CHAPTER V. Galvez's promotion-Lepers-Unzaga's residence. -Census.-Colonial expenditures.-A commissary of the holy office.-Acadians.-Commerce. -Bando de buen gobierno-Don Pedro Piernas. -Kentucky-Irish priests.-Don Diego de Guardoqui-Trade with the western part of the United States.-General Wilkinson-Trade with Philadelphia.-North-Western Territory of the U.S. The ordinary alcades, on the first of January, 1785, were Forstall and Kernion. Early in this year, Galvez received a commission of captain-general of the island of Cuba, and of the provinces of Louisiana and East and West Florida, which superceded Espeleta's. In the summer, on the death of his father, he was promoted to the viceroyalty of Mexico, but retained the captain-generalship of Louisiana and the Floridas. . There being a number of persons in the province affected with leprosy, the cabildo erected an hospital for their reception, in the rear of the city, on a ridge of high land between it and bayou St. John, which is probably the ridge anciently separating the waters of the Mississippi from those of lake Pontchartrain. Miro now received and executed a commission of judge of residence of Unzaga. Residence is a term, which, in the jurisprudence of Spain, is used to designate an inquiry which takes place into the official conduct of any public functiona ry, whenever by death, removal, or any other cause he has ceased to execute the duties of his office The decision of a judge of residence is reviewed, on appeal, by the council of the Indies. The inquiry is made at the principal place of the district in which the late officer exercised his functions. One would suppose that the fear, which the investigation of every act, public or private, of an officer whom any one may accuse, and who is given up, in some measure, to every species of reproach and vexation, even from envy and malice, would insure the zealous and upright discharge of his duties; that those who are governed by an officer surrounded by a vigilance which a thousand motives may call into activity, would find, in the residence, the most effectual safeguard against his passions, his avarice, and his partiality. And yet, there is no part of the world where abuses of authority are of more frequent occurrence, than in the Spanish provinces; and the rapidity with which officers amass large fortunes, is an evidence that there is no obstacle which the love of gain will not surmount, and that the same want of principle which prompts the commission of dishonest acts, will also suggest the means of avoiding their consequences. If any officer thinks of the residence, it is to intimidate those whom he might fear, or to purchase their silence. There is a league between all persons in places subjected to a censure, which has alway caused it to degenerate into a mere formality. An accurate census of the inhabitants of Louisiana and West Florida was taken this year, by order of Galvez, which produced the following results: Within the city of New-Orleans, From the Balize to the city, At the Terre-aux-Bœufs, 4980 2100 576-7656 Grand Total, 270 1550 746 592 3,477 32,114 Deducting, from the grand total, 3477 persons, the population of West Florida, and 1053, the number of those brought, at the king's expense, from the Canary islands and Malaga, there remains a balance of [1785 27,584 souls; which show that the population, at the arrival of O'Reilly in 1769, was more than doubled in sixteen years, by ordinary means. The number of white persons was 14,217; that of coloured free ones, 1203; that of slaves, 16,594. A statement was made by the intendant, by order of the captain-general, of the expenses of the province for this year, and is as follows: ÉTAT MAJOR. The governor and captain-general's salary, $10,000 Assessor of government, 2,000 Secretary of do. 1,000 First clerk in the secretary's office, 600 Town major, 1,200 Aid do. 740 Adjutant, 600 English interpreter, 480 Surveyor-general, 420 Boat's patroon and seamen, 1,380 Officers attached to no particular corps, Colonel with lieutenant-colonel's pay, 1,752 Lieutenant-colonel, 1.752 Two do. with rank, but pay of $372 only, |