The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 12, July 1908 - April, 1909 Page: 197
This periodical is part of the collection entitled: Southwestern Historical Quarterly and was provided to The Portal to Texas History by the Texas State Historical Association.
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The Navy of the Republic of Texas.
197
tection of our own commerce, the destruction of that of the enemy,
and the transportation of our supplies by water were of the high-
est importance, and made the possession of an adequate naval force
indispensable; they therefore advised that "a suitable agent be
appointed to examine the schooner 'Invincible,' and her equip-
ments, and if suited to the objects of cruising in the Gulf, or about
our coasts that an immediate purchase be made of the vessel."
The report was adopted, and an ordinance making it effective was
passed on January 5, 1836.1 The same ordinance also adopted the
United States naval regulations for Texas.
As has already been stated, Governor Smith did not believe that
the Council should create confusion by meddling with a power
delegated to the commissioners to the United States, and on Janu-
ary 6, he asked for the particulars respecting the Invincible.2
This was the beginning of the quarrel between the governor and
the Council; and so far as it concerns the Invincible we must fol-
low it. On the 8th a committee to which had been referred the
governor's message asking for information, reported that the or-
dinance which was now in his hands would furnish all the in-
formation necessary. At a special evening session the same day
Mr. Barret offered the following resolutions:
Whereas, the Mexican sloop of war, Montezuma, is now reported
to be in the bay of Galveston, and Texas is not in full possession of
any vessel of sufficient force to meet her in action, and whereas
the schooner Invincible is offered to the government of Texas, by
Messrs. McKinney and Williams, upon terms which Government
accepts, therefore,
Be it resolved, that a register of said schooner Invincible be
made as the property of the Government, under he directions of
the Governor, who is hereby authorized to execute the same, and
give a duplicate thereof into the hands of Thomas F. McKinney,
as evidence of the ownership of said vessel, and to retain the other
on the files of the execuive office.
Be it further resolved, that the governor is advised and author-
ized to issue to Thomas F. McKinney, a letter of appointment as
commander of the schooner Invincible, as a national vessel of war,
removable at the pleasure of the Governor and Council, and in-
1Proceedings of the General Council, 250-252; Gammel, Laws of Texas,
I, 1031-1033.
2Ibid., 266.
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Texas State Historical Association. The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 12, July 1908 - April, 1909, periodical, 1909; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101048/m1/225/: accessed April 25, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.