For the current Texas legislative body, see Texas Legislature.
| Republic of Texas Congress | |
| Coa Pic: | Republicseal.jpg |
| House Type: | Bicameral |
| Houses: | Senate House of Representatives |
| Members: | 44 |
| Meeting Place: | Columbia (1836) Houston (1837–1839) Austin (1839–1842) Washington-on-the-Brazos (1842–1845) |
The Congress of the Republic of Texas was the national legislature of the Republic of Texas established by the Constitution of the Republic of Texas in 1836. It was a bicameral legislature based on the model of the United States Congress. It was transformed into the Texas Legislature upon annexation of Texas by the United States in 1846. A vestige of it remains in the name of Austin's main north–south street leading from the State Capitol, Congress Avenue, when it was founded as the intended national capital.
The House of Representatives was to be made up of 24-40 members.[1] until such time as the population of the republic should exceed 100,000. When the population exceeded this number the house was to be made up of "not less than forty nor more than one hundred pieces provided that each county was entitled to at least one representative."
Members of the House were elected on the first Monday in September, each year and were elected to a one-year term. A member had to be twenty-five or older, a citizen of the republic, and a resident of his district for six months. The House chose its speaker and had sole power of impeachment.[2]
The Senate was chosen by districts that were as nearly equal as possible to the population of free men ("free negroes and Indians excepted")[3] The Senate was to have a membership numbering "not less than one-third nor more than one-half that of the House."[3]
Senate districts were entitled to be represented by no more than one member. A senator had to be thirty or older, a citizen of the republic, and a resident of his district for one year. Senators were elected to three year terms, with one-third of the members being elected each year. The Vice President presided over the Senate, "but shall not vote on any question, unless the senate be equally divided."[4] Beyond that, the Senate chose its own officers, including the President pro tem, and had sole responsibility to try impeachments.
No person holding an office of profit under the government, or who collected monies on behalf of the government was eligible to serve in the Congress.[5] No minister of the gospel or priest of any denomination whatever was eligible to the office of the Executive of the Republic, nor to a seat of either branch of the Congress of the same.[6] Each house was to judge election and qualification of its own members. A quorum in either house was two-thirds of its membership. Members were to receive pay as fixed by law, but no change could be made in salary in the session in which the change was made. Since the terms of House members was one year, each Congress lasted only one year.[2]
On July 23, 1836, interim President David G. Burnet, pursuant to the Constitution of the Republic of Texas, ordered that an election for Congress take place in Columbia on the first Monday in September 1836. As part of the same proclamation, Burnet mandated that the 1st Congress of the Republic of Texas convene on October 3, 1836, also at Columbia. This Congress governed in Columbia until it ordered a recess on December 22.[7]
Article II of the Constitution of the Republic of Texas set forth the following powers: