Civil Archives 413 
While there are many hundred large bundles of papers for the nineteenth 
century, the quantity of early documents is disappointingly small, considering 
the antiquity and the importance of the province and state. On this point Dr. 
Gonzalez correctly remarks: ‘“ The single archive of the government of 
Nuevo Leon is so abundant from the year [18]21 forward that it alone could 
furnish the data necessary to write the history of the state in this epoch. But 
the same is not true with respect to ancient times, for the documents for that 
period are as few as those for modern times are numerous”. This paucity 
of early documents is partly explained by the fact that some of the provincial 
records are at the ayuntamiento. It is to be noted also that numerous impor- 
tant eighteenth century documents for Nuevo Leon are in the archive of the 
Secretariat of Government of Coahuila, at Saltillo. Some of them are noted 
under that archive. 
EIGHTEENTH CENTURY DOCUMENTS. 
The earliest documents found by the writer in the archive under discussion 
are those contained in the four legajos marked “Siglo XVIII.”, but Dr. 
Gonzalez cites some earlier than any contained therein.” These bundles are 
not confined strictly to the eighteenth century (they extend chronologically 
from 1768 to 1814), while the nineteenth century bundles contain some papers 
of the eighteenth century. The principal general classes of documents noted 
are: 
Circulares cordilleras (Circulars sent in circuit). 
Ordenanzas sobre varios ramos (Ordinances concerning various depart- 
ments). 
Correspondence of the governors with the local authorities, the gov- 
ernors of other provinces, the intendant of San Luis Potosi, and 
the central authorities. 
SPECIAL ITEMS. 
A bundle of correspondence of the governors with the intendant of San 
Luis Potosi, in legajo 2. 1787-1708. 
A bundle of miscellaneous documents relative to the affairs of the diocese 
of Linares in legajo 3. 1793-1800. 
NINETEENTH CENTURY DOCUMENTS. 
lt being impossible to examine in detail the many hundred legajos of docu- 
ments dated after 1800, a few were selected for illustrative purposes from the 
periods of closest contact between Nuevo Leon and the United States, and 
notes indicating their contents are given here. It will be seen that among the 
papers are many from the archives of the commandancy-general of the 
Interior Provinces of the East. Others have evidently come from the archives 
of the diocese. 
I. For THE PERIOD 1800-1814. 
For this important period legajos 1804, no. 6, 1805, no. 5, 1812, no. 1, 1813, 
no. 1, and 1814, no. 2, were examined in detail, and the following general 
classes of documents noted: 
* Op. cit., p. 730. 
* See the document printed by Gonzalez, op. cit., pp. 223-238. 
