Our Catliolic Heritage in Texas
Francisco Lopez and was told that he and his seventeen followers now at Valero were to be moved to Mission San Jose, as recommended by Count de Sierra Gorda, the chief replied that he and his people preferred to remain where they were. "It was explained to him with all clearness," declared the governor, "how they would be much better taken care of at San Jose." Chief Mariano's only reply was that he wanted to stay in Valero where he had always lived and where many of his relatives were buried. This answer was repeated individually by the other seven- teen Lipans. The governor had no choice but to allow them to remain until he had consulted the viceroy. 11 Decree for secularisati<m of all missions. Before the interrupted sup- pression of San Antonio de Valero could be completed, there came a new decree ordering the secularization of all the missions in Texas. The previous order had affected only Valero, but the new decree applied to all. The matter had finally been decided by the king's council. The various recommendations of short-sighted officials and disgruntled or over- zealous missionaries had at last borne fruit. The decree of April 10, 1794, issued by Pedro Nava as com- mandant general of the Interior Provinces, put an end to the old missions in Texas and set up a new system for the administration of the com- munal property of the mission Indians. It provided that in all the mission pueblos in the Interior Provinces, which had existed more than ten years, the old system of administering the temporal property of the neophytes was to be abolished. Only in the case of missions founded within less than ten years was the communal property to continue to be administered by the missionaries. From the date of publication of the new regulations, every mission Indian was henceforth to enjoy all the liberty, freedom, and privileges granted by Spanish laws to Spaniards and gente de razon (beings endowed with reason). They were indi- vidually to take care of their own cattle, cultivate and plant their own lands, enjoy the returns of their crops, engage freely in trade, pursue the work they preferred, and seek gainful employment as laborers to provide for the needs and care of their families. But the justices and other public officials were to exercise particular zeal to prevent them from falling into idle habits or evil ways and to keep them from indulging in drunkenness and other excesses to which they were prone. 19 11Autos del Gobernador, April 24, 1793. Saltillo Arcl,ives, Vol. V, pp. 253-254. 19 Decreto de secularizacion del Comandante General Don Pedro Nava, April 10, 1794. Sal.Iulo Archives, Vol. VI, pp. 99-106.
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