The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 79, July 1975 - April, 1976 Page: 169
528 p. : ill. (some col.), maps, ports. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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New Mexico in Mid-Eighteenth Century
each governed by an alcalde mayor who was appointed by the governor and
served without salary. Their duties included heading militia units during
campaigns against hostile Indians, aiding the missionaries, and overseeing
the "tranquility" of the loyal Pueblo Indians.9
One of the final points stressed in this governor's report is the importance
of New Mexico as a defense outpost for the more southerly provinces of
Sonora and Nueva Viscaya.o0 As such it kept many of the nomadic, hostile
Indians in check and prevented their forays against the rich agricultural
and mining establishments of those provinces.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PROVINCE AND TERRITORY
OF NEW MEXICO IN THE KINGDOM OF NEW SPAIN
The territory and province of New Mexico is seven hundred leagues
north of the capital of Mexico." Its capital, Santa Fe, at a latitude of
forty degrees,12 with a garrison of eighty cavalry soldiers, and its settle-
ments are the most distant and remote of all the provinces of New Spain.
It is completely exposed to attacks by all the barbarous tribes that surround
the province and territory in all directions. On the north is the numerous
tribe of the Comanches; to the east, the Carlana and Natag6 Apaches; on
the south, the Faraones" and Sumas; on the west and southwest, the Gilas,
Mescaleros, and closer to our towns, the Navaho country, inhabited by
peaceful barbarians; on the northwest, the Utes, Chaguaguas, Moaches,
and Paiutes, all four allies. [These tribes] form a considerable body of
people to attack the others [Pueblo Indians and Spaniards]. This terri-
tory can never be succored or aided by the rest of New Spain because of
the great distance.
the governor-Franciscan dispute, see Henry W. Kelly, Franciscan Missions of New
Mexico, 1740-76o0, Historical Society of New Mexico, Publications in History, X (April,
1941), 57-65.
"Names of the alcaldes mayores in 1754 are given in "Copy of the Instructions,"
Thomas (ed. and trans.), The Plains Indians, 140-141. Their duties are described in
Simmons, Spanish Government, 159-192.
1oFollowing independence from Spain, the former province of Nueva Vizcaya, com-
prising about 95,ooo square miles, was divided into the Mexican states of Durango,
Chihuahua, and part of Coahuila. During most of the colonial period the capital city
was Durango. For data on the area see Florence C. Lister and Robert H. Lister, Chi-
huahua: Storehouse of Storms (Albuquerque, 1966).
"In Mexico a league was reckoned as 2.6 miles. The total distance from Mexico City
to Santa Fe of I,8oo miles was only about 200 miles longer than today's highway mileage
12Santa Fe is actually located at 35.4 degrees north latitude.
13This Apache tribe was called "Pharoahs" because of their cruelty. See Kelly, Fran,
ciscan Missions, 33.169
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 79, July 1975 - April, 1976, periodical, 1975/1976; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101203/m1/201/: accessed April 28, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.