Our Catholic Heritage in Texas
might make their wishes known. He was then to put on sale all remaining mission lands. Property found in the missions was to be turned over by inventory to a trustworthy person for safekeeping, pending ultimate disposition. 41 Political Chief Musquiz acknowledged receipt of the instructions on March 30, and the next day sent copies of the new orders to Father Diaz de Leon and the Alcalde of Goliad to put them into effect. Diaz de Leon had been expecting the orders, but he had not changed his mind in regard to the secularization of Ref.µgio. Undaunted, he restated that if the missions were delivered to the Ordinary, the governmental officials would be responsible for leaving the Indians of Refugio without anyone to give them religious instructions. So eloquently and sincerely did he argue for the continuance of Refugio that Musquiz felt compelled to plead the case himself before Governor Viesca. On April 27 he transmitted the touching memorial of Diaz de Leon and explained that he had visited the mission in question and that he was convinced it should be maintained for the benefit of the neophytes who were still under instruction. Subject to the approval of the Governor, Musquiz recommended that the Cocos, Karankawas and Jaranames in• Espiritu Santo be moved to Refugio, thus vacating one mission and releasing its lands for distribution. He declared that he honestly thought that Refugio did not come within the terms of the order of September 15, 1823.., Governor Viesca must have been equally impressed by the protest and the support given to it by Political Chief Musquiz, for he appears to have referred the matter to the national Government. Several months passed before the question was resurrected. Attacks by Comanches and their allies and the urgent demand for immediate secularization made by the Goliad Ayuntamiento in June, 1829," went unheeded for almost three months. Late in the summer, however, it seems Musquiz was sharply repri- manded for having forwarded the memorial of Father Diaz de Leon and for having recommended the continuation of Refugio. Pretending ignorance, he requested the Goliad A yuntamiento early in September to tell him exactly what had been done to secularize the missions at 42 Govemor Viesca to the Administrator of the Diocese of Monterrey, March 6, 1829; Governor to Musquiz:, same date, Saltillo Al'clirves, XVI, 82-84. 42 Ramon Musquiz: to Gobemador del Estado, April 27, 1829, Be%al' Al'clirves. "Alcalde to Musquiz:, May 8, 1829; Musquiz to Alcalde, June 10, 1829, Bexar ,Aycl,ives.
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