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Ou.r Catleolic Heritage in T e:ras
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governor of Louisiana, and permitted him to take the oath of office before the Judge of Cadiz. 29 Shortly afterwards, the new governor set out for America, and eventually arrived in Texas during the summer of 1808. The commandant of the Interior Provinces ordered Cordero to remain in Texas, however, to acquaint the new appointee with the duties of his office and the grave problems of his province. 30 The new governor proved himself worthy of his distinguished associates on the distant frontier of New Spain. Like Cordero and Herrera, he firmly believed in colonization. It was, consequently, not necessary to convince him of the urgent need of populating his vast province as the best means of safeguarding it against attack and encroachments. He was liberal in his ideas with regard to trade, sincere in his desire to promote the welfare of Texas, and enthusiastic in his support of all measures designed to develop its resources and make it self-supporting. He had not been in Texas three months when he began pleading for the admission of settlers, even those whom anyone observing just casually would have considered undesirable. Governor Manuel de Salcedo argued with Com- mandant General Nemesio Salcedo that these people should be permitted to settle in the new colonies on the San Marcos and the Guadalupe since they had voluntarily severed connections with Louisiana and had made no effort to return to that province. Many of them might be allowed to settle even in Bexar itself, where, plying their several trades, they would contribute much to the community. 31 It is remarkable, and at the same time indicative of the importance attached to Texas by Spanish authorities, that during these trying years, when the whole viceroyalty was beset with serious dangers, three of the most able officials in the viceregal administration, rich in experience, liberal in attitude, and resourceful in action, were retained on this distant frontier. Within a year, a fourth was to be sent from Durango. Immigration control. Before the Bayonne meeting and the D'Alvimar incident, the commandant general had begun to try to regulate the flow of immigration and to deport undesirables. But his efforts had repeatedly been nullified by the lack of cooperation on the part of Cordero and Herrera. He was to get no support from the new governor, 29 Appointment of Manuel Maria de Salcedo, April 24, I 807; Titulo de Gov• ernador de la Provincia de Texas ..., May 1, 1807. A.G. I., Attdiencia de Guada- lajara, 103-4-1 (Dunn Transcripts, 1800-1819, pp. 170-174). JON. Salcedo to Cordero, March 24, 1809. Bexar Archives. 31M. de Salcedo to N. Salcedo, November 30, 1808. Bexar Archives.
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