Our Catltolic Heritage in. Texas
to the resident subjects of the king, was sadly abused by unscrupulous officials and residents who imported and exported goods for personal gain. A more practical policy, Bonavia believed, should be adopted with regard to trade in Texas in order to attain the desired end. He recom- mended that the regulations stipulate that all exports be duty free, as also imports from Spain or Spanish colonies, but that the levy on imports from foreign countries be the same for the Texas port as that for other authorized ports in America. Bonavia advocated the exemption of tools, farm implements, and machinery from all duties. The Junta unani- mously approved Bonavia's suggestions, but recommended that Spanish goods carry a 6 per cent ad valorem tax and foreign imports a flat rate of 33 per cent, except on tools, implements, and machinery. The importers should be given a receipt to enable them to introduce their merchandise anywhere in the Interior Provinces without further taxes of any kind. They further suggested that since the royal decree (March 29, 1806) permitted ships from other ports of America and the world at large to bring goods to the Texas coast, it would be advisable to authorize the captain of La Bahia to act temporarily as portmaster to check all imports, collect duties, and issue receipts to the importers. 75 The recommendations of the /tmta were forwarded on July 26 by Bonavia to the commandant general for his approval. At the same time Bonavia wrote Saavedra and sent him a copy of the minutes of the Junta for the information of the Suprenza Junta. He promised to inform him of the commandant general's action in the matter. Every day he became more convinced, he said, of the need of setting up an independent commandancy in Texas. The position of the commander of the frontier under the existing regu- lations was embarrassing and incompatible with the best interests of the royal service. It was for this reason that he had adopted the policy of directly informing the Sup,-enia Junta of every step he took. 76 Commandant General N. Salcedo did not take long to inform Bonavia what he thought of the project of a Texas port for free trade. On September 7 he wrote that he considered unwarranted the concern of the Junta about the opening of the Port of San Bernardo, its recom- mendations for customs officials, and its decisions on duty rates. He 75Minutes of the /u11ta de Guerra, July 20, 1809. A. G. f., Audiencia de Guada- lajara, 104-2-25 (Dunn Transcripts, 1800-1819, pp. 235-239). The date of the Junta is erroneously given as July 30 in Hatcher, T/1e Opening of Texas to Foreign S ettleme11t, 171. 76Bonavia to N. Salcedo, July 26, 1809; Bonavia to Saavedra, July 26, l 809. Ibid., 234-239.
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