already stated it will be seen how incorrect and confused are these statements of Prince. By this time Otermín had completed his examination of the autos presented by García for his defense. He thereupon declared him a free man, and absolved him from all blame for having abandoned the province without superior authority. At the same time, he ordered Francisco Xavier, Juan Lucero de Godoy, and Luis de Quintana to state to García that he was prompted to absolve him because the retreat of the Rio Abajo division had not been with evil intent, but rather had been begun at the request of all those at Isleta and with the agreement of all that they ought not to delay in setting out for Mexico, for the reasons expressed in their autos.1 When notified of the decision of the governor, García expressed his thanks for the justice and kindness shown him. With this, the last incident connected with the arrest and trial of García, which, as far as can be judged, was more or less a matter of form, was closed. The next day (September 7) the northern division reached Sorocco. There, notwithstanding the supplies Leiva had brought, Otermín clearly saw the impossibility of continuing to the pass of the Rio del Norte without additional supplies, for the route lay through a country inhabited by hostile Indians and so nearly desert that it would be impossible to secure any sustenance whatever in it. Accordingly, as the only thing left for him to do, he ordered a company of men to set out at once for El Paso, where were the wagons of provisions in charge of Ayeta, to conduct them up the river with all haste for the aid of his suffering and fatigued people, who had come that far. for the most part, on foot and with a very limited supply of food.3 Davis errs again by stating that at Alamillo "a council of war was called by Otermín, when it was decided to continue the march to Salineta there to await a supply of provisions." Taking the above-cited auto of Otermín as authority, no council of war was held at either Alamillo or Socorro. On the contrary, Otermín, at the latter pueblo, apparently in "Autto (de Otermín)," in Auttos tocantes, 29. Auto of Xavier, in Auttos tocantes, 30. "The Spanish Conquest of New Mexico, 297. dependent of suggestions from anyone,1 decided to send to the pass for aid. Moreover, La Salineta is not mentioned at all in this connection, and the error of Davis' statement that they were to proceed to that place to await provisions is evident when it is understood that La Salineta was only four leagues above El Paso,2 while Socorro was about seventy-five leagues above La Salineta.3 On the same day that Otermín decided to send this company of soldiers to meet Father Ayeta he received a letter from Father Diego de Parraga written at Fray Cristóbal, stating that the Rio Abajo people were in grave necessity, and asking that they either be supplied with provisions or else allowed to proceed on their journey in the hope of getting aid sooner. Otermín thought it strange that he should receive such a letter from Parraga, since Thome Domínguez de Mendoza had been left in command of the Rio Abajo refugees by García when the latter started north to meet the governor. At the same time his own troubles were sufficient in themselves, for by that time the people in his charge had reached the point where they were living on roasted corn. Worried at receiving such a letter under those circumstances, Otermín replied to Parraga the next day as follows: Reverend Father Preacher Fray Diego de Parraga: Today, the birthday of our lady, I received the letter which your paternity writes from Fray Cristóbal, which it seems to me is the only letter I have had from you in all the time of your government. In it you tell me that that camp contains 1,500 souls, and, because of having exhausted the supplies which were taken out with them, if they remain there longer a great ruin may be looked for. On account of this you ask that I supply them, or that I order them to proceed on their journey until near El Paco, where they can have aid. In reply let me say that Thome Domínguez de Mendoza, in whose care and disposition the camp was left, on account of the absence of the lieutenant general in coming to find and to see me, has not written me, nor sent me any message in regard to this matter [of going to El Paso] nor of the other [the condition of the Rio Abajo refugees]. In regard to the other, provided it be thus, as I am sure it is, it is a serious affair in a desert place like this, and so many leagues from the villa, that supplies should be asked of one sufficient for the sustenance of more than 'Auto of Otermín, in Auttos tocantes, 31. 1,500 persons-from a man who with 1,000 mouths [to feed], after he had seen himself in the dangers so manifest by the many conflicts with the Indians, finally had to set out, opening up the road with arms in the hand, bringing so many people in his charge on foot and barefooted, without food, not only because there was none, but because there was nothing on which to bring it. [However we trusted] in providence and his Divine Majesty has not failed to put before us a free table in the campaigns, of roasting ears, squashes, and other grains. And I passed through all this in order to bring myself nearer to give aid [to those in Isleta] where I judged I would find your paternity and others in an extremity similar to my own. After making the enemy retire with such great losses, I could well have remained at home, at least long enough to make a little matalotaxe for my journey to Isleta, which, as I said above, was the place where I judged all the people must surely remain until they should learn for a certainty whether or not the governor with all the people of the villa were dead. Finally I come here from Isleta, with entrails dragging, as they say, in order to overtake the people of this kingdom, so that, united, I might see and discuss the best method to be taken for the preservation of our lives and for the greater service of both majesties. And now that I am so near to achieving the purpose which has brought me to unite ourselves here, your paternity comes to me for permission to march on to El Paso. If your paternity wishes to go alone, do what you think best, my father, but in regard to that camp, such does not comport with the service of God and his majesty. And if today they are on the point of suffering ruin on account of failing supplies, I say [in reply] that we are suffering the same ruin here, because we have no other provisions than a little mutton and beef, and that even with these articles your camp is better supplied today. Let the maestre de campo, Pedro de Leiva, return to El Paso with all the people that he brought, and with the religious that came with him, with earnest entreaties to the Reverend Father Fray Francisco de Ayeta to aid [us] at once in our extreme necessity. I do not doubt that his reverence will do this; and when we find ourselves with that aid we will strive for what is most fitting to the service of both majesties. In the meantime I will go little by little to join that camp, in order that, being together, we may be more secure from Apache invasions, for we are in the middle of their country. May God guard your paternity many years. Place in front of Socorro, September 8, 1680. I kiss your Reverence's hand. Your servant, Don Antonio de Otermín.1 'Carta in Auttos tocantes, 31-2. REPUDIATION OF STATE DEBT IN TEXAS SINCE 1861 E. T. MILLER On January 28, 1861, at the assembling of the convention which adopted the ordinance of secession, Texas had no bonded debt. As early as January, 1860, however, the State treasury had been experiencing difficulty because of insufficient taxation and increased expenditures for frontier defence; and United States bonds were transferred from the university fund to provide the State revenue account with cash. But despite this transfer State warrants were outstanding and there was no cash to pay them. The State was not responsible for any of the funded debt of the Republic of Texas which may have been outstanding on January 28, 1861, for though the State assumed at annexation the debt of the Republic, the United States government by the acts of September 9, 1850, and February 28, 1855, provided for the payment of all of the funded debt. The first official statement of the debt incurred during the war was made in October, 1865. A. J. Hamilton was appointed provisional governor of Texas by President Johnson on January 17, 1865, and ex-Governor Pease and Swante Palm were appointed by the provisional governor to report on the finances of the State since secession. Their report was made under date of October 30, 1865. The following analysis of the debt is based on their report and on the State statutes: Item I. 8 per cent State Bonds. Authorized by the vide for the funding of the debt contracted for the $ 16,000.00 1Executive Record, No. 281, Archives of the State Department of Texas. The report is abridged and printed as an appendix to the House Journal, 1866. 'General Laws, 8th Leg., Extra Session, Chap. 28; repealing Act of January 11, 1862. General Laws, 9th Leg., Chap. 63. Item II. 8 per cent State Bonds. Authorized by the Act of April 8, 1861, entitled "An Act authorizing a loan and imposing a specific tax to meet the principal and interest thereof”1.. .$ 899,000.00* Item III. 7 per cent State Bonds. Authorized by the Act of December 10, 1863, entitled "An Act to raise two millions of dollars, or so much thereof as may be necessary, by the sale of cotton bonds, to provide for the defence of the State and to repel invasion, and for the purchase of machinery for manufacturing purposes"3. Item IV. Treasury Warrants. These were of two classes, 10 per cent interest warrants and noninterest warrants. The interest-bearing warrants were authorized by the Act of February 14, 1860.* The amount of 10 per cent interest warrants outstanding, including interest, was given to be about Non-interest-bearing warrants were authorized by the Act of January 10, 1862.5 The amount of non-interest warrants outstanding was given to be..... 211,130.83 180,000.00 1,888,997.90 Item V. Due soldiers and for supplies. Amount estimated at .... 3,150,000.00 Item VI. Due on account of the Republic of Texas. 110,613.23 'General Laws, 8th Leg., Extra Session, Chap. 51; amendatory Act of January 11, 1862. General Laws, 9th Leg., Regular Session, Chap. 56; Act of January 13, 1862. General Laws, 9th Leg., Regular Session, Chap. 54, Act of March 3, 1863. General Laws, 9th Leg., Extra Session, Chap. 10. "There were $917,000 of these bonds issued, but $17,000 were unused and $1000.00 mutilated, leaving net amount $899,000. General Laws, 10th Leg., Chap. 15; supplementary Act of December 16, 1863, Chap. 44. *General Laws, 8th Leg., Chap. 82. Repealed by Act of January 10, 1862. General Laws, 9th Leg., Chap. 40. See also the funding Act of March 20, 1861. General Laws, 8th Leg., Extra Session, Chap. 28, and the Act of January 11, 1862. General Laws, 9th Leg., Chap. 63. General Laws, 9th Leg., Chap. 40. The Act of January 13, 1862, General Laws, 9th Leg., Chap. 54, authorized funding in 8 per cent loan bonds. See also Act of May 28, 1864, General Laws, 10th Leg., Called Session, Chap. 19. |