THIRD SEAL. SIXTY-NINE. Croix, Knight of the Order of Calatrava, Knight. Commander of Rio Linos and Laguna Rota; in the samd

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1 1769. THIRD SEAL. ONE REAL YEARS OF ONE `THCUSAND SEVEN HUNDRED AND STazTY=EIGHT,AND SIXTY-NINE don Carlos Francisco de Croix, Marquis de Croix, Knight of the Order of Calatrava, Knight Commander of Rio Linos and Laguna Rota; in the samd order Lieutenant General of His Majesty's army, Viceroy Governor and Captain General of the Provinces of New Spain, President- of its Royal Audiencia, Superintendent general of the Royal Treasury and of the Tobacco Department of this Kingdom, President of the Junta, and Juez Conservador of this kingdom,, Subdelegate general of the new establishment of the Pocket Boats of this kingdom, etc. Inasmuch as the writ of the following tenor was presented before me: Ytour, M,ost, Ex,cellent, Senor: J,, don Miguel de Riofrio, attorney of this Court, in behalf of Captain de Dragones, don Manuel Antonio Bustillos y Cevallos, representative, attorney of the citizens of the Presidio of San

2 11 THIRD SEAL, ONE REAL HUNDRED AND alx'ty-eight AND Antonio de Bexar, who were.enrolled in a division 2 of, the military forces// serving at each of, the five Missions of that River, to better proceed before the greatness of Y,our, Exrcellency,, appear before your presence and state in behalf of the said, Captain, that in the year of seventeen hundred and sixtyfour, because of the repeated attacks of the hostile tribes of the Commanche, Apache and other Indiahs, His Most Excellent Seftor Viceroy, Y,our, Ex,cellency's, predecessor, deemed command through an order on the 2v sixth// day, of the said month, of January of rseventeen hundred, and sixty-four, and through, an enclosed foregoing decision from the Secretary of War, for the Provinces of Coahuila and, Mexico, and the Presidio of Los Adaes, to aid the said Captain. He commanded, the fifteen soldiers serving as guards at the five Missions of that River, to go to that presidio and unite its troops, assigning in their place as many

3 12 THIRD SEAL, ONE REAL HUNDRED,AND SIXTY-EIGHT AND men as needed, for the custody of the Missions,. 3 This is of record on the said superior orders that// at the request of the said, Captain were given by the Sergeant Major of the Expeditionary Staff of America, Knight of the Order of Calatrava, don Hugo Oconor, appointed by Y,our, Ex,cellency,, Judge to that Province. All of this, I present on three useful pages. For the fulfillment of these o.rders,, the said Captain called on the fifteen soldiers that were at the Missions, replacing them with an equal number of men, rall, citizens of that Presidio, as it is of 3 record on the certificat//ions of the Reverend Fathers in charge of those Missions; all of which, in the same manner I present in two useful pages. The said citizens, were stationed at each of, the said Missions for a long time, serving as guards of those towns.,they stayed, from February the first of the said year s of seventeen hundred and, sixty-four, until April the twenty-eight of last year of seventeen hundred and,

4 THRID aeai,, ONE REAL YEARS OF ONE THUUSMID SEVEN HUNDRED AND SIXTY-EIGHT AND SIXTY-IvTIN;. sixty-six, who, by Uirtue=: of the order of December sixteenth of seventeen hundred and, sixty-five, following the advice of the Sefior Councellor, were released from their commissions,. Throughout this ^- time,// the referred part ei represent, supplied from his funds, the salary of the said fifteen soldiers for their support. Although he was in debt with the Royal Treasury, he has not yet, taken any other measure but the one mentioned in the referred order of December sixteenth. He. has been able to endure the delay of all those wages, which amount to twel#e thousand seven hundred and fifty-eight pesos, three and a half reales. This, is of evidence in the documents and powers of attorney conferred, and remitted by the said citizens, through their captain, all of which I equally present on page five, where their wages and funds 'are entered, Being necessary for the referred part ri represent,, ^

5 14 THIRD SEAL, ONE REAT:, HUNDRED AND SIXTY4EIGHT AND SIXTY-NINE to take up the guardianship of some minors he has under his care, he finds himself in the absolute need to recourse to Your, I;x;cellenc,y's mercy, entreating,you, to deem command the royal officials of this Court, fdespit.e forbidden orders), to pay him the referred amount of twelve thousand seven hundred and 5 fifty-eight esos and three and a h'alf reales, taking '7'into account the time of entry, of `,--his request, and the urgent need by which he is forced to request it today. I entreat Y,our,,Excellency, to do as I have requested, since it is of justice. I swear,to it, in the form prescribed by law, and to all.the necessary, etc. Miguel de Riofrio.. Continuation I In view of the preceding document, and of the letters rogatory presented, I ordered this material, be given to His

6 Majesty's attorney general, together with the file of papers containing the cited orders of this Superior Government. According to what requested on the writ of the twenty-seventh of June of last year, I had seen 5v fit, following// THIRD SEAL, ONE REAL HUNDRED AND SIXTY-EIGHT AND the advice of the Setor Assessor General, by decree of July the eight, to order Colonel don Diego Ortiz Parrilla, to decide, about this particular matter, whether the assigned amount of the citizens' salaries should be paid, or Whether it should be paid, _' as the Captain Menchaca paid them. In View of what was done by the said Colonel as its consequence, I requested advice of the Seftor Assessor General who stated as, follows: 6 Most Excellent// Seflor: The Captain from the Presidio of San Antonio de Bejar, don Luis Antonio Menchaca, on November of last year of seventeen hundred, and sixty-three, presented

7 16 the state of conditions of the referred presidio. He stated, being impossible to defend it from the hostile Indians with only, the soldiers under his command. Following advice from the Seflor Judge Advocate, complying with him the SAfior Fiscal, there were taken several measures. Among the ones taken,, there was one rabout, sending fifteen soldiers stationed at the five Missions anexed to the said Presidio, to unite I 6v,the presidio's, troop, since// the said soldiers THIRD SEAI, 7 ONE REAI, HUNDRED AND SIXTY-EIGHT AND from those, Missions were only serving to keep their Indians working, and to do other easy chores. In their place, citizens of the said Missions could be appointed to substitute the said soldiers, as in effect it seems to have been done. Although this measure was a temporary one in order to repel the Indians that again had attacked the said, presidio, it is shown that on the third day of March of the 7 year// of seventeen hundred, and sixty-four, the

8 said citizens were kept at the Missions, and, up to the year of seventeen hundred, and sixty-six, for the salaries of the said citizens were repeated on the said captain's jedger, of the year of seventeen hundred, and sixty-five. It has been found, without differing with this his claim, that the captain, was ordered on December of the year of seventeen hundred, and sixty-five, to promptly dismiss the referred citizens. Though it seems that the salaries were repeated by Captain Menchaca on the year of rseventeen hundred, and sixty-five, today it is done by Captain don 7v Manuel de// Bustillos under powers of attorney,granted, THIRD SEAL, ONE REAL HUNDRED AND SIXTY-EIGHT AND by the citizens, and those zsalaries, have been entered and released on December of the years of,,seventeen hundred, and sixty-four, sixty-five, and on May of Eseventeen hundred, and sixty-six. His request was introduced on the twenty-eighth, upon which, advice

9 18 was requested by Colonel don Diego Ortiz Parrilla. There are two points to consider about this matter. The first one is the time that the citizens stayed or should have stayed at the said Missions, and whether the Captain assisted them with their meals. Second, about.the salaries they should have received during the time they legitimately served, all this, in order to decide upon the matter, on a provision that would not be prejudicial to the Royal Treasury, nor that would allow the latter to leave off what in reality should be paid to the said citizens or whomever supplied whatever was necessary, for their 8 support. Your Excellency may// issue a dispatch THIRD SEAL, ONE REAI, HUNDRED AND SIXTY-EIGHT AND incluing this account, assigned to don Hugo Oconor, so he would carry on the proceedings comprised in this instruction, which will be remitted, enclosed with the said dispatch, ^after being, signed by the Assessor. For the foregoing purposd, this will be

10 19 left under Your Excellency's possession. This is what I understand about this matter,. Ycour, Ex,cellency, should decide that 9 of your Superior agreeableness.// which is to be THIRD SEAL, ONE REAI, HUNDRED AND SIXTY-EIGHT AND Mexico, January twenty-four, of the years of, one thousand seven hundred and sixty-nine. Continuation By common agreement with, don Diego Cornide, whom I comply with.on the decree of the twenty-fifth of January, and by virtue of it, I have decided to issue the present Lorder, by which I command don Hugo Oconor to proceed immediately after receiving this dispatch, with the diligences comprised in the rsaid, order, with after, being signed by the said Sefior Assessor, will be enclosed within this dispatch,, UpQn rbading it, a decision should be taken upon this matter, on a measure that would not be prejudicial for the Royal

11 Treasury, nor that would allow the latter to leave off what in reality should be paid to the said citizens, or to whoe%ter supplied all that was necessary, for their support. Mexico,// February tenth of,the year of, one thousand seven hundred and sixtynine. Marqs de Croix (Rubric) By command of His Ex,cellency, Juan Ant,oni,o Soria (Rubric) Taxes, plus costs, sixteen p,,eso,s and six reales, and nothing more, I swear upon the Holy Cross. (Rubric) His, Ex,cellency, orders don Hugo Oconor to carry on the diligences comprised in the order signed by the Cefior Assessor G,ene,ral 4

12 and enclosed in this dispatch, so upon reading it, lov the corvesponding measure should be taken.// THIRD SE.AL, ONE REAL : eal. HUNDRED AND SIXTY-EIGHT AND Order from the Marquis de Croix, Viceroy of the troops of men stationed at each. of the 5 missions (Rio San Antonio) to unite (that to be stationed) in the presidio of San Antonio, to enable them to repel or withstand the encroachments of the hostile Indians. 1769,DS. 1-1v in E ,

[L.S. 1-lv pp. in E ]

[L.S. 1-lv pp. in E ] 0 10. [Ru"bric] Senor Baron de Ripperda [L.S. 1-lv pp. in E. 7-15-1776] 0 11. [I] Don Juan Maria de Ripperda, Baron de Ripperda., Colonel of Cavalry, Governor of this Province of Texas, its missions, conquests