Religious Corruption

Jesuit defense against charges by presidial captains that they accumulated great Sotres grain/livestock, engaged in lucrative trade, built palaces, lived in luxury. Jesuit attack on presidial captains for abusing Indian labor, cheating own soldiers, failing to perform military duties, showing disrespect for missionaries/religion. High praise for captains Hurdaide, Borgansa Quesada. Condemnation present captain. Account civil/religious conflict Sinaloa-Sonora. Brief description agriculture, barter/exchange rates, Jesuit livestock industry, Jesuit commerce with Parral, wild food gathering (acorns, chestnuts, Quelites), Mescal making, mission architecture, settlement patterns, Indian depopulation at hands of Spaniards, Indian migration to mines/ranches outside province. Defense corporal punishment Indians. Religious/economic reasons for reduction program. Description Jesuit generosity to Indians/Spaniards during famines. Reasons why Indians should support missionaries without monetary payment. Description sad state presidial forces-untrained, cheated by captains. Abuses Sinaloa judicial system. (T. Sheridan) (1976)

Tells of the practice of the missionaries on the peninsula (California), where ^the few grains and fruits that the missions produce^ are sold for gold and silver at the expense of the already poorly fed and clothed Indians employed by them, deploring such action. (C. Briggs) (1975)

Investigation of the reasons Tacuitatome, Alias Chisos Indians fled Pueblo of San Francisco de Conchos and escaped into Sierra. Charges and countercharges leveled by civil, religious authorities against each other; Franciscans accused of working the Indians without pay, charging them obenciones for burials, baptisms; justicia mayor Araoz accused of seizing Indian land, water and forcing them to work on his hacienda; Suma Indian who escaped from Collera bound for Mexico City accused of inciting Conchos Indians to flee. Includes formal interrogation of numerous witnesses. (T. Sheridan) (1977)

Bishop of Nueva Viscaya, Diego de Heria Valdez, accused of mis-appropriating fines collected by the church. As it turns out, he is cleared. (T. Barnes) (1975)

A group of Pimas from the Picuis mountains were pursued by soldiers from Santa Ana (Sinaloa); three Pimas were killed; they arrived at San Lorenzo; killed an Indian (mactovit). Also the Subaypuris of Santa Maria Suamca request that padre Joseph Keller remain at that mision. Rumors of excesses on the part of the Jesuits are found to be false. (R. Perez) (1976)

Lengthy document by Garrido y Duran informing Revilla Gigedo on the causa de policia,judicial, economic, and military conditions of Sonora and Sinaloa up to 1790. On judicial Side, it is mentioned that province consists of 11 jurisdictions headed by a jefe de tribunal with the power to appoint local town officials; these officials operate without salary due to lack of funds caused by Apache depredations and poor harvests. Mention that in the recent past Indians were forced to work in mines, haciendas, and Ranchos, and that they were exploited and did not have time to cultivate their own land; now he has prohibited this, and that Indians will work on a voluntary Basis. Discussion that community wealth is administrated by the missionaries, and that they often are more concerned for their own interests allowing community conditions to deteriorate. It is also mentioned a lack of prisons. With respect to causa de policia, it is mentioned that Apache attacks have frightened the population and have prevented increases in commerce, mining, agriculture, and animal husbandry. Mention of lack of civil and administrative office in many towns; there is lack of hospitals, casas de Obraje, schools, and public meat and seeds stores. Mention that people are divided in two groups, one consisting of good people involved in commerce, mining, and agriculture; the other consisting of house servants and Manual laborers, who are drunkards and have other vices. Economics- list of different tax collection offices. Mention of the different partidos as well as the people holding these offices and amount of money payed for such offices. In order to attract more merchants to frontier, no tax is Charged on their goods. With respect to military affairs, it is mentioned that enemy Indians live in dispersed hamlets, lack supreme chief, and operate separately; Indians described as thieves. Mention of 6 military groups of soldiers, and 3 of Indian auxiliaries; short discussion of soldier's living conditions in presidios, as well as expenses involved for maintenance of troops. (J. Tapia, January, 1988)

Index and extractions from expedientes containing abundant administrative, military, and religious information about provinces Coahuila, Nuevo Leon, and Nuevo Santander. (legajo 16, quaderno 2, 1756.) Indexed information includes civil matters involving Sesma and election of officials; autos formed against Rabago; prosecution of Castilla and moral; election of Bustillo to teniente and his rejection of position; naming of Nieto as replacement for Bustillo; Sesma named governor of Coahuila; arrest of Esquivel; excesses of religious men in five missions of Villa of San Fernando; autos regarding excesses of missionaries at Balero and Concepcion; French and blacks; missionaries; maltreatment of Apaches. Election of of mining deputies; establishment of Wall to contain hostile enemies; state of mines in Norotal; establishment of missions Reyno de Leon; movements by French in Luisiana to establish commerce near New Mexico; extortions of missionary Hernandez. (hiller, July 1989)

Martinez Caballero request funds withheld by the bishop of Sonora and owed him for work at the Bacadeguachi mission; Ugarte y Loyola writes Nunez de Haro y Peralta regarding report on Martinez C.'s sinodos, complaints by Indians of Martinez C. And therefore does not wish to grant Martinez C.'s request. 1208 pesos confiscated from Martinez C. To be used for Bacadehuachi mission improvements. (L. L. Woodward, August 1989)

Autos describing excandon's visit to five Sierra Gorda missions. Dismissal of missionary Cabeza de Baca for negligence of responsibilites, also discussion of need to rebuild mission structures, inventory of mission furnishings especially images of saints and religious paraphernalia, measurement of mission lands, list of Mecos Pames of Xalpa mission ff 97-100, including number of Christian converts. Auto regarding election of Alcaldes and other officials attended by Mecos Pames officials. Saldivar reports that in all missions the children and adults go to Christian doctrine classes and provide details on attendance. (L. L. Woodward, September 1989)

Copy of a letter from the king to the virrey ordering the Franciscan order to obey the statutes given in the preceding folios dated may 20, 1782, and the copy is dated December 15, 1787. Fiscal Oliva suggests virrey deny Boix permission on the Basis of the king's letter. Virrey grants permission to Boix but his punishment is to become a religious penitent. The virrey sends a letter to each of the colegios reminding them of the Ten year commitment and that those who seek to leave before then must become religious penitents. The virrey asks for information on Boix' departure from Veracruz and when he will arrive in Spain. (D. Bautista, June 1990)