Page:Catholic Encyclopedia, volume 14.djvu/604

 TEXAS

546

TEXAS

The colony was soon scattered and destroyed by sickness and the Indians. When news of the French attempt reached Mexico, Don Alonzo de Leon was sent by the Count of Monclova, Viceroy of Mexico (1686), to scour the country and drive out the French. De Leon visited the ruins of Fort St. Louis and made some little explorations on his way. Later, in 1690 and 1691, some attempts were made to occupy the "New PhiUppines", as the territory was called. Twenty-three years later (1714), Cadillac, Governor of Louisiana, sent Hucherau St-Denis into Texas territory to establish trade with Mexico. St-Denis, adventurous and enterprising, met with remarkable success and the trail known as the old San Antonio road from Nacogdoches to the Rio Grande was the artery through which commerce flowed between the nations. Other movements of the French evoked counter actions from the Spanish. It may be re- marked that the appellation Texas probably arose from La Harpe's dating a letter from the territory of "Las Tekas", although some ascribe the bestowal of the name to de Leon. The French trade enter- prises stimulated Spain to inaugurate in 1715 an extended presidio and mission plan to hold the country and to civilize and Christianize the Indians. Many tribes of these inhabited the broad prairies; some, wild and untamable; others, sedentary, gatli- ered in towns or pueblos, and possessing a rude kind of civihzation. Some of these pueblos are still traceable and the ancient town of the Tejas Indians once occupied the site of the present town of Mound Prairie. The Spanish missionary effort spoken of more particularly in another part of this article covers the period from 171.5 to 1794. Other efforts were made lay the French to utiHze this land, claimed because of La Salle's discovery and settlement, and various struggles between both countries were finally settled by the cession to Spain of Louisiana in 1763. Previous to this in 1728, however, Spanish settlers from the Canary Islands supplemented by others from Mexico were introduced at great expense, and Texas was made a separate province. The civilized popu- lation, half or more European, however, grew very slowly (3000 in 1714 and in 1805 only 7000).

From the latter part of the eighteenth century there had been renewed attempts to enter the terri- tory of New Spain from the Louisiana side for the purpose of trade. The poUcy of Spain had opposed all trade with foreign nations, but some contraband was no doubt connived at or legitimate rights to trade granted from time to time. The expedition of Phihp Nolan towards the end of this eighteenth century (1797), to provide horses for the army in Louisiana from the wild herds roaming the prairies of Texas, attracted the attention of United States citizens to Texas. When, after the purch;ise of Louisiana, the excitement of the consequent dispute between the United States and Spain had been allayed in 1805-06 and Captain Zebulon M. Pike had made his famous expedition and returned his glowing report, and when Burr's attempt at enipire came to naught, this interest was still more stimu- lated. Hence, the efforts of Mexico to gain inde- pendence beginning in 1810 gave rise to filibustering movements into Texas, whose eastern boundary was determined on the purchase of Florida in 1819. These were followed by attempts to colonize, so that when in 1821 Mexico had achieved independence Stephen F. Austin and other emprcsarins, as they were named, received grants of lands for colonies and introduced many families from the United States into Texas. Great land jjriviloges were given these early settlers, but some restrictions were also involved in their tenure, one being that they profess the Catholic Faith. In practice, however, this was interpreted in a very nominal way. Real Catholics also entered from the States and from Europe at this period.

Catholic colonies even were founded, e. g. Irish settle- ments near Refugio and San Patricio on the Nueces River (1828 and 1829). President Bustamente's decree of 1830 prohibiting further entry into Texas of colonists from the United States and delay in separating Texas politically from Coahuila — they had been united in 1824 — with other sources of dis- content, brought about a successful revolution in 183.5-36. On 16 March, 1836, a constitution was adopted for the Repubhc of Texas and signed on the seventeenth. Its independent existence lasted until 1845, when it was annexed to the United States.

The Territory embraced besides its present area what now forms part of New Mexico, of Oklahoma, of Kansas, of Colorado, and even of Wyoming. The portions outside its present borders were sold to the United States in 1850 for .$10,000,000. The mag- nificent public domain possessed by the Texas Gov- ernment as a republic and retained by her as a State gave ample opportunity for colonizing schemes, and hence grants of land were made to promoters of colonies, some of which were largely Cathohc. Henry Castro, consul general for Texas at Paris, obtained large grants from the Repubhc in 1842, and intro- duced five hundred families from France a few years later. Castroville on the Medina River was thus founded. Similarly New Braunfels was settled by the Prince de Solms, who brought over German and Alsatian families a year or so earher. By this hber- ality in granting lands Texas invited settlers, using also the same means to encourage the building of rail- roads within her borders. The war with Mexico in 1846 concerning the Texas boundary cemented the union of the young State to her older sister nation, but this union was rudely broken. The Secession movement of 1861 carried Texas away from the Fed- eral Government. Texas furnished not a few dis- tinguished generals and over 90,000 soldiers to the "Lost Cause", and at Brownsville, Brazos Santiago, within its borders was fought the last skirmish of the war between the States, on 13 April, 1865, between a party of Confederates and a detachment from the division of General Banks. After the vicissitudes of Reconstruction the State Constitution at present in force was adopted (1876), and under its provisions and legislation the State has encouraged every form of legitimate enterprise. In population and wealth the State has made rapid strides. The nations of the world have poured, and continue to pour healthy, in- dustrious agriculturists into her territory. Her de- velopment has only begun and her untold possibilities promise comfort and wealth to him who fears not toil.

Catholic History and Progress. — The historj' of the Catholic Church in Texas begins practically with the landing of La Salle in February, 1685. With him was a missionary force of seven priests, four Recol- lects, and three Sulpicians, who ministered to the spiritual wants of the French colony at Fort St. Louis while it lasted. On its destruction by the Indians in 1687 some of these doubtless perished with their flock, the others made their way to the French settlements further north. Don Alonzo de Leon, Governor of Coahuila, was accomjianied in his expedition from Monelova to the site of La Salle's settlement in 1689 by Fray Damian Martinez or Marzanet from the Franciscan Apostolic cnllege of Santa Cruz at Quere- taro. Two of tliese colleges were established in Mexico, one at Queretaro in the seventeenth century, the other later (1706), at Zacatecas. From these centres mi.ssiunary activity, on the rein-esentation of Father Damian, began among the Indians of Texas. In 1690 Leon again returned to the ruins of Fort St. Louis. This time Father Damian with four other Franciscans again accompanied him and established the mission of San I'rancisco de los Tejas in eastern ■Texas among the Tejas Indians on the Trinity River. On 16 May, 1691, Domingo de Teran, successor of