Consultation (Texas) facts for kids

The Consultation, also known as the Texian Government, was a temporary government for Mexican Texas. It existed from October 1835 to March 1836, right in the middle of the Texas Revolution.

In early 1835, things were getting tense in Texas. People in Mexico who believed in a "federalist" government (where states have more power) were upset. The Mexican government was becoming more "centralist" (where the main government has all the power).

By summer, people in Texas, called Texians, chose representatives for a big meeting in Gonzales. This meeting was planned for mid-October. But before it could happen, war broke out! The Texian Militia (volunteer soldiers) fought Mexican soldiers at the Battle of Gonzales.

The meeting was put off until November 1. Many representatives joined the new Texian Army to attack the Mexican army in San Antonio de Bexar. On November 3, enough representatives arrived in San Antonio to start the meeting.

Within days, the representatives decided why Texians were fighting. They said they were loyal to the Constitution of 1824, which had been set aside. They also said they had the right to form their own government, called the General Council. The council then created a new regular army and chose Sam Houston to lead it. Houston tried to build this new army, separate from the volunteers. But the council often got involved in military decisions.

Later, the council planned an attack on Matamoros, Mexico. They named several people to lead this attack at the same time. The governor, Henry Smith, was angry because this plan was hurting the Texian army. So, he tried to shut down the council. But the council said Smith couldn't do that. They removed him from his job and named James W. Robinson as the new acting governor.

Why Did the Consultation Happen?

Texas Under Mexican Rule

After the Mexican War of Independence (1810-1821), Spain lost control of its lands in North America, including Texas. The 1824 Constitution of Mexico made Mexico a "federal republic." This meant it had states with their own powers. Texas and Coahuila were combined into one state called Coahuila y Tejas.

To help control Native American raids, the Mexican government allowed people from the United States to settle in Texas. Large areas of land were given to empresarios, who were like land agents. They were in charge of bringing settlers and starting communities. Most of these new settlers were Anglos (people of European descent, mostly from the U.S.). Soon, the Tejanos (Texans of Mexican descent) were greatly outnumbered. By 1834, about 30,000 Anglos lived in Coahuila y Tejas, compared to only 7,800 Tejanos.

A map of Mexico from 1835 to 1846. The red areas show where groups wanted to break away.

Changes in Mexican Government

By late 1834, the Mexican government started to change. It moved from a "federalist" system to a "centralist" one. President Antonio López de Santa Anna got rid of the 1824 Constitution. He also closed state legislatures and ordered all local militias to be disbanded. Federalists across Mexico were very upset.

The governor of Coahuila y Tejas, Agustín Viesca, refused to close the legislature. He ordered it to meet in Béxar, away from the Mexican army. But Viesca was arrested before he could reach Texas. Other states, like Oaxaca and Zacatecas, also started to fight back.

Texans Debate Their Future

People in Texas had different ideas about what to do. In June 1835, some Texans protested against taxes in Anahuac. Other towns disagreed with their actions. Leaders in some towns called for public meetings. They wanted to know if settlers supported independence, a return to federalism, or keeping things as they were.

The town councils of Columbia and San Felipe quickly supported the idea of a political meeting. They hoped it would show that most Texans did not support the radical actions. The leader of the Brazos area called for a meeting of representatives on August 1. But only four of the seven chosen representatives showed up, and they went home without doing anything.

Growing Tensions and the Call for Consultation

Because of the problems in Anahuac, the Mexican army commander in Texas, Domingo de Ugartechea, asked for more soldiers. Small groups of Mexican soldiers started arriving in early August. In response, local towns formed safety groups and unofficial militias.

On August 9, citizens in Brazoria again suggested a larger political meeting. Other communities debated whether to join. They also discussed if the meeting should just share opinions or create a temporary government. Stephen F. Austin, a very important empresario in Texas, supported this meeting on September 8. This made many Anglo colonies support the idea. Austin became the main leader of the Consultation. He planned for the meeting to start on October 15. He asked each community to send one representative early to form a Permanent Council. This council would start gathering opinions.

War Begins and Meeting Postponed

Meanwhile, fighting between Mexican soldiers and Texan settlers increased. In early October, the Texian Militia attacked a Mexican army group sent to take back a cannon from Gonzales. This small fight started the Texas Revolution. Gonzales became a gathering place for Texans who were against the centralist government. Many men rushed to the town.

On October 11, the Texian Militia formed a volunteer Texian Army. They chose Austin as their commander. Many Consultation representatives were also in Gonzales. Instead of waiting for the meeting, they joined the army. They marched to attack the Mexican army in Béxar.

By October 16, only 31 representatives had arrived in San Felipe. This was not enough to start the meeting. Most people thought the siege of Béxar would end quickly. So, the Consultation was postponed until November 1. In the meantime, the group of representatives gave power to the Permanent Council. This council mostly followed Austin's orders. They made a big decision on October 27: they closed all land offices. This was to stop people from taking advantage of the unrest to grab land.

The siege of Béxar started in late October. Sam Houston, a new arrival, went to Béxar. He urged the representatives to leave the siege and come to the Consultation. As a compromise, officers decided that representatives who were regular soldiers could leave. But those who were staff officers had to stay to manage the military. William B. Travis, William Wharton, and Stephen F. Austin stayed behind. Twenty representatives, including James Bowie, went with Houston to San Felipe.

Who Were the Delegates?

Each town in Texas was asked to send five representatives to the meeting. Some towns, like Nacogdoches, chose seven. A total of 98 representatives were elected. These men were established citizens, living in Texas for about seven years on average. Their average age was 38.

About one-third of the representatives strongly supported the 1824 Constitution. Another third strongly wanted independence. The rest were undecided.

Only 58 of these elected men actually attended the Consultation. None of the representatives from the war zones (Béxar, Goliad, Refugio, Victoria, and San Patricio) showed up. This meant there were no Tejano representatives at the Consultation. Many representatives from other parts of Texas stayed with the army or at home to protect their families. Because Austin and many of his supporters were still with the army at Béxar, they couldn't influence the meeting as much as expected.

Most of the representatives who attended had political experience. Twenty of them had been active in community safety groups in their towns.

How the Government Was Formed

Starting the Meeting

Enough representatives finally arrived on November 3 to start the meeting. More continued to arrive over the next few days. Austin had supported Lorenzo de Zavala to lead the meeting. But the representatives chose Branch Tanner Archer from Brazoria. Archer told his fellow representatives to "forget all party feelings" and "look alone to the true interest of your country."

Before they started official business, Houston gave a speech. He thanked many people for their actions in recent months. His speech helped him become better known to the other representatives. For the rest of the day, they wrote down rules for the meeting. These rules were similar to those used in the United States and Europe and focused on being polite. Unusually, the rules said representatives could not refuse to vote. As president, Archer could not vote unless there was a tie.

Deciding the War's Purpose

The main goal of the Consultation was to decide what the revolution was fighting for. Some, called the War Party, wanted complete independence from Mexico. Others, the Peace Party, wanted Texas to stay part of Mexico but only under the 1824 Constitution. Austin, though not there, sent a letter. He asked them to follow the 1824 Constitution. He wanted them to make it clear that the fighting was not for independence. Instead, it was to protect their rights as Mexican citizens.

On November 4, John Wharton was chosen to lead a committee. Its job was to decide the war's purpose. After three days of talks, they still hadn't agreed. So, the representatives started a full debate. A key moment came when Houston, who many thought was for independence, asked them not to declare independence. He said such a declaration might stop other federalists in Mexico from supporting the Texans.

The Compromise Resolution

The Consultation found a middle ground. On November 7, they released a statement. It said, "The people of Texas... declare that they have taken up arms in defense of their rights and liberties... and in defense of the Republican principles of the federal constitution of Mexico of 1824." The statement also said Texas could create an independent government if Mexico was not governed by that constitution. The members hoped this wording would get support from both federalists in Mexico and from the United States. The statement passed with 33 votes for and 14 against.

The representatives also agreed on three very important points. Texas would pay for the army, repay any goods bought by its agents, and give public lands to volunteers. These were powers usually held by states. But under the 1824 Constitution, Texas was not a separate state. By doing this, the representatives went against the very constitution they said they supported. Historian William C. Davis believes this showed the representatives fully intended for Texas to become an independent nation eventually.

Fifty-seven representatives signed the statement. De Zavala translated it into Spanish. Copies in both languages were printed and given to residents.

Designing the Provisional Government

A committee was immediately set up to design a temporary government. Henry Smith was the head of this committee. Their first idea was almost exactly like the introduction to the United States Constitution. It even said Texas was now a "sovereign state." The representatives voted against this idea. They insisted that the committee members be changed. All committee members who supported independence were removed. The new committee started fresh. On November 13, this new group created a document that was approved.

The new government would have a chief executive (like a president) and a General Council. They would share power. There was no system of "checks and balances" because they assumed the two parts would work together perfectly. They believed there was no time for general elections. So, the Consultation decided that the governor and lieutenant governor would be chosen by the representatives themselves. This was common in some U.S. states. Austin was nominated, but Smith won the vote 31 to 22. James Robinson was elected lieutenant governor. As lieutenant governor, Robinson would lead the General Council. The council would have one representative from each town.

Three representatives—Austin, Archer, and Wharton—were sent to the United States. Their job was to try to raise money and get volunteers. Austin immediately quit his job as commander of the volunteers. The troops then chose Edward Burleson as their new leader. Houston was put on a special committee for Native American affairs. He had worked with Native American groups for much of his career. Texans needed the support (or at least the neutrality) of Native American groups to win their fight against Mexico.

The Consultation officially ended on November 15. The new temporary government was now in charge.

The General Council's Actions

Sam Houston was named commander of the new Texian Army.

The soldiers fighting near Béxar were volunteers. They joined the army for a specific reason and insisted on choosing their own leaders. On November 13, the council officially created a regular army. Houston was chosen to command this new Provisional Army of Texas. He would follow the governor's orders. Houston was told to build this army from scratch. Since the volunteers had organized before the Consultation, they couldn't be forced to accept Houston as their commander. The new army was supposed to have 2,500 men. They would sign up for two years and get land grants in return.

After talking with officers at the siege of Béxar, like Travis and James W. Fannin, the council decided to make the army bigger. On December 5, they created a Corps of Permanent Volunteers. These volunteers would serve for a shorter time and have more freedom. This made it harder for Houston to get men for his regular army. Most citizens preferred to join the Permanent Volunteers.

On December 11, the Mexican troops in Béxar gave up. They agreed to march south of the Rio Grande. With no Mexican troops left in Texas, many Texans thought the war was over. Burleson quit his army leadership on December 15 and went home. Many other men did the same. Frank W. Johnson took command of the 400 soldiers who remained.

The Mexican retreat gave the council time to organize the government and plan for the future. But not much was achieved. The new Texas government had no money. So, the military was allowed to take any useful supplies. This policy soon made people hate the council. Food and supplies became scarce, especially near Goliad and Béxar, where Texan troops were stationed. The Telegraph and Texas Register newspaper wrote that "some are not willing, under the present government, to do any duty...That our government is bad, all acknowledge."

Governor Smith tried to pass a law making it treason (betrayal) to threaten the temporary government. The council, used to "the governor's exaggerated and inflammatory rhetoric," ignored him. On December 19, a group of important citizens met in San Felipe. They wanted to get rid of the temporary government. They worried the council was moving too much towards independence, instead of sticking to the 1824 Constitution.

But for some, the council hadn't gone far enough. People were disappointed with the temporary government. The troops, now mostly new volunteers from the United States, became more eager for action. This led to calls for a new meeting. Brazoria passed a resolution asking for a meeting in March 1836 to declare independence. Soldiers in Goliad went even further. They wrote their own Goliad Declaration of Independence on December 22. The Council then passed a resolution to call the Convention of 1836. This meeting would happen on March 1 in Washington-on-the-Brazos.

The Matamoros Expedition and Government Collapse

Lieutenant Governor James W. Robinson became governor after the council removed Henry Smith.

In mid-November, Governor Viesca, who had been freed by friendly soldiers, reached Goliad. The commander there, Philip Dimmitt, welcomed Viesca but refused to see him as governor. This caused a big argument among the soldiers. Some supported the governor, while others believed Texas should be independent and not recognize a Mexican governor. Viesca traveled to San Felipe to meet the General Council, who also refused to recognize his authority.

Viesca and others suggested a plan to attack Mexican troops in Matamoros. They hoped this Matamoros Expedition would encourage other federalist states to revolt. It would also keep bored Texan troops from leaving the army. Most importantly, it would move the war out of Texas. The governor first supported the plan. He asked Houston to organize the expedition. Houston chose James Bowie to lead it, but Bowie didn't get his orders for weeks.

The Council asked Burleson, the volunteer commander at Béxar, to lead the expedition. But Burleson had already resigned. His replacement, Johnson, received the message instead. While Johnson traveled to San Felipe to meet the council, on December 30, Johnson's aide, James Grant, led 200 men from Béxar to Goliad to get ready for the expedition. Only 100 Texans remained at the Alamo Mission in Béxar, led by Lieutenant Colonel James C. Neill. Neill was upset that Johnson had taken almost all supplies and most of the men from the Alamo. He sent a strong message to Houston asking for more men and supplies.

Even though Bowie also showed up with Houston's written orders to lead the Matamoros Expedition, on January 6, the Council authorized Johnson to lead it. Johnson first said no, but changed his mind the next day. Without taking back Johnson's job, the Council then chose Fannin to lead the mission instead.

Smith was furious when he learned the council had chosen their own commander for the expedition. He became even angrier when Houston sent him Neill's letter. Houston had added a note saying he thought Johnson's mission was illegal because the council didn't have enough members present when they approved it. By now, both Smith and Houston believed the expedition had little chance of success.

Smith called the expedition foolish and called its supporters either fools or traitors. He then said he was closing the council until March 1, unless they agreed to cancel the Matamoros Expedition. The council decided Smith had no right to dismiss them. They then removed Smith from his job and named the lieutenant governor, Robinson, as Acting Governor. However, the documents that created the temporary government did not give the council the power to remove the governor.

On January 12, Smith wrote a calmer letter to the council. He admitted he had used "language beyond the rules of decorum." He said if the council admitted their actions about the Matamoros Expedition were wrong, he would bring them back. He hoped the two parts of the government would "again harmonize." Tired of the arguments and unsure who was in charge, council members slowly stopped showing up. To try and save the government, Robinson appointed four members to an Advisory Committee. Soon, this committee had only two members. The temporary government was basically over by the end of January.

Images for kids

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  A map of Mexico from 1835 to 1846. The red areas show where groups wanted to break away.

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  Sam Houston was named commander of the new Texian Army.

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  Lieutenant Governor James W. Robinson became governor after the council removed Henry Smith.