Our Catholic Heritage in Texas
222
Need of i11spectio11 of the presidios of New Spain. Since Don Pedro de Rivera made his comprehensive report in the years 1728-1730, no inspection of the important northern outposts of New Spain had been ordered. Repeated complaints of the excessive prices charged for com- modities by presidia! commanders had called the attention of the king to this abuse, which in recent years had become the chief source of illegal profits made at the expense of the efficiency and general morale of the frontier garrisons. Even before the cession of Louisiana had made the reorganization of the Texas frontier imperative, the king had recom- mended that an investigation be conducted concerning the schedule of prices at which essential commodities consumed by different presidios were being sold. When the Marques de Cruillas was about to take charge of the government of New Spain in 1760, article 11 of his instructions recommended that upon his arrival in Mexico he should call a meeting of his principal ministers and such persons as experience in presidial matters qualified as experts, to study the regulations adopted in 1730, after the inspection of Rivera, in regard to the price of commodities supplied to presidia! troops. More pressing matters occupied the attention of the conscientious and upright viceroy after his arrival and the revision of price schedules was postponed. The king. howe,·er, had not lost sight of this important subject, the principal cause of complaint in the rcsidc11cias of all frontier com- manders. Furthermore it was felt that a lapse of thirty years had naturally changed conditions. Perhaps some of the presidios were no longer necessary in their present location and could he moved to more ad,·antageous sites. With the growth of settlements the prices of many of the goods con- sumed might be now excessive. On June 23, 1764, the king categorically reminded the Marques de Cruillas of his negligence in putting into effect article 1 1 of his instructions of 1760. I-le was informed that the regulations adopted in 1730 were annulled by the present decree. that the schedule in force was to continue only until a new one was worked out, and that no time should be wasted in the requested revision. 36 The viceroy made apologies on October 8 for the delay in carrying out the king's instructions concerning this important matter and explained it was being studied by the Fiscal and the Auditor prior to its presentation to a general Junta for discussion. But when the king again urged the prompt solution of the problem on January 23, 1765, and on March 17,
3 6Arriaga to the Viceroy, June 23, Ii64. Rttales CJd11l,u, 1751-1789, \'ol. 4, PP· 35-36.
Powered by FlippingBook