soumission de payer la susdite somme de quatorze cent cinquante mille livres dans les termes cydessus enoncés à qui, par le roi il sera ordonné, et en la forme qui sera prescrite par sa majesté. Collationné à l'original. (Signé) BRISSON DE CALIGNY. LIST OF THE SPANISH GOVERNORS OF LOUISIANA, AND THEIR COMMISSIONS. List and dates of appointment of the Spanish Governors of Louisiana, between 1769 and 1800, with their several Commissions, translated by order of the Department of State, from certified copies, obtained from the office of the Supreme Council of the Indies at Madrid, by the Hon. C. P. Van Ness, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of the United States, near the Court of Spain. List of Governors of Louisiana, from the year 1769 to 1800, with the dates of their appointments: Colonel Don Louis Unzaga y Amezaga, appointed August 17, 1772. Colonel Baron de Carondelet, appointed March 17, 1791. Brigadier Don Manuel Gayoso de Lemos, appointed October 28, 1796. Colonel Don Manuel Juan de Salcedo, appointed October 24, 1799. Commission of Don Louis de Unzaga y Amezaga. Don Carlos, by the grace of God, &c. Whereas, Don Alexandro O'Reilly, lieutenant general of my royal armies, and inspector general of all my infantry, under my commission in the province of Louisiana, by letter of December 10th, 1769, has represented to me, that in consequence of the order which I had deigned to send him, appointing you Colonel Don Louis Unzaga y Amezaga, political and military governor of the city and province of Louisiana; he had put you in possession of your command, and had given you proper instructions for the performance of its duties, communicating the necessary orders to the treasury VOL. II. 57 of the said city, to make advances to you out of the sum of six thousand dollars assigned to that office; and that, until such assignment should receive my royal approval, you would remain responsible for all that you should receive of the same; and as there was yet no example in that city of the sum for which each governor was required to be accountable, as security for his proper adminis tration, he had considered your salary as fixed at three thousand dollars, (taking into consideration the dependencies of that province,) and the amount of your security at the same: and in order that you might not be reduced to seek for an inhabitant of the city to become your security, you might leave a fifth part of your salary, each year, in the treasury, so that at the expiration of the five years of your governorship, the whole amount would be in my royal treasury; adding, that he also thought it proper, you should be free from the duty of media anata as the office was but newly established: all which dispositions I approved by my royal order of March 24th, 1770. Moreover, having consulted my council and chamber of the Indies, on the 27th day of February of this year, I resolved to order this my royal patent, to be issued in your favour, declaring you, hereby exempt from the duty of media anata, as the office has been but lately established, and that the five years of your governorship are to commence on the day in which you took possession of the same, your security being arranged as determined by my said commissioner. It is, therefore, my will, that you, the said Don Louis de Unzaga y Amezaga, should be military and political governor of the city of New Orleans, and province of Louisiana; and I command the council, justices, and magistracy of that city, with the other judges and justices of the same, and of the province, that, after you shall have taken before that assembly, the oath and obligation according to the statutes and customs of Spain, in the form established by the said Don Alexandro O'Reilly, to keep the said city and province in my royal name, and never to deliver nor surrender it while you live, to any enemy or to any person, unless coming with an order to that effect, signed by my royal hand; you should be left in exercise of the said office, for the said space of five years from and after the day on which you enter into possession of it, or as long as it may be my royal pleasure: the forts, soldiers, ammunition, and artillery of the said province and city, being delivered up by those who may have them in charge, to be used and commanded by you in all cases and things pertaining thereunto: you conducting the said military and political government, as your predecessor Don Antonio de Ulloa, captain in my royal navy should have conducted it, and as the other political and military governors of my kingdoms in the Indies should; remaining subordinate to my governor and captain general of the island of Cuba, and city of Havana, in political and military matters, and in all other cases and things pertaining to the said office, conformably to the terms of one of the royal cedulas, which you will receive, bearing date on this day; you will, therefore, in all cases and affairs which may present themselves, regulate your conduct by the orders which the said governor and captain general may give you; observing in all political and judicial concerns, the laws and proceedings of the courts, causing them to be fulfilled in all points, unless you may have orders to the contrary from me; and you are not to interfere in the affairs of my royal hacienda, or in the management of my royal treasury, in the said province and city; because, as governor, you have no farther powers in such matters, than that of interposing through the royal officers, in cases of introduction of illicit goods and confiscations, and in visiting vessels arriving there, either yourself in person, or by your agents; it being likewise your duty to devote yourself with especial zeal, purity and disinterestedness, to the defence and security of the province, and to the maintenance of the most perfect discipline among the troops there in garrison, to the prevention of illicit trade, and to the faithful observance of my royal orders. I moreover command the said council, justices and magistracy of the city of New Orleans, and all other ministers, sojourners and inhabitants thereof, and of the province of Louisiana, as soon as required by this my royal patent, to have, receive, and hold you as such military and political governor of the said province and city, for the whole period during which as above expressed, it is my will that you should exercise this office: preserving and securing to you, and to such deputies as you may appoint, according to the form established in another royal cedula, bearing date also this day, all honours, favours, rights, privileges and immunities without exception, corresponding with the respective stations; all such deputies and others in the said province, commandants, officers and soldiers, considering you as such military and political governor, and obeying the orders which you may give them in my royal service, either verbally or in writing; and I command the royal officers of the said province, to pay you, if they have not already done so, the six thousand dollars mentioned above, as your salary, for every year of your service, out of any funds which are or may be in my royal hacienda, on authentic presentation of this patent, with your receipt, which sums will be passed to your account for your satisfaction; it being understood however, that a fifth part of your said salary is to be annually retained as security for your administration. I declare, that for this favour, you are to pay no duty of media anata, inasmuch as the office you hold is one of recent creation. And note shall be taken of this patent, in the offices of the accountants general of values, distribution of my royal hacienda, and council of the Indies, within two months after the date thereof, in default of which the same shall be void. Note shall also be taken by the said royal officers, of the city of New Orleans. Given at San Ildefonso, this 17th of August, 1772. (Signed) I THE KING. Pedro Garcia Mayoral, secretary to the king, caused the above to be written by his command, and it was signed by Messrs. Arcotrespalacios and Galvez. Commission of Don Bernardo de Galvez. Don Carlos, by the grace of God, &c. Whereas, in consideration of your merits, and of the especial services performed by you, Don Bernardo de Galvez, colonel of the stationary regiment of infantry of Louisiana, while acting as governor, ad interim, of that province, and in condescension to the desires of its inhabitants, I have thought proper, by my royal decree of the 22d of April last, to declare you governor (en propiedad) of the same: Therefore, it is my will, that you, the said Don Bernardo de Galvez should be political and military governor of the city of New Orleans, and province of Louisiana; and I command the council, justices and magistracy of that city, with the other judges and ministers thereof, and of the province, that, after you shall have taken before that assembly, the oath and obligation, conformably with the statutes and customs of Spain, and according to the form established by Lieutenant General Don Alexandro O'Reilly, to keep the said city and province in my royal name, and not to deliver or surrender them, while you live, to any enemy, nor to any person whatsoever, unless he bring you an authority to that effect, signed by my royal hand, they shall leave you in the entire exercise of the office, which you held ad interim, for the space of five years, more or less, according to my pleasure. The forts, soldiery, ammunition and artillery in the said city and province, being delivered up to you, by those who may have been charged therewith, to be commanded and employed by you, in all cases and things pertaining to them; you exercising the said political and military government, in the same manner, in which your predecessor, Don Louis de Unzaga y Amezaga did and should have exercised it, and as the other political and military governors of my kingdoms in the Indies, do and should exercise it; being subordinate to my governor captain general of the island of Cuba, and city of Havana, in military and political affairs, and in all cases and circumstances pertaining to the said office, according to the terms of the royal cedula of August 22d, 1772.-You will, therefore, conform in all business and cases which occur, to the orders received from the said governor and captain general; observing in affairs of politics and justice, the laws, and whatever else may emanate from the courts, causing them to be fulfilled in all particulars, unless where I shall have commanded to the contrary. And whereas, by virtue of the regulation issued by the said Don Alexandro O'Reilly, and since confirmed by my royal cedula of July 21st, 1776, you have a right to (oscompeten) |