Last Attempts at 111issionary Control of Indians
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all the old Indians had died, the young ones would all be Christians. It was his intention, Alberola averred, to follow this good advice of the aged chief. He explained that the chief agency in controlling the Indians and in civilizing and Christianizing them was still to be the mission. In the new enterprise the natives were to be under the instruction of mis- sionaries. The Indians of the north favored mission life and had always requested the establishment of missions in their own lands. Recently a group of Tawakoni had come to Mexico from Laredo to solicit a mission. The Cocos, the Orcoquisacs (Arkokisas), the Karankawas, the Adais, the Ais, the Bidais, and many others wanted missions and all would work and keep their word, if they were treated more kindly and given the proper leadership. To inject a compelling consideration, Alberola referred to the recent Nolan affair, his death, and the arrest of his companions. Alberola's enter- prise was designed to prevent a repetition of such incidents. When his plan was put in operation, the penetration of Americans and Englishmen into Spanish territory would be impossible. After his long introduction and endless circumlocutions, he finally stated what he expected in order to carry out his plan. In doing so he revealed more of the details. The viceroy was first to guarantee the free emigration of families from the settled districts of Coahuila, New Mexico, Texas, and other neighboring provinces into the new lands which he was to open to colonization, in order that settlers might not be hindered from moving if they so desired. All those transferring to the new establish- ments were to enjoy all the privileges granted to first settlers by the Laws of the Indies. In the second place, he would expect, for the duration of the project, an appropriation of seventy thousand pesos a year which were to be placed at his disposal. This money was to be used for transporting the families, for purchasing gifts for the Indians, for constructing public buildings and storehouses, and for securing tools, furnishings, seeds, implements, and cattle. He, as commissioner of the new enterprise, would keep a careful account of all expenditures and make a report each year of how the money was spent. Although in the original project he had declared that he would need only one assistant and secretary, by now his official family had been considerably enlarged. He requested the appointment of Juan Bautista Blanes as surveyor, with a salary of fifteen hundred pesos, and of Bernardo Portugal as his secretary with a salary of one thousand pesos.
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