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Om· Catlzolic Heritage in Texas
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more easily gathered and taught the ways of civilized life by the example set for them; and a successful civil settlement would be developed in the course of a few years, at which time the subsidy of two hundred forty ,pesos would no longer be necessary. He closed his memorial with a strong plea for its serious consideration and an emphatic declaration that missionary work could not be carried on satisfactorily under existing conditions. Therefore, if this proposal, or a similar one, could not be authorized, Fray Mariano humbly begged the viceroy to relieve the missionaries of their work at San Xavier, where their usefulness had ceased." Belated attempt at conciliation. The College of Queretaro was anxious for the success of the missions at San Xavier. ~'hen news of the unexpected difficulties between its zealous sons and the impulsive Captain Rabago reached the Discretorio, a strenuous effort was made to remove all causes of complaint. On February 18, 1752, the College selected Father Fray Alonso Giraldo de Terreros as president of the missions on the San Antonio and the San Xavier, "promoting," so declared the appointment, Fray Mariano de los Dolores to the presidency of the missions at San Juan Bautista.•~ It is a sad admission on the part of the College that the usefulness of the unselfish and indefatigable Texas missionary had perhaps ceased. But any sacrifice, it seems, was better than the failure of the project. Instructions to Fray Giraldo. On February 21, 1752, the Discretorio of the College of Queretaro drew up the detailed instructions for the guidance of the new president of the missions on the San Antonio and San Xavier rivers. The high opinion in which he was held is revealed by the admission that "never before was the College as much in need of the wisdom and prudence your Reverence has displayed in restoring oeace to the missions on the Rio Grande." They frankly declared that he ~as the "sole remedy and recourse in the exigencies of the time." He was to proceed at once to San Antonio, leaving Fray Miguel Placido "Fray Mariano de Jos Dolores, Memorial, January I 2 , I 7 52. San Francisco ,,z G nae Arcl,ive Vol. JI, pp. 40-46; copy also in A. G-. M. Historia, Vol. 28, p. 94. T~: latter cop/ is undated and contains many alterations. Morfi, in. his Historia "d ti h d access to the San Francisco el Grande copy, from which he quotes ev1 en y a - d •1 ft" H. ' I T t almost the entire proposal. See Castane a, ,, or · s ,s ory o exas, p . 2, pp. 332-334. •$F J Hernandez to Fray Alonso Giraldo de Terreros, February 1 8, 1 7 52• ray uan 6 pp JJI•II 2 Arcliivo del Colegio de la Santa Cru11, I 7 50- 7, . .
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