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Transcript of Don Angel de Martos y Navarrete, Lieutenant Colonel of · Don Angel de Martos y Navarrete,...
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I
Don Angel de Martos y Navarrete, Lieutenant Colonel of
the Royal Armies, Governor and Captain General of this pro-
vince of Texas, New Philippines, its presidios, conversions
and frontiers; with the military command of Pensacola and
Coahuila and the support of the Kingdom of Nuevo Leon by His
Majesty (May God protect him).
I have found in the Archives of this villa a letter
from His Most Excellent Lordship the Viceroy of New Spain,
the Marques de Cruillas, written to the Municipal Corporation
of this Villa as follows: "In reference to your case I have
before me Your Grace's letter of August twenty-six in which
you particularly commend the merits of Colonel Don Diego Ortiz
Parrilla whose work with the Missionary ministers is alleged
to have brought about the conversion of many of the infidels
of that locality. May God Keep Your Graces many years. Mexico,
first of November of one thousand seven hundred and sixty years.
The Marques de Cruillas to the Municipal Corporation of the
villa of San Fernando."
It has also come to my notice that in the year sixty
[17603 the Chief Justice, Alcaldes and councilmen of the said
Villa of San Fernando as one man issued some blank signatures
which are said to have been forwarded to Mexico City and which
may eventually rebound to the detriment of one and all.
0In view of the above fact, I have summoned Lieutenant
Don Juan Galban who was commandant and Chief Justice at the
time that the said provisions were made and asked him if it
were true that such signatures had been issued. He answered
in the affirmative and said that the same had been.issued by
the Alcaldes and Councilmen of the said villa. I asked him
to make certifications to this effect and when he had done so
it was my duty and order to summon Martin Lorenzo, who was
first ranking alcalde; Don Marcos de Castro, who was second
ranking alcalde; and the following who were councilmen atlv
the time: Don Joseph Padrbn, Don //Alberto Lopez, Don Juan
Manuel Ruiz, Don Ygnaclo Lorenzo and Don Juan Granados, in
order that each one of them might consider this matter and
testify under oath as to whether the signatures in question
had or had not been made; to whom and for what purpose they
had been issued; and how long a time had elapsed since any
Indians had been added to these missions.
I so provided ordered and.signed on the nineteenth day
of the month of August of one thousand seven hundred and
sixty-two; and it was done before me as Juez asesor in the
presence of attesting witnesses because there was no notary
public present and in the present common paper because
there was none hereabouts with stamps as provided by law.
I so certify.
3
Don Angel de Martos y Navarrete
Attesting: Francisco Antonio Solis
Attesting: Domingo Garcia
Commitment of Don Juan Galban, Lieutenant of the Royal Pre-
sidio of San Luis de las Amarillas, of.the River San Saba,
etc.
I hereby certify in legal form and declare it to be true
that I signed a blank document at the request of Don
Raphael Martinez Pacheco, cashier of Colonel Don Diego
Ortiz Parrilla. I did this on the promise that great
benefits would result for this Villa, of which promise
no results have accrued to date. If this signature re-
bounds to the detriment of this Royal Presidio, His Lord-
ship the Governor, this Province or the inhabitants there-
of.:I hereby declare it null and void and decry the sub-
stance of the letter which His Lord.ship the Governor has
received from His Most Excellent Lordship the Marques de
Cruillas. In reference to its contents I must say that
no Indians have.congregated in the missions on the margin
0of this River sI ince the soldiers were removed from the
Presidio; that their numbers, on the contrary, have been
diminishing daily because of the lack of troops to bring
them in. In witness whereof I give these presents on the
nineteenth day of the month of August of the year one thou-
sand seven hundred and sixty-two.
Ju.an Galban
In the Vi11a of San Fernando de Bejar on the twenty-first
day of the month of August of one thousand seven hundred
and sixty-two, I, the aforenamed Governor and Captain
General, in line with the foregoing warrants by me issued,2
summoned //into my court Bon Martin Lorenzo who was the
first ranking alcalde in the year seventeen sixty: I
acko.owledged from his person (which I certify to know)
the oath which he swore by God Our Lord and a sign of the
Holy Cross. Under this oath he promised to tell the truth
about what he knew or might be asked and to give careful
regards to the attestations of Don Juan Galban. He de-
clared that notwithstanding the fact that he was alcalde
at that time he had not issued such a signature to anyone
and had moreover never been solicited for such; that since
half of the company had been withdrawn no Indians had been
brought in to congregate-in the missions. This he gave as
his reply under the oath and reaffirmed and ratified it as
many times as the law demands. He said he was fifty-one
years old and affixed his signature.with mine and those
of the attesting witnesses with whom I act according to
law. I so certify.
Don Angel de Martos y Navarrete
Martin Lorenzo
Attesting Witness: Francisco Antonio de Solis
Attesting Witness: Domingo.Garcia
In immediate continuation of these proceedings I the afore-
named Governor summoned Don Marcos de Castro who was se-
cond ranking alcalde at that time and acknowledged from
his person (which I certify to know) the oath which he
swore by God Our Lord and a sign of the Holy Cross as,pro-
vided by Law. On this oath he promised to tell the
truth of what he knew or might be asked and to give care-
ful regards to the attestations of Senor Juan Galban. He
declared it to be true that he had given his signature
at the request of Don Alberto Lopes who was then a council-
man. The declarant had made inquiries as to the purpose
s
of the required signatures stating that he would not
sign for anything detrimental. Lopes had replied that the
object was to enable His Most Excellent Lordship the
Viceroy to reinstate the troops.that had been withdrawn
from the Presidio to the great resultant damage to the2v
cattle of this Jurisdiction //due to Apache raids. He
had given his signature for that purpose only and
would nullify it for any other object. He declared
that since the troops had been removed no Indians had
congregated at missions because of lack of forces to
bring them in; and that his declaration was true by
the oath he had sworn. When it was read he reaffirmed
and ratified it as rriany times as the law required. He
said he was thirty-one years old and affixed his signature
with ours, the aforenamed Governor and witnesses. I so
certify.
Don Angel de Martos y Navarrete
Marcos de Castro
Attesting witness: Fra.ncisco Antonio Solis
Attesting witness: Domingo Garcia
0On the same day, month, and year as the abov'e, I, the same
Governor, summoned Don Alberto Lopes who was a councilman
at that certain time and acknowledged from his person (which
I certify to know) the oath which he swore by God Our Lord
and the sign of the Holy Cross by which he promised to tell
the truth of anything he might know when interrogated and
that he would use discretion in guarding my provisions and
the attestations of Don Juan Galban. He declared it to be
true that he had given his signature and that he had been
solicited by Don Francisco de Arocha.with the purpose of
arranging for the reinstatement of`Don Diego Ortiz-Parrilla,
on the pretext that the latter might be able to achieve the
return of the troops to the Presidio. He knows of no more
than three or four Apaches who had congregated at his mission
since the troops were withdrawn but none at the other mis-
sions. The Indians were, on the contrary, decreasing in
numbers because there were no forces to bring back those
that were deserting. He declared this to be what he knows.3
//When his declaration was read to him word for word he re-
affirmed and ratified it as many times as the law required.
He said he was more or less fifty-eight years of age and
signed with us, the aforenamed Governor and attestators. I
so certify.
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0
Don Angel de Martos y Navarrete
Alberto Lopes
Attesting Witness: Francisco Antonio
Attesting Witness: Domingo Garcia
In prompt continuation of these judicial proceedings, I,
the aforenamed Governor, summoned to my court Don Juan
Manuel Ruiz who had been a councilman at that time and from
his person (which I certify to know) acknowledged the oath
which he swore by God Our Lord and a sign of the Holy Cross
by which he promised to tell the truth about what he might
know or might be asked in reference to my provisions and the
attestations of Don Juan Galban. He declared it to be true
that he had supplied the expressed signature to Don Alberto
Lopes anticipating the well being of his Villa and Presidio
and that for any other object he would declare it null and
void. He does not know of any Indians that have congregated
in the missions on the margins of the Riv'er since the troops
had been withdrawn. He does know on the contrary that their
numbers are diminishing because many are deserting and without
the troops they cannot be urged to return. He declared this
to be the truth by the oath he had sworn and when his decla-
ration was read word for word he affirmed and ratified it
as many times as required by law. He said he was thirty-three
years old and signed with me, the aforenamed Governor.
3vDon Angel de Martos y //Navarrete
Juan Manuel Buis
Attesting Witness: Francisco Antonio Ruis z
Attesting Witness: Domingo Garcia
In the same villa on that same day, month, and year as
above, I summoned Don Juan Granados who had been a Counci1-
man in past days and from his person (which I certify to
know) acknowledged the oath which he swore according to
law by which.he promised to.tell the truth about what he
knew or might be asked. In reference to the subject of
these proceedings and the cumulative attestations of Don
Juan Galban he declared that although he had been council-
man he had been absent at the time in question and for that
reason had not g;iven.his signature; that he had heard say that
the rest of the cabildo had signed; that since the troops had
been withdrawn no India.ns^came to congregate at the missions
on the margins of the river for which reason they remained
deserted since there was no one to go after the deserters;
that this is what he knows by the oath he swore. When his
declaration was read he ratified it as many times as the iaw-'
10
required. He said he was thirty-one years old more or less
and signed with me, the aforenamed Governor and my attestators.
I so certify.
Don Angel de Martos y Navarrete
Juan Granados
Attesting Witness: Francisco Antonio Solis
Attesting Witness: Domingo Garcia
In continuation of the above legal proceedings I, the Gov'er-
nor, in that same Villa and in the same day, month, and year
did summon Don.Y. Lorenzo who had been a councilman in the
year seventeen hundred and sixty and received from his per-
son (which I certify to know) an oath which he swore in cus-
tomary legal form. He promised thereby to tell the-truth
concerning that which he might know or might be asked in
reference to the object of these procedures and the attes-
tations of Don Juan Galvan. He d1+eclared that although he had
been a councilman during that //time he never found out why
they had not requested his signature along with the others.
The fact that he was always travelling might indicate why
those who solicited the signatures had missed him. It was
only since my arrival there that he had any knowledge of such
1 1.
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signatures having been issued. In reference to the with-
drawal of the troops he does not know of any Indians who
have congregated at the missions on the banks of the river
since then; that they are, on the contrary, vanishing because
in the absence of trooPs'there are none to seek out and bring.
back those that desert. This he did declare to be the truth
by the oath he swore and when his declaration was read to him
he reaff'irmed and ratified it as many times as the law requires.
He said he was fifty-two years old and signed with me, the above-
named Governor, and with my attesting Witnesses. I so certify.
Don Angel de Martos y Navarrete
Attesting Witness: Francisco Antonio Solis
Attesting Witness: Domingo Garcia
In the Villa of San Fernando de Bejar on the twenty-fifth
day of the month of August of the year one thousand seventwo
hundred and sixty-I, the aforementioned Governor and Captain
General summoned Don Joseph Padr6n who had been a councilman
in the days in question and from his person (which I certify
to know) received the oath which he swore by God Our Lord and
a sign of the Holy Cross by which he promised to tell the
truth concerning what he might know or might -be asked in
12
connection with the subject proceedings and the attestations
of Don Juan Galva.n. He declared that he had not given his
signature for the object stated but that when Colonel Don
Diego Ortiz Parilla was leaving he did give him a confiden-
tial signature by which he had hoped to receive from his Most
Excellent Lordship, the Viceroy of New Spain, the title of
senior councilman. He has heard say that there were others
who gave their signatures but he does not know who these
others were nor for what purpose the signatures were given.
He declared that since the troops had been removed from the
Presidio no Indians had congregated at-the missions on the
banks of the river and that because there were no troops4v
//they had had no respite from the Apaches. He declared
this to be true by the oath he had sworn and when his dec-
laration was read to him word for word he reaffirmed and rati-
fied it as many times as the law required. He said he was
fifty years old and cigned with me the aforenamed Governor
and with, my attesting witnesses. I so certify.
Don Angel de Martos y Navarrete
.7oseph Padr6n
Attesting Witness: Francisco Antonio Solis
Attesting Witness: Domingo Garcia
13
•In the Villa of San Fernando de Bejar on the twenty-ninth
day of the above-mentioned month and year I, the a.bove-
mentioned Governor and Captain General, by virtue of the fact
that the present legal investigations are terminated and that
I have no Jurisdiction over them, have therefore ordered that
the rest of such investiga.tions as pertain to my official
tour of inspection be compiled into one complete report for
the Captaincy General of His Most Excellent Lordship the Vice-
roy of New Spain; and that certified copies of every procedure
be kept in this_my court. Thus did I provide, decree and
sign in the presence of my attesting witnesses.and on this
common paper for lack of paper with such stamps as are used
in legal practice. I so certify.
Don Angel de Martos y Navarrete
Attesting Witness: Bernardo de Miranda
Attesting Witness: Francisco Antonio Solis
This agrees with the original which was transmitted to the
Captaincy General. It is a true and faithful copy, corrected
and proofread. For witnesses there were Don Pedro Conytrillo,
Don Luis Menchaca and the attesting witnesses with whom I act.