The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 23, July 1919 - April, 1920 Page: 66
319 p. : maps ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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The Southwestern Historical Quarterly
year of 1813 to the present time of maintaining in the province
a strong garrison of troops useless for performing the active serv-
ices of their calling which the circumstances of the day demand,
has been only a certain means of consummating the ruin of its
inhabitants; for the soldier, finding himself unmounted, un-
clothed, and without supplies-what service can be perform and
how can he exist with only two almudes of corn which he receives
every fortnight, unless, in order to maintain himself, he lays
hands upon some one's cow which he kills in the fields, now upon
things which he steals from the corn fields, or now, by other ex-
cesses, such as necessity forces him to commit, as is frequently
seen practiced upon the public who suffer these damages. This
will be remedied by furnishing the soldier with sufficient and
suitable rations or by arranging for him to retire to his own
province in spite of the urgent need there is for them in this prov-
ince and of the good which might result from their service, were
they in the condition required for performing them instead of
being forced to maintain themselves or live at the expense of the
citizens.
13th. The Province of Texas is more than 500 leagues distant
from the porrt of Vera Cruz-the first and foremost port of this
America--something more than 300 leagues from the port of Alta-
mira, eighty from the most advanced settlements of Coahuila and
the Colony [of Nueva Santander] and 150 or 200 leagues from
the villa of Saltillo and the city of Monterey; and there is in
circulation in it no other money than the small salary which the
troops receive some months. As a result of this, the goods and
supplies which its inhabitants receive from such remote distances
are held at excessively increased and exorbitant prices and with
the stern necessity of paying for them in cash if some merchant
does not graciously supply them in exchange for grain at a price
which best suits him; for, if he pays 20 reales per fanega he,
thereupon, resells it at from four to six pesos to the same person
from whom he bought it if he cannot turn it over all at once in
payment of the troops at the same or at greater profits. This is
as injurious to the soldier as to the civilian; because, if they had
money or if [the authorities] would observe some rule in supply-
ing grain to the troops, they would be assured of their support with
greater ease, and the laborers would be benefited and would de-
vote themselves to their work with greater pleasure.
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 23, July 1919 - April, 1920, periodical, 1920; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101075/m1/72/: accessed April 23, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.