is printed in The Quarterly, VII, 252-278. For Zavala's participation, see W. S. Cleaves, "Lorenzo de Zavala in Texas," ;bid., XXXVI, 29-41 ; Raymond Estep, The Life of Lorenzo de Zavala, (Doctoral Dissertation, University of Texas).
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