The Convention of 1832 met in San Felipe de Austin from October 1 through October 6. Fifty-five delegates represented sixteen districts in Texas. None of the delegates were Tejano. San Antonio and Victoria did not send representatives, and delegates from Goliad arrived after the meeting had ended, though they later approved the convention’s actions.
Stephen F. Austin was elected president of the convention, and Francis W. Johnson served as secretary.
The delegates adopted several resolutions, or formal requests, that they hoped the Mexican government would consider. These included:
extending Texas’s exemption from some tariffs for three more years
modifying the Law of April 6, 1830 so immigration from the United States could resume
appointing a land commissioner to issue titles in East Texas
setting aside land to support elementary schools where students could be taught in Spanish and English
asking for stronger local protection of land that had been reserved for Indigenous communities in East Texas
organizing a militia and communication committees so settlements could share information quickly during emergencies
The most controversial resolution called for Texas to become a separate state from Coahuila. Supporters believed Texas would be better able to manage its own local concerns if it had its own state government.
William H. Wharton and Rafael Manchola were chosen to present the resolutions to the Mexican Congress and the state government of Coahuila y Tejas.
The resolutions were never formally presented. San Antonio’s refusal to participate made the convention less representative of Texas as a whole, and political chief Ramón Músquiz ruled that the meeting had been unauthorized. Stephen F. Austin also believed the request for separate statehood might have been made too soon.
The Convention of 1832 showed that some Anglo-American settlers were increasingly willing to organize politically and press the Mexican government for changes, but they were still seeking reforms within Mexico rather than independence.