Day 13 of the Convention of 1836

“The Convention continued their business as usual, without regard to the day. Indeed I have seen little or no observance of the day in Texas. They are a most ungodly people.”

Gray also notes that there is an increasing concern about the lack of news from the Alamo noting:

“No intelligence yet from the Alamo. The anxiety begins to be intense. Mr. Badgett and Dr. Goodrich, members of the Convention, have brothers there, and Mr. Grimes, another member, has a son there.”

In Convention business, a resolution is introduced to provide for the families of soldiers serving in the field who have been forced from their homes due to the privations of war. Coming primarily from the areas around San Patricio, San Antonio, and Refugio, these families would be cared for by agents, contractors, and quartermasters of the Republic.

A permanent standing Committee of Finance comprised of five members was formed and James Collinsworth (Brazoria), Thomas Gazley (Mina), Robert Hamilton (Pecan Point), George Childress (Milam), and Benjamin Goodrich (Washington) were appointed to said committee. A resolution to create a National Bank and empower the future provisional government to grant said bank a charter when it comes into existence.

In the afternoon session, work resumed on the constitution. Martin Parmer (San Augustine) as chairman of the committee to draft the Constitution delivers the report of the document as presently written and then calls for the committee to be discharged. The Convention now resolved into a “committee of the whole” to discuss further the constitution and continue its progress toward ratification. Gray notes that a lively debate about debtor imprisonment arose:

“To-day a very pretty debate arose on the subject of imprisonment for debt. It arose on a motion of Rusk, which went to prohibit imprisonment for debt, except in cases of fraud. Motion to amend made by Potter. Childress moved: ‘No person shall ever be imprisoned for debt, on any pretense whatever.’ It was advocated by Childress, Carson, Parmer and Potter; opposed by Rusk, Collingsworth and Thomas.”

Naval matters were readdressed and a permanent standing committee on naval affairs was appointed to act as the governing authority for Texas naval operations. The committee consisted of: Samuel Fisher (Matagorda), Robert Hamilton (Pecan Point), Lorenzo de Zavala (Harrisburg), Thomas Gazley (Mina), and Samuel Carson (Pecan Point). The naval committee then reported that the following vessels and officers had been commissioned for service in the Texas Navy: George Wheelwright-schooner Liberty, Charles Hawkins- schooner Independence, Jeremiah Brown- schooner Invincible, William Hurd- schooner Brutus, and Arthur Robertson- Captain of Marines.

Pictured here is Jesse Grimes (Washington) who were mentioned as having family members at the Alamo by Gray.