The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 8, July 1904 - April, 1905 Page: 39

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Bonilla's Brief Compendium.

In connection with this presidio [San Antonio de Valero] were
situated the [Mission] of San Antonio de Valero , and that of San
Juan Capistrano with a sufficient number of Indians already con-
verted.
In the opinion of the Brigadier Don Pedro de Rivera, the char-
acter of the Northern Indians is fickle, like that of all the other
Indians, but more docile, less turbulent, and more loyal. They
use firearms with dexterity, but they revere the Spanish, and they
follow the natural instinct of self-defense [only] when they feel
themselves harassed or persecuted. From this [opinion] orig-
inated the idea of the aforesaid brigadier, in regard to reducing the
strength of the garrisons of the province; for he did not consider
them necessary for its defence, or for restraining the French, al-
though, being then in possession of the territories of Luisiana, they
gave occasion for suspicion. This suspicion no longer exists since
the cession of those dominions to our Catholic Monarch. I shall
not linger, therefore, to set forth the various measures which have
been taken at different times to prevent illicit commerce, to define
and contest the limits [of the possessions] of both crowns.
When Don Pedro de Rivera came to Texas there were no other
enemies but the Apaches; these have been, are, and always will be
enemies (lo) of the Spaniards and of every rational being. To
confirm me in this opinion, which I have been caused to form by
the numerous books of autos, ancient and modern, which I have
read-now to get myself into the merits of the immense, incompre-
hensible [mass of] business of the Provincias Internas, now to
work up this brief compendium, and again to dispatch the reports
of the day,-the only thing that I lack is a sight of those countries;
although, to be sure, I believe that I am not in error, since the
acts of inhumanity, the intrigues, the perfidies of that savage na-
tion, charged with numberless shameful deeds, sadden the heart,
stir the passions, and make the name of Apache abhorrent.
When his revista was over, the above-mentioned Don Pedro de
Rivera returned to Mexico; his arrangements were approved, and
the ordinances were drawn up in the year 1729. The missionary
difference between the two colleges influenced the removal, seems quite
plausible, since los Adaes was more strongly garrisoned than San Antonio
(See Historia, Sees. 28-30).

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Texas State Historical Association. The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 8, July 1904 - April, 1905, periodical, 1905; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101033/m1/41/ocr/: accessed March 28, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.

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