Ow· Catl1olic Heritage in T e:i:as
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enough. He was sincerely apprehensive of the effect on Refugio of leaving only one guard. 61 Finances of Mission Rosario. In the investigation conducted by Captain Elguezabal, it was disclosed that the mission owed the presidio twelve hundred fifty-three pesos. Father Jaudenes admitted the records were correct, but declared that it was impossible for the mission to pay one cent. He reminded the officials of the destitute condition of Rosario and of his chronic inability to provide food for the Indians. He recounted how the expense of rebuilding the church, the Padre's quarters, and the mission wall had never been paid by the royal treasury, and he again asked to be reimbursed for this debt. Elguezabal seems to have been impressed with the justness of the complaint and joined the missionary in his request. \Vhen the matter was presented to Nava, he referred the case to his auditor, Galindo Navarro, who made a detailed report on the subject on August 1, 1797. He explained that the royal treasury had paid six thousand pesos in 1758 for the original establishment, that one thousand more were paid the first year for the upkeep of the Indians congregated, and four thousand one hundred one for the construction of mission buildings, a total of eleven thousand one hundred one pesos. \Vhen, at the insistence of Father Reyes, it was reestablished in 1 789-1790. the royal treasury had paid various sums of money advanced by different officials for the maintenance of the Indians during the first year and for tools, utensils, and other things requested. In spite of this. Father J audenes had asked for additional aid on October 19, 1792, part of which was granted by the commandant general after the refusal of the governor. The missionary had been specifically warned at that time to impress upon the Indians congregated that they must become self- sustaining. Not until November 19, 1793, had Father Jaudenes presented a formal claim for the two thousand pesos spent in the reestablishment of the mission. The request had been repeated on April 25, 1794, at which time Father Ignacio Maria Laba, guardian of the College at Zacatecas, supported the claim in his letter of June 10, in which he intimated that if the amount were not paid, the mission might have to be abandoned for lack of means to keep the Indians under instruction. Governor Munoz, when consulted on June 29, gave a favorable opinion. But when the
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60 Jose Francbco Jaudents to Cortes. April 5; Juan Bautista Elg-uezabal to l\-tunoz, June 8; Jose l\lariano Puellts to i\lanutl ~luiioz, ~o\·ember 6, 1797. Bexar Arcliives.
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