THE SAN FELIPE MEETING OF JULY 14, 1835

By the summer of 1835 relations between Mexico and the colonists in Texas
had reached the point that the Texans believed that Mexican troops might
soon invade the area. One of several meetings throughout the region was
a convention called at San Felipe on July 14, 1835 that considered the
threatened invasion of the area by Mexican troops and which led to the
Consultation of San Felipe that created the Provisional Government of Texas.
Jesse Bartlett chaired the meeting, and the following is the report of the
convention. It was published as a broadside, a copy of which is in the
Center for American History, University of Texas, Austin.
It was published in The Papers of the Texas Revolution,1
from which the following transcript was copied.

 
        At a large and respectable meeting of the citizens of the jurisdiction in the town of San Felipe on the 14th. inst. pursuant to a call of the Political Chief.

        Major Jesse Bartlett was called to the chair, and Thomas R. Jackson elected Secretary.

        A committee of five persons were chosen to draft resolutions to be submitted to the meeting:  namely, Martin Allen, J. Urban, J. R. Jones, Joshua Fletcher and C. B. Stuart, who retired a short time, and introduced the following resolutions, which were read and unanimously adopted by the meeting, as follows:--

        1.    Resolved, that this meeting view with the deepest regret the excitement which it is believed has been precipitately produced in these

        2.    Resolved, that this meeting earnestly desire peace and tranquility, and that it recommend to the people, a quiet submission to the constitution, laws and proper authorities of the country.

        3.    Resolved, that owing to the alarming situation of the colonies, it is necessary that the colonists organize and be prepared for defensive operations.

        3 [sic].     Resolved, that this meeting to commend unanimity and concert of action, to their fellow citizens on this highly important occasion.

        5.    Resolved, that the affairs of Texas has approached a point which requires a consultation of the citizens in their representative capacity, and that we therefore recommend a meeting of the same in General Council.

        6.    Resolved, that a committee of three be elected, to confer with the committee from Columbia and all other committees with full power to call a meeting of all the citizens of Texas, in their representative capacity in general council, and to adopt such other measures as they deem best calculated to promote the General Interest of Texas.

        7.    Resolved, that we concur heartily in unanimity of feeling and purpose with the resolutions of the meeting of the Jurisdiction of Columbia, and that we invite the Citizens of the other Jurisdictions of this department, to concur with us in the adoption of measures tending to the same end.

        In conformity with the sixth resolution J. R. Jones, J. W. Kinney and A. Somervell were elected to compose that committee.

        On motion the thanks of the meeting were given to the chairman.  On motion the meeting adjourned.

                                                                            Jesse Bartlett,
                                                                            Chairman

T. R. Jackson, Sec'y.
San Felipe de Austin, July 14, 1835.

Note

1.    John H. Jenkins, gen. ed., The Papers of the Texas Revolution 1835-1836, vol. 1, pp. 238-39 (Austin, Tex.: Presidial Press, 1973).