Our Catholic Heritage in Texas
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Recommendations for settlement made by Escandon. Although the reconnaissance of the entire area to be settled had been made and the country promptly and efficiently explored and mapped without the loss of a single man, thanks to the careful plans of Escandon, it was six months after his return to Queretaro before he finally made a report to the viceroy on October 26, 1747. After summarizing the actual exploration, the nature of the land as a whole, the number of nations found, their habits, and customs, and the resources of the country, he pointed out that in order to occupy this territory without undue expense and loss of life three things would be necessary. The soldiers of the frontier posts who had made the reconnaissance should be offered lands in the new province and all the privileges and prerogatives of first settlers as defined in the laws of the Indies. All those intending to live there should be offered some aid in addition to free lands to enable them to move and establish themselves without great cost and sacrifice. The missionaries for the proposed Indian missions should be appointed from the various colleges vf propaga11da fide, whose character and previous record had disclosed that they were eminently qualified for this important work. Lastly no new presidios should be established, because they were an expense and a hindrance rather than an aid to the success of the new settlements and missions. It would be better to enlist families to move into the new land from the adjoining outposts. These would carry with them their belong- ings and would cultivate fields upon their arrival, all of which they would naturally defend better than paid garrisons. Such soldiers as might be absolutely necessary for their safety should be employed for only the first or second year. Having laid down the principles he intended to observe in the colonization of the recently explored region, he proposed the establishment of fourteen settlements and missions, describing in detail the site on which each was to be founded, the number of persons he proposed to place in each, and the means he intended to use to carry out his plans, should they be approved by the viceroy. Of the fourteen suggested settlements, three were to be located within the present State of Texas. The first of these was one to be founded in Llano de Flores, on the banks of the Rio Grande, about two leagues from where the San Juan joins the Rio Grande. The second was to be estab- lished on the banks of the Nueces River, about thirty leagues to the northeast of the one on the Rio Grande, which was in the vicinity of present Rio Grande City. The proposed location on the Nueces was
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