The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 9, July 1905 - April, 1906 Page: 77

Spanish Abandonment and Re-Occupation of East Texas. 77
Rubi's next proposal was to strengthen the defences of San
Antonio de B6xar and increase the population in its neighborhood.
By abandoning the northeastern settlements, B6xar would be
left, he said, the frontier establishment of all the internal
provinces - distant, indeed, more than fifty leagues "from the
nearest of the presidios in the proposed cordon. Being thus
isolated, it would still be in its present danger from the Apache-
Comanche wars. The thieving Lipan Apaches' living between
Bexar and the Rio Grande would not only continue to be
unpleasant neighbors themselves, but they would still attract to
the settlements their enemies, the Comanches and their allies.
Moreover, if the Comanches, now dangerous only to San Saba,
as the friend of the Apaches, should ever invade the interior, a
circumstance not to be expected,2 Bxar would become the chief
object of their attacks. These considerations led him even
to suggest withdrawing the villa of San Fernando and the costly
and imposing but decadent missions at B6xar to the Rio Grande,
in the shelter of the projected line of presidios. Refraining, how-
ever, from so radical a proposal, he advised that a fortification
should be built to protect the citizens of the villa of San Fernando,
adjacent to the presidio of Bexar, and that the garrison of the
presidio should be increased from twenty-three to eighty men by
bringing to Bexar the soldiers from San Saba, Adaes, and Orco-
quisac, unless the last should be needed at Bahia del Espiritu Santo.
The governor, residing at Bexar, should, he thought, be made com-
mander of the presidio of San Juan Bautista, on the Rio Grande,
which might be moved nearer Bexar if circumstances de-
manded it. Since fear of Indians had, been the chief obstacle
to the growth of population, he predicted that such a strengthen-
ing of the defence of Bexar would make it possible to colonize
in its vicinity on a considerable scale.3
With regard to the Apaches, who were, as we have seen, troubling
1The branch of the Apaches who were infesting Texas were the Lipans,
commonly called the Lipan Apaches.
'Rubf reflected the fears 'of some when he 'said that he could not sub-
scribe to the opinion that the Indians might be incited by the European
neighbors of Spain toward the northeast to invade the interior Spanish
provinces (Dictamen, section 17).
'Dictamen, section 17.