The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 9, July 1905 - April, 1906 Page: 74
ix, 294 p. : ill. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
Texas Historical Association Quarterly.
about 1755 of a new presidio on that river, which, after two re-
movals was located at Orcoquisac, the site of the mission of Nues-
tra Sefiora de la Luz, near the present town of Liberty.1
It is thus seen that fear of the French, in one form or an-
other, had from the very beginning been a decisive factor in the
Spanish policy on the Texas-Louisiana frontier. But in 1762
came the cession of Louisiana to Spain, and it was felt that danger
from the French was largely removed. This transfer gave Spain
England instead of France for a neighbor, and, as the English
settlements were as yet far distant, they were less feared for the
present than had been the French settlements of Louisiana while
subject to a foreign power. This alteration of French relations
just at the time of especial stress all along the rest of the frontier
of New Spain helps to explain the radical change that was now
made in the Spanish policy in East Texas.
3. Rubi's inspection and recommendations.-What the Marques
de Rubi saw when at last he made his inspection was recorded in
the diary kept and the map made by Nicolas de la Fora and in
the dictamen, or opinion, which Rubi himself sent later to the
government.2 With respect to the frontier in general, Rubi re-
ported in detail the bad condition of affairs which has been briefly
1See Garrison, Texas, chs. III, IV, V, VIII; Bonilla, Breve Compendio,
in THE QUARTERLY, VIII, 12-59; R. C. Clark, "The Beginnings of Texas,"
Ibid., V, and his "Luis Juchereau de San Denis and the Re-establishment
of the Tdjas Missions," Ibid., VI, 1-26; Mattie Alice Austin, "The
Municipal Government of San Fernando de Bjar," Ibid., VIII. My opin-
ion as to the location of Orcoquisac is based on the La Fora map (see
next note) and a map drawn by Gil Ybarbo in 1777 (see page 118).
2The diary kept by la Flora was entitled Viage del ingeniero a Sta F6
(1766, MS., in what Bancroft calls the Pinart Collection. See Bancroft,
Arizona and New Mexwio, 258, note.) I have not had access to this diary.
A copy of the map, if not the original, was once in volume V of Secci6n
de Historia, Archivo General. I find a statement to this effect in some
notes made by Father Talamantes, and the evidence of its having been
torn out is still visible in the volume. Bancroft knew of the existence of
this map, but was unable to find it (see his Arizona and New Mexico, 258,
note). I fortunately found a photograph of it in the possession of the
noted scholar, Mrs. Zelia Nuttall, of Coyuacbn, Mexico, who generously
allowed me to copy it. The tradition is, I believe, that the map was
taken from its place by some one connected with Maximilian's govern-
ment. A copy of the part of the Dictamen bearing on Texas is contained
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Periodical.
Texas State Historical Association. The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 9, July 1905 - April, 1906, periodical, 1906; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101036/m1/78/: accessed April 24, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.