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Ozer Catl,olic Heritage in Texas
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presented by the zealous and efficient governor, who had seen service in Nicaragua and far-away Florida before coming to Texas, for no change was made. Exemption from payment of titl,cs. The settlers had finally obtained the assignment of a parish priest. Great was their consternation when on July 22, 1777, it was announced at the parish church that tithes would be collected and that these were payable to Sebastian Mojaras. The little parish had fought so hard to obtain a priest and now learned it was in arrears for two years in its payments of the tax. Like faithful subjects and good Christians they promptly paid the wretched amount due on their insig- nificant holdings, but immediately drew a long petition to the governor to intercede with the corresponding authority, that the unfortunate settlers who had made so many sacrifices in the service of their king might be exempted from future payment of tithes for a period of ten years. In support of their petition the settlers reviewed their numerous hardships, recounted their poverty, and retold the indescribable misery they had endured to safeguard the best interests of the king.'" Governor Ripperda, who was in full sympathy with the settlers of Bucareli, forwarded the petition to the new Commandallte General Croix with his strong endorsement. While it was true, he explained, that the church had been built at the expense of Nicholas de la Mathe, ne,·ertheless, the settlers had rendered ,·aluable service to the king in maintaining at thir• own expense and without any cost to the royal treasury an important outpost that served to cultivate the good will of the friendly tribes of the north and to keep an effecti\·e watch on the attempts of ·the English to penetrate through the lands to the coast to establish trade with the nati\·es. He suggested that the Bishop of Guadalajara and the Cabildo of the cathedral should be requested to grant this mod~c;t petition.•• Croix referred the matter to Assessor General Galindo Navarro, who after due deliberation made an extended report on July 23, I 778. This able and legal-minded ad,·iser recommended that the petition be granted. He argued in its support that Bucareli was exempt from all civil dues and should be similarly exempted from the payment of tithes. Further- more, the purpose of the collection of tithes was to help maintain the secular priest, but since no ecclesiastic of this class was serving there, 0 Jbarbo to Gonrnor Ripperd:i, June (July) 30, li77• A.G. kl. Hisloria, Vol. 51, pp. 459-461 . •:.Ripptrd:i to Croix, Octobtr 1, and 28, 177i. A. G. JI/. 1/istoria, \'ol. sr, pp. 4/;1-464.
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