The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-11-18
TIL Z R EP u BLIC.
From the Providence Journal.

From The Propids,lee Journal.
Mexican boundary Comnd.ssion.
Visit TO the Ruins Of the Old Spanish Mssions San
| Jose Saa Juan, and La Conception Beautiful
Specimens Of architecture Io,co class Of
Merican descendants Of the Christianixed Indi
Mode o. Lip.ng-San Anto"io--Its singular
Housss- The Plaza = Chmchs. The Alamo
Tram Of the boundary Commission.
SAN AsroSIo, Wednesday, Oct. 2.
| Ihis morning We made up email party, and set
of Immediately after breakfast to visit the old
Spanish missions in the vicinity of San Antonio.
Intending to occupy the whole day, laid in
supply O. such articles as hungry and thirsty men
We first visited the mission of San jose, seven
miles distance After riding through a country
scantily wooded, and without single trace of cul
tivation, save perhaps two or three acres around
Mexican rancho, we came suddenly upon a stately
stone edifice, by far the most imposing had seen
in Texas, and which, when the mission was in a
hourishing state, surpassed in extent any building
for ecclesiastical purposes in the United States It
ID difficult to believe such to be the case and even
now, if Trinity church in New York be excepted,
the old church and buildings connected Herewith
present more imposing appearance than any
| with which l am acquainted. The main building
measures l2o feet in length by so in breadth. In
the centre Is dome, the apex Of which is 10 or rs
feet from the ground. This was originally sur
mounted by cross, which has fallen, and now lies
| in fragments on the roof. On either side of the
front are projecting towers 80 or 100 feet in height,
one OF which Is surmounted by belfry, in which
Is still suspended ancient bell, 30 cracked to
| be useless, and bearing the date of 1920. We
| cended this tower by circular staircase, made OF
live oak tmbers, inserted into the wall. These
timbers seemed perfectly sound, while the exterior
OF the building was crumbling away The roof is
supported by well-formed stone arches, resting
the side walls, and supported by buttresses. The
! walls measure from to feet in thickness, and
rise about feet above the base of the arch, form
ing secure place to defend the building from an
enemy.
We spent an hour on the roof and clambered up
into the belfry from the outside; from which place
we had an excellent view of the surrounding coun
try. But what was disappointment when, in
stead OF cultivated fields and farm houses and gar
dens, nothing met our view but broad expanse Of
country, not chec kered by single cultivated spot
| or enliyened by any signs Of civilization. Not a
fruit-tree was visible, although the fields, covered
with luxuriant grass, were dotted with clumps of
| i've oaks and pecan trees. The only signs OF life
that saw, were droves Of cattle on the praires
and In the way Of human kind, the indolent Mexi-
cans lounging about their mud hoyes in the square
| immediately adjoining the church. tits hard to
realize that we are in one Of the Oldest settled por
tions OF the Unionon the spot where the Spaniards
| established mission and erected stately edifces
one hundred and thirty years ago; with a city of
five thousand inhabitants within seven miles, and
that the largest and oldest in the State, and yet
vesuge OF civilization or scarce cultivation near us.
| The Angio-Saxon would have left a durable
trace OF his colonization than this Ifhe had erected
| so noble temple for religious worship as the one
we nave Deen speaking OIL ne would nave lcIt win
| 1t civilization, cultivation and refinement. But,
like the country which established this mission, it
has retrograded, while other missions have ad
vanced. The decaying and ruined walls of a
| stately church show what II once was-and the
miserable creatures which burrow in its coisters,
or raise their rude hus against its walls, are all
that remain Of mission which spread its fame for
hundreds OF mies, and supported its scores OF &C.
clesiascs and boasted of It's thousands of
| The entire front of this church between the tow
ers Is richly scuPtured in the style OF Louis XIV
with full length hgurcs of the apostles; while amid
the graceful ornaments are many figures of chill
dren. These sculptures perfect a few
heads, which were knocked from the children and
angelic figures by the Texan volunteers. win
dow which opened into the sacristy is elaboratcly
lornamented in a style similar TO the front. There
peculiarly in the front Of this building which
have never before seen. Ii is the painting Of the
exterior front wall. This seems fret to have bad
coat OF plaster on IL, after which II was marked
with geometrical figures and colored with red,
blue, green, and yellow paint. Some portions OF
the hgures are quite perfect where protected from
the weather, but the whole can be distinctly traced
IL seems to be a rude attempt 10 initiate the Moor
ish arabesquv ornaments OF Spain.
| Extending about one hundred and fifty feet from
the end OF the church, and connected with IL by
doorways aud arches, 10 a building which WAS usec
. as the residence for the priests and monks. Thu
ls divided into small apartments each supported
by a single arch, open In front. There are two o
these arched openings in line, and an equal mum
Der in the second story These reccsses, which arr
about fifteen feet wide, occupied by Mexican
families, at least such of them are tenantable
I for many are in ruined state. Beyond this long
line OF arches walls of lesser buildings, which
have fallen To decay.
1 When in n hourishing state the church and ad
joining buildings were protected with high wal
which enclosed an about 500 GOO feet acroes
And against this wdl were erected the building
for the Indian converts. Most Of these building
have fallen down, leaving portions OF the man
walls, against which the Mexicans have erectc,
their rude huts, matched with grass. The who'll
air nrrtIla and mic rarr.
Tor the occupants never trouble themselves To re
, move wall % stone for the sake Of comfort O
appearance. Sticks, polcs, and mud. Cor rather tn
ado6,,) arc easily obtained, and tbese fill up tn
y gaps the ruined walls, or make partitions vbei
required. Partitions, however, are not in fashion
and IL u not uncommon to sec half dozen beds II
II the common room OF a Mexican rancho.
4 have not spoken Of the interior Of this church
o | II IA soon done. You single enclosure o
entering, with high walls aud handsomely forme
Il arches supporting the roof and dome. There ar
no ornaments the walls, save the rude scratch
: ngs OF visiors, though there are faint traces b
meath it, numerous coats Of whtewash, that Il wa
! originally painted in srabcsquc. There il a rud
h staging where the altar stood, and few broke
J. and uIutilated images, with ta.tered garmen
thrown over them by recent devotecs. Floor, ther
is none. The bare earth is dug up in beaps, vhic
= the sacriligious vister has thrown up in vain a.
tempt TO discover hidden treasures such is the IL
\. terier Of this noble edifice.
- On inquiry, learned that this, well as N
other missionary establishments in the vicinity, ha
/ been abandoned some forty years or more. spai
became jealous Of their influence, and feared the
encouragement of the Mexican States 10 revolt 81
10 vitbdrc~ her support, they were bandoned by a
ecelesiastcs, ana but occasionally visitcd for
y years No service s now held in them; and II
l. ercd TO continue in their present neglected stat
Z; they must soon crumbe to rum. The stone Of N
D. regTon Is soft and porous, and the cement seems
4, o-c its sdhcsiveness; hence the rapid decay Of
cdihces
r, After taking lunch the top Of the church, ar
ie finishing our sketches, rode TO the mission
l. san Juan, about three nriles farther, fOrding Il
San Antonio river on our way. This stream is qui
, shallow in many places and here runs with co
r. siderable rapidty. At the ford it was about thr
feet deep.
!. The mission Of San Juan consists Of a miserat
! stone building about seventy feet in length
a twenty. five in breadth. The roof is made Or lo
covered with adoJc and straw, which bad In maj
places fallen in. IL is surrounded by twenty
q tnrty rude hsbitstions, formed into square; son
OF them were portions Of the old buildings erect,
contcnporaneous with tho church, others we
y made OF sticks and mud, such as have before d
scnoed. There were here several massive wall
portions of larger edihccs, the nature Of which
's could not make out. Toey probably for cecil
10 sisstical purposes, but their precise object cou
not determine. The people surrounding this mi