395
Frenc/1 lutervention in Spain and Its Reactio11 in Texas
the military commander. He was guarded in expressing himself on the suggestions for improving Indian trade relations through purchases from either Florida or the Indies. He limited himself to the simple statement that this was a matter for the commandant general to decide." Commandant General N. Salcedo replied that there was no cause for alarm. He advised Cordero and Governor de Salcedo not to protest to the American Government the arrest of Davenport and his drh·ers and the seizure of his freight train, because the incident resulted from differ- ences between Davenport and his partner in Natchitoches. He considered it only prudent to instruct Guadiana at Nacogdoches to be more watchful than ever against a surprise attack and to repel with force any attempt to rescue smugglers held at that post. The proposals of Manuel de Salcedo for obtaining the goods necessary for Indian trade, he regarded as impractical and nonessential. He had, in fact, already ordered the needed supplies from Mexico. Howe,·er, if Davenport was released to continue the journey, his goods were to be received as agreed. He closed, reassuring Cordero that there was no imminent danger of attack from the United States. 98 Manuel Soto, of Bayou Pierre, and Geronimo Herrera, of Nacogdoches, reported early in 1810 that an unusually large number of objectionable characters had settled recently in the abandoned Presidio Los Adaes and on Arroyo de Piedra. Governor de Salcedo wished to drive them out forcibly, but he recollected that. according to the terms of the Neutral Ground Agreement, armed forces could not lawfully penetrate the area. He accused American border patrols of collusion in permitting settlers to pass into the neutral zone. Bonavia took up the matter with the com- mandant general. N. Salcedo advised approaching the American com- mander with a view of securing a mutual agreement to drive all the intruders out of the area. Acting upon the suggestion, Go,·ernor de Salcedo presented a formal remonstrance to the commander at Fort Clai- borne, explaining that the settlement of the Neutral Ground by American squatters without Spanish authorization was a violation of the Agree- ment and was causing considerable damage to the communities along the Spanish frontier. 99 97 Cordero to N. Salcedo, November 28, 1808. Nacogdoches Arc/rives, XI, pp. 136-139. 98 N. Salcedo to Cordero, December 11, 1808. Nacogdoches Arch;ves, XI, pp. 177-179. 99 Bonavia to N. Salcedo, March 12, 1810; commander of Fort Claiborne to M. de Salcedo, July 7, 1810. Nacogdoches Archi11es, XV, pp. 61-62; 101-102.
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