011r Catliolic Heritage in Texas
ranches, haciendas, and settlements in which the Indians and the Span- iards would live in perfect harmony, have friendly intercourse daily, and learn to love and respect each other by working together and mingling freely for the benefit of all. He would choose the sites for the new establishments with care, picking out the numerous fertile valleys, the banks of the beautiful and large rivers, and the bays that offered the best facilities for, the promotion of maritime trade. To carry out his plan, he would have to be given full control of its execution. When the work was completed-the Indians reduced to Christianity, the country settled, and prosperity established-he would turn everything over to government officials to administer. He estimated that it would take from six to ten years to accomplish the many desirable ends he had so glowingly outlined. The only concrete proposal was that he would need an allowance of four thousand pesos a year for himself during the time he was putting the plan into execution and two thousand pesos for an assistant, who would also act as secretary. He intended to begin the reduction of the Indians with the Apaches. 63 The plan was certainly attractive, but it is strange that it should not have been discarded at once as impractical. But a drowning man always clutches at a straw and the Spanish authorities were rapidly growing desperate. Fantastic as the plan was, it was referred to the fiscal for an opinion. This official, who was generally an experienced and matter- of-fact individual, expressed doubt and suggested the matter be referred to the assessor general, since it involved an outlay of six thousand pesos a year, in spite of the assurance of Alberola that the plan would involve no expense to the royal treasury. The higher official replied on August 12 that before a decision could be made, it was necessary for Fray Alberola to submit a more detailed report of how he intended to accomplish the highly laudable results he promised. The viceroy approved the recom- mendation and Fray Alberola was requested to state concretely how he was to put his plan in operation. 64 Fray Alberola now declared that he was a native of a small villa in Valencia and that he had long been interested in the problem of Indian control in the Spanish dominions. After restating his original plan, he pointed out that the expense involved in its execution would be nothing 63 Jose Alberola to the Secretary of State, February 6, 1800. A. G. I., Pa,Peles de Es/ado, Me:r;co, Leg, 10, Num. 113 (Dunn Transcripts, 1795-1817, pp. 45-47). 64 Consulta de! Fiscal Asesor General, August 4, and 12, 1800; Auto del virrey, August 12 1 1800. /b;d,, pp. 48-50.
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