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Texas on tlee Eve of tlte Jr/ exican Revolution
Governor Salcedo forwarded the list of Nacogdoches foreigners and the report on his investigations concerning them, in which he frankly admitted that there were a goodly number who should never have been allowed to enter the province. He maintained, however, that since they had been admitted to or had succeeded in establishing themselves in Texas, they should be allowed to remain, provided their conduct had been above reproach. Many of them were not Catholics and since they had never taken the qath of allegiance, he contended that they could not be properly called Spanish subjects. Consequently they could not claim the right to admission as former subjects of the king. He expressed no concern over the conduct of Dortolan and his relations with D'Alvimar, or over the illegal trading activities of Kuerke and his associates who were convicted. As a matter of fact, he recommended that all foreigners in Nacogdoches be granted permission to stay. 55 Much light is thrown on conditions at Nacogdoches by a more detailed report of Father Mariano Sosa. He declared that the principal occupa- tions of the settlers were farming, cattle raising, and contraband trade. The chief products were corn, beans, pumpkins, cotton, various vegetables, ,vatermelons, melons, and wheat. He criticized the soldiers for their bad habits of gambling and petty thievery. The conduct of the civilians was not much better, but he attributed their laziness and dishonesty to their inability to dispose of their products advantageously. The lack of an incentive to raise larger or better crops under the existing regulations accounted for the prevalence of contraband trade among them. The character of these shiftless frontiersmen could be improved, he thought, by adopting a number of constructive policies. He made bold to suggest that the soldiers be paid more regularly and in specie. Under the system in force they had to purchase all their supplies from the commissary. If, however, they were paid in specie and allowed to buy from the local merchants, they would help in improving trade. Another way he sug- gested of stimulating business was to permit the settlers to sell their produce either in the interior of Mexico or in Louisiana. With such a market, the farmers would exert themselves to produce larger and better crops, there would be more money in circulation, and the merchants and townsmen would not be compelled to resort to contraband in order to make a living. He recommended the establishment of a school to teach the children reading and writing, good manners, and moral principles. The ignorance of the young people, he believed, was not conducive to
55 Informe of M. de Salcedo, May 19, 1810. Bexar Arc/rh,,u.
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