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Ou, Catltolic Hentage in Texas
site was untenable, the governor should be instructed to move the pre- sidia and the mission to Santa Rosa del Alcazar with the consent and cooperation of the missionaries. But he should first make certain that the new site was as good as represented. Furthermore, it should be kept in mind that the primary purpose of the enterprise was to check the French. Therefore, if the presidia was moved, the garrison should be in duty bound to make periodic visits to the old site to avert any possibility of new French incursions. Contrary to previous opinions, the missionaries should attempt to reconcile the various factions of the Orcoquisacs and the Bidais. 50 The viceroy approved the recommendations on January 19, and author- ized the governor to transfer the presidio and mission to Santa Rosa del Alcazar. At the same time he requested the officials of the treasury to report on the cost of the settlement of the Canary Islanders in San Antonio, and ordered a Junta for March 3, 1757, to consider all questions. 51 Recommendations of tlie ltmta, 1J1a,cli 3 1 z757. As usual, when the Junta met, it reviewed the entire history of the new presidia and the various proposals and recommendations. In view of the circumstances, it gave its formal approval to the removal of the new establishment to Santa Rosa del Alcazar. In regard to the civil establishment, it decided that only twenty-five Spanish families be recruited instead of fifty, but it provided that none should be taken from San Antonio. The remaining twenty-five could be Tlaxcalteca Indians. It authorized giving each family aid for one year, to allow them three reales a day for subsistence while en route, and to furnish them through the governor, the necessary arms, as well as certain goods and equipment. It recommended the pur- chase of three hundred and fifty yards of woolen cloth for overcoats, fifty axes, fifty hoes, fifty harrows, fifty maclzetes (cutlasses), fifty metates (grindstones), fifty clay pots, one hundred and fifty comales (flat cooking irons), enough woolen cloth to make one skirt for each woman, fifty half silk shawls, fifty pairs of Brussels hose, fifty pairs of shoes, ten iron bars, one for each five families. These were to be acquired by the royal treasury. The Governor of Texas should be ordered to buy one hundred horses, one hundred and fifty mares, fifty stallions, one hundred and fifty cows, 50 Dictamen de! Fiscal recomendando se traslade el presidio que se intento en el dtstmboque dt:l Rio de la Trinidad y que se hagan reconocimientos semanales a los puntos cercanos, January 11, 1757, San Francisco el Grande Archive, Vol. 7, pp. 177-179. 51 Aprobaci6n del Virey, January 19, 17 57, ibid., pp. 179-1 So; El Virey to Gov- ernor Barrios y Jauregui, A. G. M., Historia, Vol. 91, pt. 1, pp. 26-27.
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