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Escandon and Settlement of Lower Rio Grande, 1738-1779
Vasquez, Franciscan from the College of Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe of Zacatecas, who had accompanied the party that set out from 'Monterrey by way of Linares, and who rendered valuable services in the exploration of the territory. Approval of the plan of Escandon for tlic peaceful settlement of Nuevo Santander. The complete report of Escandon was referred to the Fiscal Pedro de Vedoya y Osorio, who on December 13, rendered his opinion to the viceroy. After enthusiastically praising the unprecedented achieve- ment of Escandon in exploring and mapping the vast territory of the Seno Mexicano in the short space of three months without the loss of a single man, he strongly urged the convocation of a Junta General of all the officials for the formal acceptance of the plan proposed for its peaceful settlement. The estimated expense of one hundred fifteen thousand seven hundred pesos necessary for this purpose and the establishment of fourteen towns, he declared, was by no means excessive when the number of souls to be saved was considered. He pointed out that the execution of the plan presented would not only carry out the wishes of the king i bringing the natives to a knowledge of God, but would make possibl the peaceful occupation of a vast territory heretofore untrodden b)- Spaniards, checking the continuous raids of the numerous Indians that dwelt in this area, safeguarding communication between the bordering provinces of Nuevo Leon, Coahuila, and Texas, and opening for exploita- tion the rich salines and the silver mines reported to exist in the territory.:2 But the viceroy had to follow the regular routine. Upon receipt of the opinion of the Fiscal, he transmitted his recommendations, together with Escandon's report and plan for settlement to his most trusted adviser, the Marquis of Altamira, Auditor de Guerra. This official made his recommendations on March 13, 1748. Like Vedoya, he approved the whole plan for the establishment of fourteen towns and fourteen missions, the removal of the Presidio of La Bahia from the Guadalupe to the mouth of the San Antonio, at the site named Santa Dorotea, and urged authorization of the estimated expense for putting the plan into immediate execution. He suggested that the new territory be officially called Nuevo Santander, a name which Escandon had thought appropriate because of the resemblance of the land to that of his native province in Spain. He likewise recommended that Escandon should be appointed to carry out
nvedoya to the Viceroy, December 13, 1747. A. G. M., P,-<JVi 11 cias /ntMmu, vol. 1 79, pt. 1, pp. 299-334.
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