El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-05-06

cate wrote 10 the viceroy and made
clear 10 him that the act Of transfer
ring Jurisdiction over the FL Paso dis
trict TO Nueya Eizeaya left him en-
people Of Il PasO under the control Of
the latter province.
The citizens OF FL Paso met on
August 20 and drew up a memorial to
the viceroy in which they showed that
FL Paso had both been settled and
governed by people from New Mexico,
and that the citizens Of FL Paso had
Just right TO maintain their separate
government. inasmuch as they had
been the power that had quelled the
indian revolt, notwithstanding the as
sertion OF the citizens Of NueVa Viz
caya 20 the contrary.
on Nov IS, a 'tunta general met
and, in view OF the representations
from the governor, the cabildo and the
citizens Of Fl PasO, returned jurisdic-
ton over the FL PasO district TO New
Mexico. The vicerOy confirmed the
action OF the "junta general on Nay
1. 1886. governor CruZate filed the
document Of transfer in the archives at
El PasO.
What Had Been Accomplished.
These IS years OF Spanish activity in
the FL PasO district attest the indie
fatigable energy Of the Spanish priests,
and measured in values Of the mission.
the enterprise presented no mean
showing. An area Of more than $50
on the west to La Junta on the east,
had been partly Christianized and part
" settled There had been reduced to
doctrine a part Of six or more native
tribes representing among other tribes
the Mansas, Sumas JanOs, Jullmes.
Piros and Tiguas. There had been
settled within the district Il pueblOs,
all but one, La SOledad, in the valley
OF the Rio del Norte.
At each Of the il settlements there
was church, and IN most cases
priest. there being ten Franciscan
fathers administering to the group.
Moreover. at each pueblo where dwelt
a priest, there was at least one Spanish
family for his aid and protection
Finally each pueblo was organized on
a civic basis with a corps Of indian Of
ficers to manage the civil affairs OF
the indians
Permanent Spanish Settlements.
Measured in terms Of the progress Of
Spanish settlement the result was less
comprehensive, but perhaps more solid
at base In addition 10 the Spanish
families settled on the farms and the
ranches scattered over the area be-
tween the Pass and the Rio del Sacrs-
mento- four pueblos OF Spanish citizens
We're planted in the valley, the pOpula-
ton Of which aggregated at one time
about 1000 persons In fact. though in
1850 FL PasO was regarded as the tenn
porary home Of the refugees from New
Mexico, by 1856 il had become a per-
manent part Of NeWaSpain and the cap
ital Of New Mexico until that province
was reconquered by Vargas in 1888.
Importance OF FL PasO.
The Importance Of Fl PasO in the
frontier history OF New Spain can
scarcely be Overestimated- At the most
critical period in the early history OF
New Mexico, FL PasO became the hull
U-ark OF the New Mexican colOnists
against the ravases Of the Pueblo in
dlans- and made il possible eventually
for Spanish arms 10 repOssess the
abandoned province And. as FL Paso
was the bulwark Of New Mexico, IL was
also the safeguard OF the frontier Of
Nueva NiZcaya-
Nor Is the relation OF FL Paso to
early Texas history the least important
part that place plays in the frontier
history OF New Spain Though the be-
ginning Of Texas is commonly asso-
ciated with the small group Of missions
estab lished by MassaneJ in 1880, on the
Neches river. in eastern Texas. as a
matter OF fact, the true beginnings OF
what is now Texas are TO be found in
the settlements grouped along the Rio
del Norte in the FL Paso district es-
tablished 16S1-S2.
The End