From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
The Convention of 1836 was a meeting of elected delegates in Washington-on-the-Brazos, Texas, then part of Mexico, at which was adopted the Texas Declaration of Independence.
Elections for delegates were held on February 1, 1836, amid the backdrop of an impeding invasion of Texas by the Mexican Army under Santa Anna. The convention was convened on March 1 with Richard Ellis as president. Fifty-delegates attended, representing each of the settlements of Texas.
The delegates quickly wrote and adopted a Declaration of Independence, which was signed and proclaimed the next day on March 2, 1836. The delegates also prepared a Constitution for the new Republic of Texas and organized an interem goverment which served until the following October, when elections were held.
The officers chosen for the interem government were:
- David G. Burnet, President
- Lorenzo de Zavala, Vice-president
- Samuel P. Carson, Secretary of State
- Thomas J. Rusk, Secretary of War
- Bailey Hardeman, Secretary of Treasury
- David Thomas, Attorney General
