Labor Force (Missions)

Chihuahua/namiquipa. April 30, 1791 - June 7, 1791. 12p. Approx Relaciones/diarios de comision. Originals/ copies.

San Juan Xavier de cerocahui, Mexico, cosiguriachy. February 24, 1791 - May 11, 1791. 18pp. Approximate letters, diarios de comision. Originals, copies. Disputing accuracy of reports filed by laso and rascon on conditions of indians and testimony of larusa which contradicts the favorable conditions presented by the former; mentions the misionarios apostolicos de Guadalupanos as properly abiding by standards for indian treatment set down by government; letter written to rouset de Jesus mentioning irregularities found in missions and general theme being that treatment of indians as witnessed by Borica leaves much to be desired; efforts made by Borica to alleviate sufferings of indians, gives example of correcting situation in which they are used to transport the correspondence of judges over long distances without proper supply of food or without pay, mentions Estrada as person with whom he had most opposition on this matter; travel diary from 3-29-1791 thru 4-1-1791, visits pueblo of Bernabe where he freed indians from servitude to priest and took action on their complaint of being forced to drain mines-made this Voluntary, prohibits the practice of outsiders cutting firewood from their mountains without compensation, padre doctrinero of Santa Rosalia seeking to llebar ovenciones to the indians since the time that Borica prohibited forced servitude of indians Borica responds that he does not have authority to grant request, authorities concede that indian labor is vital for the operation of the mines notes the benevolent service of laso de la bega towards indians. (O. Velez, March 1989)

Mexico, Acosta (hacienda). December 27, 1790 - February 2, 1791. 26pp. Approximate. Letters, diarios de comision. Originals. Borica started on November 23, 1790, resumption of visita after cease of indian attacks; leaves 40 men to protect the frontier area; indian theft of cattle from hacienda yndee and rancho ramos, plans to decrease troop strength in tercera compania once indians abandon unspecified area and send those troops to corral de piedra detachment; Borica forming his detachment by pulling troops from companys in area; virrey acknowledges letter sent by Borica announcing the commencement visita. Diary 0f 12-04-1790 thru 12-18-1790. Widow, indian and his family of four approach Borica seeking to be resettled in their original town tizono, had comandante del pilar station 30 men on cienega to protect against indians, stops at canada de san Joseph due to strong snowfall, has subdelegado of the cienega de los olivos transferred to guejonita for purpose of conducting visitas in those jurisdictions, comes across navogame who tells him of indians who had fled missions ostensibly to receive baptism in guerachi, tecorichi, or Nabogame missions, followed them into the barranca de zapa and chase was ended when rainfall made it impossible to continue; soldier dies of unspecified illness during visita; majority of families of baquiriachy involved in agricultural activities; diario of visitas from 12-19-1790 thru 01-04-1791, greater part of population of pueblo of guazarache found in the surrounding valleys looking for corn not produced on their own lands, news of horse theft by indians at tasgera and munquisa 2 parties of 20 men sent after them search terminated at Santa Rosalia, forbids certain missions to continue working indians until paid back salaries; while in Tepehuanes and taraumara made Arechevala and zapiain generals, made Tapia and cruz teniente general; teniente generals given copies of orders prohibiting employment of indians without pay and limiting those persons able to order punishment of indians to juezes reales and justiciales de pueblos, authorizes trevino to conduct search for escaped indians from missions in jurisdiction of oro, guanaceui, and Santiago; letter from sotelo describing capture of indians who had attacked and stolen livestock with aid of Monclova, grado, and Cordero; continues visita through Santa Anna comments on distressed condition of agricultural productivity; named dia teniente general, mentions briefly hardships faced by indians of san lorenzo because of the priest of this area; obliges priest to employ a cook for indians working for him, pay indians for work, supply them with oxen, supply them with food, escorts, and blankets for trips made by indians to Chihuahua in order to transport goods. (O. Velez, March 1989)

Mexico, estancia de rio florido, Chihuahua. February 16, 1791 - September 18, 1792. 30pp. Approximate. Letters. Originals, copies. Being abstacted here; submittal of the diario de comision and quaderno by Borica; resumption of visita throughout Nueva Vizcaya by Borica in accordance with orders received by Revilla gigedo despite the deterioration of the horses with one of the primary purposes of checking the abuse of indians within the mission system; diario de comision written for visita mentioned above; suspension of Borica's visita due to the rainy season in the remaining jurisdictions to be inspected, decision made to wait so that a proper inspection can be made, delaying the submittal of the recommendations made for the jurisdictions already inspected until entire visita conducted, no incidences of fugitive missions in areas visited so far, problems have emerged on use of indians by jueces and misioneros without remuneration and also in the administration of justice system; Borica fulfilling the duties of ayudante inspector in the villa where he is located until the rainy season passes; content of Borica's visits which include information on Spanish and indian populations, haciendas and ranches, pardon of 4 prisoners sentenced to death, 6 thieves, aprehension of various delinquents and fugitive indians from the missions and their rehabilitation, population figures for indians and comments on their activities and unjust use of their labour in agriculture performed for others, remedied this last situation, prohibited the continuation of having indians punished by judges and stimulatd them to respect ministers and apply themselves to the christian religion, inspected archives of the ruling bodies of the 24 jurisdictions for their improvement and coordination, in each pueblo a file established during visita noting number of indians in each, local circumstances, language spoken, character, property owned collectively and individually, pressures they felt and what Borica did to alleviate these, the fact that other measures still need to be implemented, advises haste on the latter, nava seeks virrey's guidance on measures still to be implemented; sealed letter from virrey conde de Revilla gigedo to the fiscal de lo civil summarizing the activities and correspondence associated with Borica's visita as has been done above; acknowledgement made by virrey of correspondence from nava on subject of Borica's visits. (O. Velez, March 1989)

Nuevo Santander. July 22, 1777-February 13, 1793. 18p. Letters, informes, peticiones. Originals, signed.