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Page #15
Monday, July 13, 2015
Zavala became an architect of an Independent Texas After Mexico’s independence in 1821, he was elected to the national Congress in 1822 and to the Senate in 1824. He briefly served as governor of the State of Mexico, the largest state in Mexico and briefly served as the secretary of the treasury. Zavala’s star was rising in the politics of the young Mexican Dr. Ken Bridges nation. However, the infighting Lorenzo de Zavala was a man of and intrigues that plagued Mexico great ideas. He was an outspoken in those years soon derailed his writer and editor as well as a career. In 1830, the president was diplomat, businessman, physician, ousted in a coup led by the viceand statesman. With all these president, and Zavala was arrest accomplishments in his short life, once again. he became revered as one of the architects of Texas independence. Recognizing the danger to his life, Zavala fled to New York. When He was born in 1788 in the the government changed again, he Yucatan in southern Mexico when returned to Mexico. By 1834, it was still under Spanish rule. with Gen. Antonio Lopez de Santa From a young age, it was clear he Anna in charge, Zavala was sent had a brilliant mind, voraciously as a diplomat to France. But when reading any book he could find. Santa Anna became a dictator to His family arranged for the best put down the unrest in Mexico, education possible, and he Zavala resigned and returned to eventually learned to speak four America. languages. In 1835 while in New York, he He started several newspapers as a reunited with Stephen F. Austin, young man, writing against the whom he had met on many Spanish monarchy and its occasions while in Mexico. oppressive rule over the region. Austin convinced him to come to Because of these stands, he was Texas. Zavala settled in what is arrested in 1814. Unswayed, he now Channelview, a Houston continued his writings and also suburb, at a home he called Zavala began studying medicine. By the Point. time he was released in 1817, he had become a practicing As the Texas Revolution erupted, physician. Zavala served on the Permanent Council in October 1835 and
helped coordinate supplies for the Texas army. To protect themselves from Santa Anna’s despotism, he and others began arguing that Texas must be independent. Zavala was elected to represent the Harrisburg (modern-day Houston) area in the Convention of 1836. There, with 58 other delegates, he signed the Texas Declaration of Independence on March 2. He led the effort to create a stable constitution, one close to the Constitution of the United States. Thus, the Republic of Texas was born. Impressed by his accomplishments and his passion for the cause of Texas, the convention chose him to be the interim vice-president, serving under interim President David G. Burnet. He served for seven months until the elected administration of President Sam Houston took charge in October. Initially, Zavala was selected to
accompany Santa Anna back to Mexico to argue for their government to accept the agreements he had made with Houston after his defeat at San Jacinto. Mexico, however, argued the treaties were made under threat and therefore invalid. The outright rejection ended the plan to escort him back. He died after a sudden illness in November 1836, at the age of 48. Zavala helped steer Texas through its most desperate days. He would be honored greatly across the state in future years. Legislators named Zavala County in South Texas for him in 1858. Many schools are named for him as well as the State Archives building in Austin. Dr. Ken Bridges has a Doctor of Philosophy in 2003, Master of Arts in 1998 and Bachelor of Arts in 1995. He is currently a Professor of History at South Arkansas Community College in El Dorado, Arkansas.
