Foreign Relations of the United States, 1902, United States vs. Mexico, In the matter of the case of the Pious Fund of the Californias, Appendix II

extract from the work published under the title of “documentos para la historia de mexico,”^a fourth series, mexico, 1857, published by vincente garcia torres, no. 3 san juan de letran street.

[From the Informe, on the “Condition of the missions of California” by Rev. Padre Presidente Fr. Francisco Paloú, addressed to “Rev. Padre Guardian Fr. Rafael Verger,” in response to his letter of inquiry of June 1, 1671 (1771).]

Very Reverend Father Friar Rafael Verger, my true father guardian (p. 137):

* * * * * * *

With reference to the last point, that I inform you of all that would be advisable for the spiritual and temporal advancement of the missions, there is much to say in addition to what I have intimated to your reverence in this; but since much, or the greater part thereof, I have written by Father Ramos, I will not here repeat it. But indeed I can not do less than to repeat that you should try to procure from his excellency the restraint of the governor, that he should not interfere with that which does not belong to him, and that the civilization, education, and improvement of these poor neophytes be left to us, because otherwise the Government is about to make it public, and then it will be impossible to repair the damage.

Nor can I do less, considering the great poverty of the Indians of these missions, than to point out to you the advisability that from the funds of these missions they be supplied annually with clothing to cover their nakedness, since here the means are lacking and most of the missions will never be able to meet these expenses, and it is a source of much distress to the missionaries to see them naked and to have not even a rag to give them. In order that this petition may show not only the need, which is actual (and to which everyone can testify, especially those who have been in these parts), also that, without the least expenditure from the royal treasury, his excellency can do this service to these poor creatures, since there are fine properties for the purpose which belong to these missions, I obtained an unsigned paper giving account of these lands, and in order that they may be useful to this end I have not failed to copy it and to insert it in this report in order that your reverence may know of it. I do not know positively whence came the paper; but I judge, with some foundation, that it came from those belonging to the faculty of the College of San Andres of that city at the time of the expulsion of the fathers, where, since that was the principal office of the agent of California, the papers which give an account of the whole matter should be found.

List of the pious works founded by various subjects for the spiritual conquest of California.

Year.
1698.	Don Juan Caballero founded the first mission; he gave for the purpose the sum of	$10,000.00
1699.	The same person founded the second	10,000.00
1700.	Don Nicolas Arteaga founded the third with the same amount	10,000.00
1702.	Several subjects, through the Jesuit Father José Vidal, founded the fourth.	7,000.00
1704.	The Marquis de Villapuente founded the fifth with the sum of	10,000.00
1709.	The same person founded the sixth with	10,000.00
1713.	The same person founded the seventh with	10,000.00
1718.	His Excellency Don Juan Ruiz de Velasco founded the eighth with	10,000.00
1719.	The Marquis de Villapuente founded the ninth with	10,000.00
1725.	The Jesuit Father Juan María Luyando founded the tenth with	10,000.00
1731.	Doña María Rosa de la Peña endowed one of those founded by the Marquis de Villapuente with	10,000.00
1746.	The Marquis de Villapuente founded the eleventh with	10,000.00
1747.	Her excellency Doña María de Borja, duchess of Gandia, named in her will as her heirs the missions of California, and there only appears as having been received	62,000.00
	Total in alms	170,000.00

Properties and funds found at the time of the expulsion of the Jesuit fathers.

In money which was found in the office of the agent of California at the time of the expulsion	$92,000.00
For the goods which were found in the warehouse of said agency, valued by Spanish and Mexican merchants at	27,255.06
Goods found in the warehouse of Loreto, according to the prices at which they were charged and sold	79,377.03
Total amount from goods and moneys	199,033.01

Loans made through the general agency of California of the funds of the missions and evidenced by their respective instruments.

To the college of San Ildefonso de Puebla, at 3½ per cent	$22,000.00
To the college of San Ignacio de Puebla, with interest at 4 per cent	5,000.00
To the college of San Pedro and San Pablo of Mexico, without stating the interest	29,100.00
To the college of San Ildefonso of Puebla, at 3 per cent	23,000.00
To the college of San Gerónimo of Mexico, at 3 per cent	38,500.00
To the college of San Ildefonso de Puebla, at 3 per cent	9,000.00
Total amount of loans	126,600.00

General summary.

Total in alms	$179.000.00
Total in goods and moneys.	199,033.01
Total in loans	126,600.00
Grand total	504,633.01

Besides these capitals there are the estates called “Ibarro,” whose manager reports that in ordinary years they produce from rents $20,000 over and above all expenses, to which amount should also be added the proceeds of the estates of Arroyo-sarco: so far the payer.

With reference to this paper I am informed that said estates Ibarra and Arroyo-sarco, of which it speaks in conclusion, were purchased by the alms of benefactors in order to obviate the difficulty which was at first experienced of intrusting $10,000 to any private individual in order that he might pay over the five hundred dollars interest for the salary of the missionary father, which private individual was accustomed to fail and the investment lost, and they found themselves obliged to seek another benefactor or to abandon the mission, as is related in the history of Father Venegas. That this might not be repeated, they decided to purchase these estates and operate them, and what they produced went to pay the annual salaries, and what remained over and above this enabled them to send supplies to the poor missions, as is shown in the mission books which they kept. From which I infer that at the time of the expulsion of the Jesuit Fathers there remained only the said estates, with the stock in hand and loans amounting to $325,633 and 1 real. From these large amounts as well as from the proceeds of the estates see if annual donations of clothes for these poor Indians could not be made. I do not speak only for those already converted, but for those yet to be converted in the north of California as far as Monterey, and by this means they might be attracted to our holy Catholic faith, which was the purpose of the benefactors. I trust that your reverence will avail yourself of every possible means to accomplish this as well as everything else conducive to the spiritual and temporal advancement of these old missions as well as the new ones, that from God you may receive the reward, as I ask Him in my poor prayers and in the holy sacrifice of the mass, and that he will spare your life many years with good health, and preserve you in His holy grace.

From this mission of your reverence of Our Lady of Loreto of California on the 12th day of February, 1772.

My reverend father superior.
The humble servant of your reverence kisses your hand.

Fray Francisco Paloú.

[Vol. 6, pp. 174–179.]

1. Each volume commences with a certificate of the correctness of the copies contained in it. That at the commencement of volume 6, from which these extracts are made, is as follows: “This volume is a faithful copy of its original. Mexico, Dec. 3, 1792. Fr. Francisco Garcia Figueroa.” Who or what he was or for what purpose the papers were certified I am unaware.—J. T. D.