The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 15, July 1911 - April, 1912 Page: 191
382 p. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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Missionaries Among the Apaches
The Apaches, he said, would not brook any such delay as had
occurred at San Xavier.1
When Dolores made his second appeal, the captives had just
been released, and Captain Urrutia, as well as Father Dolores,
was convinced that the time was propitious for founding the mis-
sion. In consequence, on December 1 the officer addressed a
formal request to the viceroy for the establishment of a mission
for the Apaches and urged that no time should be lost in carrying
out the pact that had been made with them.2
The enthusiasm of the zealous ones at San Antonio as shown
in the documents sent to the viceroy did not produce correspond-
ing emotions in the officials at Mexico City. The representations
of Dolores and Urrutia were sent to the auditor, Altamira, for his
consideration, but he gave an opinion anything but favorable to
the project. After a long discourse upon Indian affairs in Amer-
ica in general, he stated that, according to the documents that he
had received, permission was asked to found a mission and presidio
for a handful of Indians concerning whom nothing definite seemed
to be known. A presidio costing more than $20,000 a year, he
curtly observed, could not be established for every petty band of
Indians who manifested, perhaps only temporarily, a desire to
enter missions. Until a detailed statement should be given con-
cerning the supplies needed, the number of Indians available, the
priests who would be necessary, and the site selected, no action
could be taken in the matter, and he advised that Urrutia be in-
structed to that effect.8 The viceroy ordered these suggestions
transmitted to Urrutia, which was done on February 2.4
Thus, owing to the Spanish system of red tape, Father Dolores's
plan came to an end for the time being. The viceroy was later
given to understand that the Guadalupe plan had been abandoned
on account of "certain inconveniences."5 Why the matter was not
further pressed we do not know. Perhaps it was because of
another scheme proposed by Father Santa Ana-that of establish-
ing a mission on the Pedernales River.
1Escrito of Fray Mariano de los Dolores, November 29, 1749, in
"Memorias de Nueva Espafia," XXVIII, ff. 118-121.
2Urrutia to the viceroy, December 1, 1749, Ibid., ff. 123-125.
8Auditor's parecer, January 31, 1750, Ibid., ff. 125-130.
'Viceroy's decree, Ibid., f. 130.
"Auditor's parecer, February 17, 1750, Ibid., f. 134.191
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Texas State Historical Association. The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 15, July 1911 - April, 1912, periodical, 1912; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101056/m1/196/: accessed April 30, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.