Political

Includes 'diligencias' concerning 'remate' of goods from Santo Toribio de Lievana mission, sworn statment that only best bids accepted, names of 'postores,' amount of 'posturas,' items bought; statement by Sierragorda that copies of original document accurate, that money from auction in his possession; official 'Cuenta' of money received; 'diligencia' concerning 'remate' of goods from San Juan Nepomuceno de Helguera mission, money used to purchase supplies (corn, rice) for new Helguera mission. (L. Kerr, December 1988)

Correspondence spanning several years concerning establishment of new mission for mistreated Pinto Indians, entailing selection of 'ministro,' lengthy discussion of costs, problems involved; cost of 'ministro'S' transportation to Palmitos covered by government, he and other fray express need for generous financial assistance to establish mission, Argue that hungry Indians not receptive to religious education, also request 'vasos sagrados y ornamentos'; discussion of need for sacred objects continues throughout correspondence, speculation that objects from previous mission still at Helguera, 'ministro' permitted to remain at colegio Apostolico until matter solved; action stymied for year or so until found that sacred objects no longer at Helguera, purchase of new objects ordered, Pintos move to mission and substitute 'ministro' assigned, governor requests that Pintos receive supplies of corn, rice, several Head of cattle, etc., in order to establish and sustain themselves until harvest; list of 'utensilios de Campo' (folio 97), itemized list, including costs, of 'utensilios' and sacred objects (folios 100-101); drought in region (1795) threatening crops planted by Indians, request by governor for additional cattle, staples to sustain Pintos till harvest. (L. Kerr, December 1988)

Correspondence concerning establishment of new mission at Palmitos for Pintos of San Fernando; Indians arrive in capital to express desire to 'mudar de Sitio' and live alone without interference from Spanish or 'castas', plea rejected; explanation of Pintos' present means of 'mantencion,' based on fishing and salt harvest, no religious education available so Indians left to 'vaguear', 'reduccion' to Helguera will improve situation; 'reduccion' ordered by fiscal and virrey; correspondence with 'colegio Apostolico' regarding selection and salary of minister for Helguera, including requests for past information concerning mission, description (per fiscal's request) of ways in which 'religiosos' serve at assigned missions in province. (L. Kerr, December 1988)

Instancia in which procurador de indios attempts to secure return of goods stolen from Pintos by captain Serna (muebles, 9 Mulas aporadas, 4 manadas de Yeguas, 3 burros maestros, Una porcion de Ganado cabrio y obejuno); governor's order to compensate Indians ignored by Serna; fiscal de lo civil orders expediente containing instancias to be archived for future reference in such Cases. (L. Kerr, December 1988)

First several folios contain vague memos regarding expedientes included in volume; instancia of Pinto Indians that protector Serna destroyed mission, deprived them of missionary, cattle, food, other goods; Indians' argument verified, Serna required to compensate losses. (L. Kerr, December 1988)

Letter written by Velasco citing reasons why Bonavia should follow orders of virrey; sgarzurieta mentioning the involvement of the auditor and the Assessor general in the matter between Bonavia and virrey. Assessor and the comandante general are still resolved to continue their independence, Assessor original sent by virrey to bring Bonavia back into the control of the viceroyalty but instead he has allowed Bonavia to proffer weak excuses for not following orders of virrey; letter from virrey warning the comander general that if he does not comply with his orders he will be forced to use the powers available to him to force compliance. (O. Velez, October 1989)

Index of documents appearing in this Series; index of official letters that were issued by virrey de Nueva Espana to the intendente Interino which were not answered nor circulated as military and hacienda heads to take charge of goods of recently deceased, the naming of Gonzalez Carbajal to the secretario de Estado, orders giving Gonzalez Carbajal power of media firma and powers of exemption in matters pertaining to general treasury, orders to recover quicksilver leaving port of Veracruz and obligate those owners to sell it to the hazienda publica o to the miners, request for employment information in the province, that ecclesiastical benefits to institutions that are actually vacant as well as interest paid to chaplaincies that ar likewise vacant be paid to the ministers of the treasury instead Bonavia ordering intendente Interino of Durango not to follow orders emitted by virrey until an investigation has been conducted as to the effect of these measures on comandancia general; letter from Espejo to Calleja attributing the delay in fulfillment of his orders to Bonavia's actions as mentioned above; Bonavia had communicated similar orders to fiscal Sagarzurieta; fiscal asking Calleja to take unidentified action against the insubordination of Bonavia; letters communicating these sentiments to Bonavia; letter from Bonavia to Calleja on subject of establishment of ayuntamientos; Bonavia responds to virrey about plan to have sub-inspector general remedy abuses that officiales commit with use of temporary exemptions by stating that in his garrison none of the cited abuses are taking place and therefore the circulation of this information is deemed unnecessary. (O. Velez, October 1989)

Concerns establishment of a mint that was desperately needed and near demise of this project because of a lack of silver, this was reason for the order stating that one third of all metals had to be turned in in exchange for coinage mentioned earlier in Vol. 227 ff. 0147-0159; said order was contested by a Series of institutions, reconvening of the junta de la real hacienda to investigate 4,000 Marcos de Plata missing from the treasury, prohibitions on enacting above were rescinded, also need regulation concerning minting of coinage in Nueva Vizcaya; Bonavia's plan to have the real hacienda sell tobacco at a markup have not produced the income he had expected, cites the epidemic of previous year, price, and black market in cigars as factors in low sales, convenes a junta provisional to discuss revenue producing measures, proposed instituting a 'patriotic loan' to be exacted from unidentified sources, paid for with taxes on mining activities (which include the one third provision mentioned earlier), Bonavia stresses the inability of the settlers of the area to provide any more revenue from contributions; letters mentioned in miscellaneous notes discuss in general terms revenue and costs in Provincias Internas de Occidente; letter from junta Superior requesting documents from the junta provisional convene by Bonavia, comments on mint establishment states that metals involved were to be remitted to the capital and that metals to be contributed to mint more than cover the shortage of revenue discussed, letter includes an excerpt from another letter that points to the exceedingly large troop strength as a cost that can be reduced, mentions the taxes imposed on some mining functions (mentioned earlier in Vol. 227 ff. 147-159) whose effects have been a duplication of taxes because Mexico City similarly taxes same items, mentions returning money collected in Durango, mentions a tax imposed on the shipment of livestock into other provinces imposed by Bonavia as being an unauthorized measure and letter recommends that virrey rescind said tax, letter mentions that fiscal's interpretation of patriotic loan is that he does not See the benefit of such measure given the way it will be paid back. (O. Velez, September 1989)

Due to illness the regimiento de Extremadura is left without a leader as well as the Provincia de Texas being without a governor. Lopez was sent to Texas to take over military and political functions, receives notice later to leave his post as governor of Texas feels his reputation injured but stays on. Arredondo had troops of area moved to Monclova despite the fact that rebels were expected to arrive by ship, action was taken because Lopez had intimated that he would not mobilize troops in the face of rebel attack, also is accused of impeding shipment of goods to troops, Lopez also given order to retire all captains who were not properly equipped to their homes and that they should not be receiving salaries because without the necessary arms and horses they were useless as soldiers. Lopez did not comply; barely legible letter by bacallo saying that Lopez is justifiably upset over being removed from post; mentions the effects of the scarcity of tobacco mentioned earlier, Echandia proposed as new Head of the Provincia de Texas, advisor suggests that the military conflict that would ensue the dismissal of Lopez and the replacement by Echandia is not worth it, Lopez was an interim governor because of illness of the governor and teniente Coronel, he however was not aware of this and therein lies the problem; final decision being that Lopez should reintegrate himself back into the regimiento de Extremadura. (O. Velez, September 1989)