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Frencli Intervention in Spain and Its Reaction in Texas
to all immigration. But Bona,·ia seemed not to know when to cease importuning. On September 20 he again pleaded for the admission of Spanish subjects from Louisiana as a means of strengthening the defence of the province. He asserted that no one distrusted the French more than he, but the Spaniards in Louisiana aroused all his sympathy. He declared that there were in that province not less than 1,500 Spaniards capable of bearing arms, and some 400 Canary Island families, most of them farmers, who would move to Texas if they were given an oppor- tunity and were furnished transportation. Unlike those who had resided in New Orleans and engaged in commerce for years, these settlers, he said, had not been "contaminated" by their American neighbors. 91 Bonavia wrote at the same time to Saavedra in Spain to acquaint the Jm,ta Suprema of the circumstances that had thwarted him in putting into effect a more liberal immigration policy. He maintained that the settlement of Texas was essential to the defence of all New Spain and the development of the Interior Provinces, but the commandant general had remained adamant in his opposition to colonization and had irrevo- cably closed the doors to foreigners and Spaniards alike. For the infor- mation of the Secretary of State and of the Junta Supremn he sent a copy of his proposed modifications of the regulations which would have permitted the rapid settlement of Texas and would have barred all undesirables. He contrasted the immigration policy of the United States with that of Spain. The United States opened her arms in welcome to all Euro- peans; offered prospective settlers cheap land; admitted everyone who was not incapacitated or a confirmed criminal; and was primarily inter- ested in the number of immigrants rather than in their quality. But Spain refused admission to even her own nationals from Louisiana. The former policy was restrictive enough, for it had placed innumerable obstacles in the way of immigrants: prohibiting the introduction of their property, designating the place of settlement regardless of suita- bility, and expelling them arbitrarily after they had become established at great sacrifice. Contrary to the assertion of the commandant general. Bonavia said he could not find evidence in support of the allegation that all those who had gained admission were libertines. atheists. smug- glers. and restless trouble-makers. Spain's policy of absolute exclusion would forever turn Louisianans away from Texas, and Spain should
91 Bonavia to N. Salcedo, September 20, 1809. A.G. I., A11dicnci1J de Guadalajara, 104-2-25 (Dunn Transcripts, 1800-1819, pp. 214-215).
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