The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 8, July 1904 - April, 1905 Page: 96

96 Texas Ilistorical Association Quarterly.
Spain was the unchallenged claimant of the territory lying adja-
cent to the Gulf of Mexico west of the Mississippi. Because none
disputed her claim, and because her energies were absorbed in
European struggles, she saw no necessity for taking measures to
secure it. Therefore, she made no effort to occupy and colonize
Texas until the news came that in 1685 there had appeared on
the scene a formidable rival, France, and that a French settle-
ment, called Fort St. Louis, had been established on Matagorda
Bay. Spain's jealousy was at once aroused. She began a series
of efforts-weak and inadequate, it is true, but still not wholly
fruitless-to fasten her hold on Texas through the establishment of
presidios and missions, by means of which it was hoped to civilize
and Christianize the Indians and to make of them loyal Spanish
subjects. As this means alone seemed insufficient for the purpose,
Spanish families were shortly afterward sent to form pueblos and
to furnish to the natives examples of culture.' The labor and
Gammel, Laws of Texas; Sayles, Early Laws of Texas; Recopilacion de
Leyes de los Reynos de las Indias; Coleccion de los Decretos y Ordenes que
han expedido las Cortes Generales y Extraordinarias desde 24 de Setiem-
bre de 1811 hasta 24 de Mayo de 1812; White, Land Law in California,
Oregon, Texas, &c.; Almonte, Noticia Estadisticea sobre Tejas; Filisola,
Memorias para la Ristoria de la Guerra de Tejas; Schoolcraft, Indian
Tribes of the United States; the Reports of the Bureau of Ethnology, and
Annual Report of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution,
1885. The greater part, however, of the material that has been used
consists of manuscripts found in the following collections: The Bexar
Archives and the Austin Papers (both collections in the possession of the
University of Texas), the Texas Land Office records, the Nacogdoches
Archives (in the Texas State Library), the Archives of Texas (in the office
of the Secretary of State), and a few documents preserved in the office of
Harwood and Walsh, attorneys at law, Gonzales, Texas. These materials
are exceedingly fragmentary and disconnected, and it has required great
labor to shape from them a consecutive account of the colony. It is
hoped that further search in the archives of Texas and Mexico will bring
to light records that will make it possible to clear up several points that
I have not here been able fully to elucidate.
My acknowledgements are due to Messrs. Harwood and Walsh for
placing at my disposal materials in their possession; to Mr. D. S. H.
Darst of Gonzales for map 4 and for much information relative to early
Gonzales; to Mr. W. N. Lawley of Gonzales and Mr. J. W. Pritchett of
the Department of Engineering of the University of Texas for kindly
assistance in copying the maps; and to Dr. George P. Garrison, Dr.
Herbert E. Bolton, Mr. Eugene C. Barker, and Miss Lilia M. Casis, all
of the University of Texas, for many valuable suggestions and corrections.
-ETHEL ZIVLEY RATHER.
STalamantes, Historia del Descubrimiento y poblacfon de la' Provincia
de Texas hasta el afio de 1730 (MS.), ch. 3, par. 28.