389
Missionary Activity A111011g tlte Apacl1es, 1743-1758
against the inveterate and hostile Comanches. The San Xavier fiasco was still fresh in the minds of all. 75 When the vigorous protest of the governor reached the viceroy, the whole matter was about to be considered in a general Junta. Valcarcel, the A 11d1tor, on being consulted, declared on January 12, 1756, that the go,·ernor had consistently opposed the project, but that his opposition should be disregarded, his communication added to the record, and that the whole matter should now be referred to the Junta for its consideration. 76 Recom111e11datio11s of tl1e ltmta. In the meantime the new Viceroy, Marques de las Amarillas, had just arrived to succeed the Count of Revilla Gigedo, who, in view of the recommendations of his advisers, had called a general Junta to meet on February 27, 1756. The new viceroy did not interfere with the plans of his predecessor and ordered the ltmta to be convened as instructed. On the appointed day the highest officials of New Spain met to consider and pass upon the San Saba plan. Two questions were before them: the final disposition of the San Xavier presidio and missions, and the authorization of the San Saba project. By a majority vote the Junta recommended: First, that the San Xavier garrison of fifty men and a captain be removed to the San Saba River in the country of the Apaches; secondly, that these be increased to one hundred men by taking twenty from San Antonio and the rest to be provided at the discretion of the viceroy; thirdly, that the Presidio de San Antonio de Bejar should retain a garrison of twenty soldiers, a captain, a sergeant, and a chaplain, and that the posts of lieutenant and alferez be suppressed, their salaries to be applied to the garrison at San Saba; fourthly, that all the property of the missions of San Xavier and all sacred vessels, ornaments, vestments, bells, etc., be transferred to the new site; fifthly, that the missionaries formerly charged with the care of the Indians of San Xavier be ordered to minister to the Apaches on the San Saba; sixthly, that the missionaries be furnished at royal expense all the things that might be necessary for the estab- lishment of the new missions at San Saba; seventhly, that such Indians as were once in the original San Xavier missions which had moved to the San Marcos or the Guadalupe, be transferred to the five missions of San Antonio, where each of these establishments would be furnished
75 Governor Barrios to the Viceroy, No,·ember 8, 1755. In Ibid., pp. 167-169. 76 Domingo Varcarcel to the Viceroy, January 12, 1756. In Ibid., pp. 170-172.
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