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Show C7 * * . |e 5 P — er a ¥ . ra Felipe Sandoval a ‘‘protector partidario’’ of the Indians in New Mexico. Sandoval made a report to his superior in which he stated that the frailes were content with simply saying mass, and that the neophytes were in reality deprived of spiritual instruction. The bishop of Durango sent a reprimand to the Franciscans and the vicecustodio, Fr. Alvarez, called upon the members of the order for a defense. Naturally they denied the accusations, declaring that the ‘‘protector’’ was only influenced by evil motives and was a thief. No bishop visited the province after 1760, and therefore there were no confirmations. Pino, in his report, demanded that his province be erected into a separate bishopric, saying that although he was fifty years of age he had never seen a bishop until he came to Spain in 1812. He also demanded that the royal order providing for @ college be carried out as well. Accordingly, on the 26th of January, 18138, the erection of a bishopric and the establishment of the colleges were decreed by the cértes, but practically nothing was done under Spanish rule.°? Pino complained of this in his letter to the cortes after his second election as deputy. 513 Pino, Pedro Bautista, Ibid, p. 31, on the subject of church that time, says: government s ‘‘Las 26 poblaciones de indios y las 102 plazas de sala 66° que forman el todo de la provincia, pertenecen en lo espiritual 4 la didcesis . Son administradas por 22 religiosos del orden de San Francisco de ; Durango. provincia de México; y solo en un pueblo del Paso y la capital, son ea parrocos. Gozan renta por el erario, 4 excepcion de los de las villas de Albu querque, Santa Cruz de la Cafiada y la capital, que no tienen mas renta que las obvenciones 6 pié de altar. ‘‘Las distancias que hay de los pueblos donde residen los parrocos 4 las plazas de habitantes espafioles, deben llamar atencion, pues siendo algunas de 8 y 10 leguas, ni pueden concurrir 4 oir misa en un mismo pueblo, ni puede el parroco decir dos misas en un dia con tan largo viaje, ni pueden tener vicarios, porque no aleanzan las rentas 6 sinodos sefialados puramente para la administracion espiritual de aquellos pueblos, cuya dotacion fué hecha sin contar en aquel tiempo con aquellas 102 plazas que la necessidad obligé 4 construir desde el aio de 1780 para conservar el todo de la provincia. ‘‘Hace mas de 50 afios que se sabe si hay obispo, ni se ha visto ninguno en aquella provincia en todo este tiempo; por consiguiente, se hallan sin cumplir las soberanas disposiciones y lo prevenido en la disciplina eclesidstica. Son infinitos los males que sufren aquellos habitantes por esta falta tan grave de su primado pastor. Se hallan sin confirmar todos los nacidos en dichos 50 afios; y los pobres que quieren contraer matrimonio con sus parientas por medio de dispensa, no lo pueden verificar por los crecidos costos en el dilatado viaje de mas de 400 leguas que hay 4 Durango; de aqui proviene que muchos, estrechados del amor, viven amancebados y con familia, dolo, y otros que se sufren por la falta referida. Es bien doloroso, por cierto, que entregando aquella provincia todos los afios de 9 4 10,000 duros de sus diezmos, no haya podido conseguir el los 50 afios ver la cara 4 su obispo; yo que cuento mas de edad, nunca supe, eémo se vestian hasta que vine 4 Cadiz.”’ Mr. Pino was very friendly to the Franciscans, for, as 18 seen above, he tells of the great difficulties under which all have labored, and in his report relative ‘“Como la to the establishment of the colegio de religiosos, he says further: religion de S. Francisco ha sido la conquistadora, digamoslo asi, y ha sido ella sola en lo espiritual, estén los habitantes tan acostumbrados 4 ver este habito, que cualquiera otro no seria quiz4 bien admitido. En este concepto, convendr ian fuesen los 12 religiosos de la misma érden, y aun el primer obispo; y aqui tiene V. M. allanadas todas las dificudades por la misma provincia sobre los dos : 1Y rimeros 514 ee establecimientos. Sigal Hidalgo ’ y Costilla, patriot priest of ey : ig ae; the ee rst he was standard of revolt in his parish of Dolores, September, 1810. trying successful, but on the 21st of March, 1811, he was eaptured, while his priestly from degradation and After trial escape to the United States. was memory his to monument A 1811. July, of 31st offices, he was shot on the erected in the city of Chihuahua. » a < if m ctietael SPEeeu ae ay Sree ee tae * 7 We k . SR Pieces . ae. oe oex ST ra, ; Mote eR Te! Ss ENE SP aE Py ais ets yee teats Ria * ae EE ae ts ae WES oes Pewee Se Peeks ha ete tsenetie rs ee * * a » eee “ ws x si res ne = en my a oe xe aioe” _ me serge Major Pike says, it will be remembered, that Captain Melgares was one of the few officers and citizens whom he met, who was loyal to his king. It is true that during this period the Mexicans had fondly indulged the hope that the Spanish yoke might be removed. Prior to 1810 murmurs were heard’on all sides. They penetrated far into the northern provinces. In that year came the first struggle for independence under Hidalgo."'* It was quickly suppressed; but the spirit of independence had penetrated and was strong among the people. Too often the Spaniard had made the Mexican feel that he was not of pure Castilian blood. The revolutionary attempt, under Hidalgo, commencing September 16, 1810, did little other than to stir up the flames of revolution which were to burst out at a Pes : ‘al ; ee ae 5 me a ized. They were commanded by Captains Lorenzo Gutierrez, José Francisco Pino, and Bartolomé Vaca, sixty-one men in each company, but up to the time of the making of his report, says Mr. Pino, they had received no pay. The twenty-six ‘‘poblaciones’’ of Indians and the one hundred and two ‘‘plazas espafioles,’’ which formed the province at the time Mr. Pino was elected delegate to the Spanish cortés, pertained to the diocese THE FRANCISCAN MISSIONS of Durango. ‘The spiritual wants of these people were administered to by twenty-two ‘‘religiosos’’ of the order of St. Francis. These frailes lived principally at the places There was one secular where there was a large Spanish population. priest at Santa Fé, and there, as at Alburquerque and Santa Cruz, the frailes were supported by fees; the others by their sinodos of $330 from the royal treasury. At this period complaint is again made against the frailes, for in 1810 Protector-General Andrade appointed fe ee 479 cad, TEte ie e bin 1700 TO 1822 2 ck e Se | ee RUFUAE? aS he eoe a" . 3 er Wk OF bak Ps eeem4i os r i ; -- rh = te? RULE, Et SPANISH eee HISTORY MEXICAN : OF NEW arent eaters, FACTS LEADING 478 |