Zavala-bio LORENZO de ZAVALA
(October 3, 1788— November 15, 1836)
Zavala succeeded Stephen F. Austin
as the chairman of the central
committee of the public safety. As a
member of the Permanent Council
(which served as interim government
while waiting for a quorum of the
Consultation to arrive), he served on
_ the finance committee and wrote an
�- important article urging the Mexican
population of Texas to support the
revolution for the October 31
Telegraph and Texas Register.
4 When the Consultation finally
� convened on November 3, Zavala was
named to represent Harrisburg on the
"committee of 12" (one delegate from each municipality) in order to write a declaration
"setting forth to the world the causes that impelled us to take up arms, and the objects
for which we fight." With the membership split between those advocating an immediate
declaration of independence from Mexico and the majority desiring to return Mexican
government to a federal system, Zavala was influential in drafting the Declaration to
the Public (November 7, 1835) in support of a federal Mexican government and
separate statehood for Texas. The Consultation then appointed him to translate the
Declaration into Spanish.
On March 3, 1986 he was among the signers of the Texas Declaration of Independence,
an act that would brand him a traitor to his fellow Mexicans to this day. He and Jose
Antonio Navarro were appointed to the committee to draft a Constitution. Zavala
chaired the section on Powers of the Executive Branch and served on the defense, naval
affairs, and flag design committees. On March 17 he was unanimously elected Vice
President of the ad interim government.