Secretaria de Hacienda... "El Presidente Interino de la Republica Mexicana, a los Habitantes de Ella Sabed: Que el Congreso General Ha Decretado Lo Siguiente. Durante la Guerra con los Indios Barbaros Se Expendera la Polvora de Cazadores en los Departamentos de Chihuahua y Sonora..." [caption title and part of text]

Mexico City: February 24, 1836. Very good.. Broadside, 12 x 8.5 inches. Old fold lines. An exceedingly rare Mexican decree authorizing gunpowder for fighting Native Americans in the states of Chihuahua and Sonora: “During the war with the barbarian Indians, hunters' gunpowder will be sold” (Durante la guerra con los indios bárbaros se expenderá la pólvora de cazadores). The history of controversial relations between the Spaniards and the Apache nation began in 1541 when the Spanish first came across Apache in what is now known as Texas. In the 17th century once peaceful relations between the two people began to deteriorate as the Spanish began to enslave the Apache. Eventually, the Apache were forced to re-settle in Chihuahua and Sonora.

In 1835 a tremendous bounty was issued for male Apache scalps taken in Sonora and Chihuahua with an additional bounty for any captured adult women or children under the age of fourteen. Bounty hunters were also promised possession of any property taken from the Apache. The Apache mostly fought back with lightning raids rather than all out battle. Hostilities between Mexico and the Apache was most intense between 1831 and the 1850s but continued up until 1915. Signed in print by the secretariat of the treasury of Mexico, J. de la Fuente and issued by the acting president of Mexico, Miguel Barragán. We locate only two copies, at Yale and UTSA.