From the Annals of the Republic – In 1836, in Washington-on-the-Brazos, 59 delegates signed the Texas Declaration of Independence establishing the Republic of Texas as an independent country from Mexico. The Declaration was produced over one night of extended drafting. At the time, Texas troops and volunteers were under siege at the Alamo 150 miles away.

At the first meeting of the Convention of 1836 on March 1,  the convention voted to appoint 5 delegates to draft the Declaration.  The committee, consisting of George C. Childress, Edward Conrad, James Gaines, Bailey Hardeman, and Collin McKinney, prepared the declaration in record time.  It read and quickly adopted by the delegates of the convention the following day. The Declaration is certainly reminiscent of that of the United States. It outlines the functions and responsibility of government, states a list of grievances against Mexico, and concludes by declaring Texas a free and independent republic.