The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 36, July 1932 - April, 1933 Page: 252
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Southwestern Historical Quarterly
"Permanent Council." It took charge of the work of organiz-
ing the defense against the Indians, and of raising and supply-
ing volunteers for the army. In fact, this "permanent council"
was the only government that Texas had during October, 1835.1
By November 3, a quorum of delegates had arrived in San
Felipe and the Consultation began its sessions. The first thing
up for consideration was to decide whether to proclaim independ-
ence from Mexico, or merely to stand out for the maintenance
of the federal constitution of 1824. By this time a strong inde-
pendence party had developed. It was composed chiefly of the
radicals who had made up the old "war party" of the previous
two or three years; but the majority of the fifty-six delegates
assembled in this convention were conservatives-members of
the old "peace party." Most of these men, perhaps, believed that
sooner or later independence would come, but they deemed it in-
expedient to take the step. at this time. They argued: (1) that
those who elected them had not instructed for independence, nor
had they intended it; (2) that a premature declaration for in-
dependence might alienate sympathy from their cause in the
United States; (3) that a declaration to uphold the constitution
of 1824 would enlist the sympathy and assistance of the Mexican
Federalists.2 Consequently, the declaration as adopted merely
proclaimed the causes for taking up arms, and asserted the claim
of Texans to sustain, by force of arms, their rights and liberties
under the federal constitution of Mexico as adopted in 1824.3
Having defined the object for taking up arms, the Consulta-
tion proceeded to organize a provisional government. This gov-
ernment was to have a two-fold nature, providing for both the
civil and the military organization. Garrison says, "both were
triumphs of potential confusion and conflict of authority."4' The
civil government was to consist of a governor and a lieutenant-
1E. C. Barker, "The Texas Revolutionary Army," Texas Historical
Association Quarterly, IX, 227; George Lockhart Rives, The United
States and Mexico, I, 286.
"Gammel, Laws of Texas, I, 16-22; William Kennedy, Texas, II, 488-
489; John Henry Brown, History of Texas, I, 428.
'Gammel, Laws of Texas, I, 522-523, Journals of the Consultation;
E. C. Barker, "Declaration of Causes for Taking up Arms Against
MVexico," Texas Historical Quarterly, XV, 173-185; Vicente Filisola,
Guerra de Tejas, II, 173-176; William Kennedy, Texas, II, 62-67.
'George Pierce Garrison, Texas, 197.252
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 36, July 1932 - April, 1933, periodical, 1933; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101093/m1/278/?rotate=270: accessed May 6, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.