., ~
t ";;;I.';
MLL£!£..&£L_
Rivera's Inspection and Removal of Missions to San Antonio 215
location of the various establishments was the most advantageous. Time could have altered conditions and made some of them unnecessary or required their removal now to other localities. The original number of soldiers assigned to each one might have become excessive with the growth of the civil population and the cessation of hostilities on the part of the natives. In such cases the reduction of the garrisons would save the treasury a superfluous expense. He was instructed to give his mature judgment to this important matter and to make such recommendations as he deemed prudent, keeping in mind that although it was the desire of the king to prevent the fruitless expenditure of royal funds, it was his purpose to afford adequate protection in all instances to the frontier set- tlements and missions, this having been the sole object for the original establishment and maintenance of the presidios. In order that the inspector might be in position to proceed to the execu- tion of the various objects of his mission with a full knowledge of the facts in each case, and to enable him to exercise better judgment, he was advised to communicate with the civil and ecclesiastical authorities in and about the various presidios before visiting them. He was to obtain from the officials, as well as the settlers, as many particulars as possible concerning the conditions that existed in the different localities and their opinion stating why the presidios should be continued in their present locations, or moved, or their garrisons reduced or increased. With this information he would be better able to conduct the personal investigation in each one of them and to make the most suitable recommendations in each case. He was specifically requested to find out whether the guard of twelve soldiers kept at Saltillo to convoy trains of supplies and escort travelers to Texas was really needed. In the judgments of many this service was unnecessary. If in any .of the presidios the soldiers lacked arms, equip- ment, or horses he was to see that they were fully supplied with every- thing they needed before leaving that post, in order that each garrison would be left in position to withstand all Indian hostilities. He was to inquire into the character and habits of the various presidial captains, investigating whether they complied diligently with their duties, or whether they had any vices which were deemed incompatible with the military profession, or if their personal conduct gave cause for scandal, or whether they maltreated the soldiers, or defrauded them in any man- ner of their just dues. If he found them guilty of any irregularity he was authorized to suspend them and institute suit against them.
Powered by FlippingBook