The two treaties of Velasco were negotiated between officials of the ad interim government of the Republic of Texas and Santa Anna, the Mexican dictator and commander of forces, about three weeks after his capture by the Texans at the Battle of San Jacinto.
The “public” treaty, presented below, was to be published and implemented immediately after it was signed. A second “secret” treaty was to be implemented after the terms of the public treaty were fulfilled. In essence, the secret treaty provided for Santa Anna’s immediate release in exchange for his recognition of Texas as an independent nation.
However, the treaties were soon violated by both parties. The Texas army blocked Santa Anna’s release, as promised in the treaties. Meanwhile, the Mexican government declared void all of Santa Anna’s acts while in captivity.
Together, the treaties somewhat loosely established Texas’ southern border at the Rio Grande River, but this issue would not be finally resolved until 1848–after Texas statehood and the conclusion of the Mexican War.
| Articles of an agreement entered into, between His Excellency David G. Burnet, President of the Republic of Texas, of the one part, and His Excellency General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, President General in Chief of the Mexican Army, of the other part. | Articulos de un convenio celebrado entre S. E. el Gral. en Gefe del Ejercito de operaciones Presidente de la Republica Mejicana D. Ant. Lopez de Santa Anna por una parte, y S. E. el Presidente de la Republica de Tejas D. David G. Burnet por la otra parte. |
| Article 1st General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna agrees that he will not take up arms, nor will he exercise his influence to cause them to be taken up against the people of Texas, during the present war of Independence. | Articulo 1o El Gral. Ant. Lopez de Santa Anna se conviene en no tomar las armas ni influir en que se tomen contra el Pueblo de Tejas durante la actual contienda de Independencia. |
| Article 2nd All hostilities between the mexican and texian troops will cease immediately both on land and water. | Articulo 2o Cesaran inmediatamente las hostilidades por mar y tierra entre las tropas Mejicanas y Tejanas. |
| Article 3rd The mexican troops will evacuate the Territory of Texas, passing to the other side of the Rio Grande del Norte. | Articulo 3o Las tropas Mejicanas evacuaran el territorio de Tejas, pasando al otro lado del Rio Grande del Norte. |
| 4th The mexican Army in its retreat shall not take the property of any person without his consent and just indemnification, using only such articles as may be necessary for its subsistence, in cases when the owner may not be present, and remitting to the commander of the army of Texas or to the commissioner to be appointed for the adjustment of such matters, an account of the value of the property consumed–the place where taken, and the name of the owner, if it can be ascertained. | Articulo 4o El Ejercito Mejicano en su retirada, no usara de las propiedades de ninguna persona sin su consentimiento y justa indemnizacion, tomando solamente los articulos precisos para su subsistencia no hayandose presente los duenos y remitiendo al Gral. del Ejercito tejano o a los comisionados para el arreglo de tales negocios, la nota del valor de la propiedad consumida, el lugar donde se tomo, y el nombre del dueno si se supiere. |
| 5th That all private property including cattle, horses, negro slaves or indentured persons of whatever denomination, that may have been captured by any portion of the mexican army or may have taken refuge in the said army since the commencement of the late invasion, shall be restored to the Commander of the Texian army, or to such other persons as may be appointed by the Government of Texas to receive them. | Articulo 5o Que toda propiedad particular incluyendo ganados, caballos, negros esclavos, o gente contratada de cualquier denominacion q. haya sido aprehendida por una parte del Ejercito Mejicano, o que se hubiere refugiado en dicho Ejercito desde el principio de la ultima invacion, sera devuelta al Comandante de las fuerzas Tejanas, o a las personas que fueren nombradas por el Gobierno de Tejas para recibirlas. |
| 6th The troops of both armies will refrain from coming into contact with each other, and to this end the Commander of the army of Texas will be careful not to approach within a shorter distance of the mexican army than five leagues. | Articulo 6o Las tropas de ambos Ejercitos beligerantes no se pondran en contacto, y a este fin el Gral. Tejano cuidara q. entre los dos campos medie una distancia de cinco leguas por lo menos. |
| 7th The mexican army shall not make any other delay on its march, than that which is necessary to take up their hospitals, baggage [—] and to cross the rivers–any delay not necessary to these purposes to be considered an infraction of this agreement. | Articulo 7o El Ejercito Mejicano no tendra mas demora en su marcha, q. la precisa para lebantar sus hospitales, trenes, etc. y pasar los rios, considerandose como una infraccion de este convenio la demora q. sin justo motivo se notare. |
| 8th By express to be immediately dispatched, this agreement shall be sent to General Filisola and to General T. J. Rusk, commander of the texian Army, in order that they may be apprised of its stipulations, and to this and they will exchange engagements to comply with the same. | Articulo 8o Se remitira por expreso violento este convenio al Gral. de Division Vicente Filisola y al Gral. T. J. Rusk, Comte del Ejercito de Tejas, para q. queden obligados a cuanto les pertenece y q. poniendose de acuerdo convengan en la pronta y debida ejecucion de lo estipulado. |
| 9th That all texian prisoners now in possession of the mexican Army or its authorities be forthwith released and furnished with free passports to return to their homes, in consideration of which a corresponding number of Mexican prisoners, rank and file, now in possession of the Government of Texas shall be immediately released. The remainder of the mexican prisoners that continue in possession of the Government of Texas to be treated with due humanity — any extraordinary comforts that may be furnished them to be at the charge of the Government of Mexico. | Articulo 9o Que todos los prisioneros tejanos q. hoy se hayan en poder del Ejercito mejicano, o en el de alguna de las autoridades del Gobno. de Mejico, sean inmediatamente puestos en livertad y se les den pasaportes para regresar a sus casas, debiendose tambien poner en libertad por parte del Gobno. de Tejas, un numero correspondiente de prisioneros Mejicanos del mismo rango y graduacion y tratando al resto de dichos prisioneros Mejicanos q. queden en poder del Gobno. de Tejas con toda la debida humanidad, haciendose cargo al Gobno. de Mejico por los gastos q. se hicieren en obsequio de aquellos, cuando se les proporcione alguna comodidad extraordinaria. |
| 10th General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna will be sent to Veracruz as soon as it shall be deemed proper. | Articulo 10 El Gral. Ant. Lopez de Santa Anna sera enviado a Veracruz tan luego como se crea conveniente. |
The contracting parties sign this Instrument for the above mentioned purposes, by duplicate, at the Port of Velasco this fourteenth day of May 1836. | Y para la constancia y efectos consiguientes, lo firman por duplicado las partes contratantes en el Puerto de Velasco a 14 de Mayo de 1836. |
| David G Burnet Ant. Lopez de Santa Anna Jas Collinsworth, Sec of State Bailey Hardeman, Secy of Treasury T W Grayson, Atty General | Ant. Lopez de Santa Anna David G Burnet Jas Collinsworth, Secretary of State Bailey Hardeman, Secy of Treasury T W Grayson, Atty General |
Note: The above Spanish text for the Public Treaty of Velasco was transcribed for Lone Star Junction by Galen Greaser, Austin, Texas.
