Cahokia records, 1778-1790, Part 53

Author: Alvord, Clarence Walworth, 1868-1928
Publication date:
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 856

USA > Illinois > St Clair County > Cahokia > Cahokia records, 1778-1790 > Part 53

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Labuxiere Ntre gfir

(Page 40, 1787.)

requisition de Mr Joseph Janez It Commire Du 18 janvier 1787.

avis au Public

Le Soussigné Etant chargé de Prendre connoissance des abus de Nature publique qui ont êté commis ici a L'entour il est Bien mortiffié de voir que ces abus Sont Enormes et frequants mais comme la Nature de Sa Commission est telle qu'il ne peut pas pour le present les Examiner comme il le voudroit Et que dailleurs il est plus glorieux de prevenir les Crimes de peur qu'on ne les commete que de les punir aprés quils Sont commis, il avertit donc le public par ces presentes que toutes personnes ou personnes qui aprés cette date Commetra ou occasionnera quelque Ravage, ou pillage ou destruction Soit au fort de Chartre ou a lEncien

1 Continuation of the Laurent Durocher documents to the reverse of folio 30.

495

CLERK'S RECORD, JANUARY, 1787

Buteau, his wife, bearers of their contract of marriage passed before Senet, notary at Cahokia, the twenty-eighth of September, 1773, containing the donation which follows: And in order to give proofs of the reciprocal affection which they have one for another, they have made and make by these presents mutual, reciprocal and irrevocable donation, in so far as a donation can be valid, to the survivor of them of all and each of the goods, personal and real, inherited or acquired before or after marriage, which the first one dying shall have and leave on the day and hour of his or her decease, to be enjoyed by the survivor in full proprietorship and as a thing belonging to him or her in full right. This present mutual and reciprocal donation is so made, provided, however, that there should be no child born nor to be born of the said mar- riage; for in case of a child the said donation shall be null in full right as agreed and granted. The said M. and Madame Baron requiring the registration of the present donation, we have in- scribed and registered it in the present record of registrations of the office of this Court that the said M. and Madame Baron may make use thereof, of which this act will testify, the said day and year. Labuxiere, Notary Clerk.

(Page 40, 1787.)

Requisition of M. Joseph Janez, Lieut. Commissary, January 18, 1787.

Notice to the Public.

The undersigned being appointed to take cognizance of the abuses of a public nature, which have been committed here in the surrounding places, he is very mortified to see that such abuses are great and frequent; but as the nature of his commission is such that he cannot examine them as he would wish to, and since, besides, it is more glorious to prevent crimes which one fears will be committed than to punish them after they are committed, he warns the public, therefore, by these presents that all persons or person, who after this date shall commit or cause any depredation, robbery or destruction either at Fort de Chartres or at the former college of the Jesuits at Kaskaskia or at the old fort on the moun-

496

ILLINOIS HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS

College des jesuites aux Caskaskias ou a lEncien fort Sur la mon- tagne qui commande la ville ou a quelque magasin ou batiment publique ils peuvent Satendre qu'ils Seront punis tres severement puisque de la depend le Bonheur dun gouvernement qui veut etre juste et Equitable.

toutes personnes qui a en main quelque chose appartenante au public est averty de le rendre au plustost.

Le Soussigné Sestimeroit heureux Si les personnes qu'on Scait avoir demoli le vieux College des jesuites vouloient profiter de cet avis pour y remetre les materiaux quils en ont Emporté Et pour retablir les Batiments dans lEtat ou ils Etoient auparavant, dautant plus que dans peu il espere qu'on y mettra un Corp de troupes En garnison lequel aura Besoin de ces Batiments Et fera les Enquetes necessaires concernants les dites personnes Si elles negligent cette precaution. signé Joseph janes Lt. comre aux Kaskakakias [sic] le 11 Janvier 1787.

Lû publié et affiché a la porte de L Eglise des cahos par moy joseph Labuxiere Nre et greffier audt lieu le 18 Janvier 1787.

Labuxiere grefier.

Du 19 fevrier 1787

Est comparû le Sr augustin dubuc marchand voyageur Etant de present aux Cahos a Lissue de la Cour de justice Seante En

(41, 1787.)

la Chambre du greffe Lequel aprés avoir presenté a la dite cour la requete cy aprés en a requis lenregistrement En ce dit greffe que jay transcrit Sur le registre des Enregistrement mot a mot suivant loriginal ainsy quil Suit.

a Monsieur jean Bte LaCroix presidant Et Messieurs Les juges de la cour du district des cahos Messieurs

augustin dubuque marchand voyageur de montreal residant a present en ce poste faisant par procuration du St valentine jautard avocat En la dite ville a lhonneur de vous representer

1 Janis was appointed commissioner either by the government of the revived French party after the receipt of a letter from Congress or else by George Rogers Clark, who was at this time in Vincennes. The notice is evidently directed against John Dodge, who had possession of the old fort on the bluffs and who had taken cannon and other material for fortification from the Jesuit building in the village, known as Fort Clark. See Introduction, p. cxxviii.

497

CLERK'S RECORD, FEBRUARY, 1787

tain which commands the village or at any storehouse or public building, they may expect that they will be punished very severely, since therefrom depends tbe welfare of a government which de- sires to be just and equitable.

Every person who has in his possession anything belonging to the public is notified to return it as soon as possible.

The undersigned would think himself fortunate, if the persons who are known to have demolished the old college of the Jesuits would profit by this notice to bring to it the materials which they have taken therefrom and to rebuild the structures in the condition in which they were hitherto, since it is hoped that in a short time there will be stationed there in garrison a corps of troops, who will have need of these buildings; and the necessary enquiries con- cerning these persons will be made, if they neglect this warning. Signed at Kaskaskia, January 11, 1787, Joseph Janez, Lieut Com.

Read, published and posted on the door of the church of Cahokia by me, Joseph Labuxiere, notary and clerk of the said place January 18, 1787. 1

Labuxiere, Clerk.

February 19, 1787.

There appeared M. Augustin Dubuque, traveling trader, at present in Cahokia, at the door of the court of justice sitting in the office of the clerk; and after having presented to the said Court the following petition, he has required the registration there- of in this said office; and I have transcribed it on the record of the registrations word for word according to the original as follows:

To M. Jean Bte. LaCroix and MM. the Judges of the Court of the District of Cahokia.

Sirs:

Augustin Dubuque, traveling trader of Montreal, resident at present in this post, and acting by power of attorney of M. Valen- tine Jautard, lawyer in the said city, has the honor to show you that, in virtue of the decree under date of the sixth of the month of November last, of which it has pleased you to cause him to be informed, he had believed that [he would have received justice] in accordance with the legality of the claims which the said M.

498

ILLINOIS HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS

quen vertu de la Sentence quil vous a plû luy faire Signiffier en date du Sixieme du mois de Novembre dernier il auroit Crû qua- prés la validité des droits que a requis ledt sr jautard Sur les Biens Cy devant appartenants aux missions Etrangeres Situés En ce village paroisse de la Ste famille consistant En une maison de pierre et Son terrain ainsy quune terre Et autres effets tel quil est Ennoncé par le contract de vente quen a fait en Son vivant le Sr jean Lagrange au Sr jautard par acte passé pardevant mr Labuxiere Notaire Royal en datte du quatriesme juin de Lannée mil Sept cent Soixante Cinq dont ledt Sr Lagrange avoit acquis le tout de Mr francois forget duverger pretre et missionnaire des missions Etrangeres grand vicaire de Mr Leveque de quebec faisant et agissant alors au Nom de Mr Le Superieur des missions Etrangere de paris, par acte passé devant ledt Mr Labuxiere notaire Royal des [Illinois]le Cinquiesme de Novembre mil sept cent Soixante trois Sous le gouvernement de Mr de Neyon alors gouverneur de ce pays au Service de Sa majesté le Roy de france. Le supliant ne peut cacher Sa Surprise connoissant la probité des arbitres Nommés par la communauté des habitans de ce village pour donner leurs opinions Sur la validité ou linvalidité des titres cy dessus mentionnés, de voir avec quelle authorité (et Sil m'est permis Sans blesser la modestie des dits arbitres) avec quelle legerité ils ont Cassé Ennulé et mis au Neant les actes passés il y a vingt Cinq a vingt six ans par main de Notaire Royal, tems ou le pays Etoit sous la domination francaise et jouissoit dune justice Etablie Et reglée Et ou toutes personnes en place N'auroit Eu la temerité de passer ou recevoir aucun acte qui ne fut con- forme aux loix Sans Encourir les risques de punition.

quil me soit permis Messieurs de vous observer quel seroit Ce droit des gens Si la Cour daujourdhuy toute respectable quelle est, Et quel pouvoir qui luy soit Confié, avoit le droit de Casser

(42, 1787.)

les actes passez sous les gouvernements francais et anglais Sous lesquels nous avons Successivement passez dans lespace dEnviron quatorze a quinze ans, quelle seroit la Sureté publique, y auroit-il

1 For an account of the purchase by Jautard, see Thwaites, Jesuit Relations, Ixxi .. 37.

499

CLERK'S RECORD, FEBRUARY, 1787

Jautard has made to the property heretofore belonging to the foreign missions situated in this village, parish of the Holy Family, and consisting of a stone house with its lot as well as a plantation and other effects, such as is described by the contract of sale, which M. Jean Lagrange during his life made thereof to M. Jautard by instrument passed before M. Labuxiere, royal notary, dated June 4, 1765, all of which the said M. Lagrange had ac- quired from M. François Forget Duverger, priest and mission- ary of the foreign missions and grand vicar of the bishop of Quebec, acting at that time in the name of M. the Superior of the foreign missions of Paris, by instrument passed before the said M. Labuxiere, royal notary of the [Illinois], on the 5th of November, 1763, under the government of M. de Neyon, at the time governor of this country in the service of His Majesty the King of France.1 The petitioner cannot conceal his surprise, since he knows the probity of the arbitrators appointed by the community of the inhabitants of this village to give their votes on the validity or invalidity of the titles hereinabove mentioned, at seeing with what authority (and if it is permitted without wounding the modesty of the said arbitrators) with what levity they have put aside, an- nulled and set at naught the instruments passed twenty-five to twenty-six years ago by the hand of a royal notary, at which time the country was under the French dominion and enjoyed an estab- lished and regulated justice and when no person in office would have had the temerity to pass or receive any instrument, which did not conform to the laws, without incurring the risks of punishment.

Permit me, gentlemen, to inform you what this right of the people would be, if the Court of to-day, wholly honorable as it is, and what the power which is confided to you would be, did the right exist of setting aside the instruments passed under the French and English governments, under which we have successively passed in the space of about fourteen to fifteen years. What would be the public surety? Would there be any individual who could flatter himself with enjoying acquisitions which he has made or will leave to his descendants, without running the risk of seeing them forfeited ? Would not such a power become absurd which instead

500

ILLINOIS HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS

aucun particulier qui pû se flater de jouir des acquisitions quil a faites ou laissées a leurs descendans Sans courir les risques de S'En voir dechû, un tel pouvoir ne deviendroit-il pas absurde qui au lieu de veiller a la Sureté publique par le maintien des loix donneroit atteinte a les Enfreindre, le droit des gens Est un droit que toutes nations Civilizées respectent Et Se rendent reciproque- ment les uns aux autres, lorsque le pays fut rendû par le traité de paix aux Englais lon a vû cette nation respecter Et metre En force tout acte de justice passez Sous le gouvernement francais, comme maintenant que nous Sommes au pouvoir des Etats unis de Lamerique lon verra cette puissance maintenir dans toute Sa force toutes loix et usages existants Sous les deux gouverne- ments anterieurs les puissances Conquerantes ont le droit dajouter au pays qu'ils ont conquis les loix qui leurs Sont propres mais non pas de Casser celles qui regnoient precedament

Le Supliant vous represente trés respectueusement quen vertu de la procuration a lui livrée par le Sr valentin jautrad avocat resident a montreal pour Se nantir des Biens cy devant mentionnez quil avoit legitimement acquis de deffunt Sr jean Lagrange Et dont il a joui paisiblement pendant lespace denviron vingt un an Sans interuptions ni apellation de qui que ce soit il a En conce- quance Lanneé derniere fait DéCrétter La dite Mission avec les Dits Biens En presence de témoin, pendant trois Mois de Suitte a la porte de L'eglise au nom du dit Sieur Valentine Jau- tard Comme à lui appartenant Sans que qui que Ce Soit Se pré- sentat pour y m'ettre Empechment, et ont été vandû Juridicque- ment Selon les Loix et Coutumes du païs à la porte de L'eglise, La quel vente Le Suppliant Entend quil est Lieu Sauf au Colége des Mission Etrangeres d'avoir Leurs recours Contre Leurs agent; Le Suppliant a L'honneur de vous observer Messieurs que Lorsque il a donné Sa Signature pour Se Soumettre à la Desition des Arbi- tres il ne Croyoit pas avoir affaire à ses propres parties puisse qu'il ce Disent ou ils sont Connu Etre de la Communauté des habitans Il ne veut pas dire par la qu'il est Crû m'al Decider mais il san- tient deCément que faisant corps Dans le nombre des paroissiens ils aurait Dû Ce Recuser au lieu de prendre Le ton dautorité de

501

CLERK'S RECORD, FEBRUARY, 1787

of watching over the public surety through the maintenance of the laws should give a blow to break them. The right of the people is a right which all civilized nations respect and submit to recip- rocally. When the country was surrendered to the English by the treaty of peace, that nation was seen to respect and put in force all acts of justice passed under the French government. Since now we are in the power of the United States, it will be seen that this power maintains in all their force the laws and usages which have existed under the two preceding governments. The conquering powers have the right to add to the country, which they have con- quered, the laws which are their own; but not to annul those which were in force before.

The petitioner sets forth to you very respectfully that, in virtue of the power of attorney given him by M. Valentine Jautard, lawyer residing in Montreal, to take possession of the property hereinbefore mentioned, which he had legitimately acquired from the deceased M. Jean Lagrange and which he has enjoyed peace- fully during the space of about twenty-one years without interrup- tion or action from any one, and in consequence thereof, he last year caused to be issued in the presence of witnesses and posted, for three months together at the door of the church, a writ against the said mission and its property in the name of the said M. Valentine Jautard as belonging to him, without any one presenting himself to make objection thereto; and judicial sale was made according to the laws and customs of the country at the door of the church which sale, the petitioner understands, is allowed, reserving to the college of the foreign missions the right to have recourse against their agent. The petitioner has the honor to remark to you, gen- tlemen, that when he gave his signature to submit himself to the decision of the arbitrators, he did not believe that he had an affair with the interested parties. Since they say it or are known to be of the community of the inhabitants, and he does not wish to say by that it is believed the decision was unjust, but he feels that, since they were of the number of the parishioners, they ought properly to have challenged them instead of taking the tone of authority to annul and set aside authentic instruments legally passed under a

502

ILLINOIS HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS

(43, 1787.)

Casser et d'anéanter des actes authentiques passer L'egalement Sous un Governement sage; Le Suppliant ne peut voir quavec Peine que Les susdits arbitres annonCent dans un passage de Leurs Sen- tance que Le dit Suppliant est Nantie De titres authentiques de la part du Sr Jautard et dans un autre ils disent quils N'en à pas suffisamant puisquil En demande d'autres ils osent Encore avan- cer que Le Sr abbé forget s'est Evadé furtivement de pais dans le tems quils scavent Le Contraire, Leurs sentence prouve que L'abbé forget a Emportér Les fonds de la Mission En france, C'est donc La Mission même qui a ôpérer dans Ce fait, puis qu'ils avoit Mis La Gestion et La Conduite Entre les mains du dit forget et que personne ne Ce soit opposer a la sortie des fonds L'orsqu'il partie du pais; dans Le Convoy de Monsieur de Neyon àlors Gouverneur du pais; Le Suppliant Doit donc Etre Certain que Le dit forget avoit tous pouvoir dans Ladministration de cette Mission et Les habitans n'en ont point Douter puisquils ont acquis de Lui, et quand même il N'auroit pas Été muny d'un pouvoir particulier, il a Été Connu membre de La Mission et Vicaire général et par consequant toutes Les ventes ou transsactions faites par lui sont pour le Compte de la dite mission, il est donc plus que Ridicule aux arbitres de prendre Le haut ton d'autorité de Casser et annul- ler des actes Sacrés, un tribunal de Justice Légale Les respecte partous, il ny a que Le deffaut de forme qui puisse Les annéantir, mais il est deffendu à des arbitres Den Connoitre. Ce Consideré il vous Plaise, Messieurs Declarér La dite sentence null et Randu par des Personnes inCompetentes, dire que Leur pouvoir ne s'etand pas Jusqu'a decider une affaire de Droits qui n'appar- tient qu'au tribunal Competent, de plus le suppliant vous prie, Messieurs, de le recevoir appelant de La susdite sentence et de Lui En Expedier acte afin qu'il puisse se pourvoir partout ou à qui le droits appartiendra, et ferez droit. Présenté par moi soussigné à la cour respective des Cahokias le 15 eme fevrier 1787 au Kaho- kias. signé dubuc Et a linstant ladite requete a Eté Remise audt sr dubuque par moy greffier Soussigné aprés la seance de la Cour tenue par Mrs fr. Saucier présidant au lieu et place de st jean Bte

503

CLERK'S RECORD, FEBRUARY, 1787

well-conducted government. The petitioner can see only with pain that the arbitrators aforesaid announce in a passage of their verdict that the said petitioner is provided with authentic titles from M. Jautard and in another they say that he has not sufficient of them, since they demand others. They also dare to advance that M. Abbé Forget left the country at the time secretly, when they know the contrary. Their verdict proves that the Abbé Forget has carried the funds of the mission to France. It is then the mission itself which has acted in this deed, since they have placed the action and conduct in the hands of the said Forget and since no one has made opposition to the departure of the funds, when he set out from the country in the convoy of M. de Neyon, at that time governor of the country. The petitioner ought then to be certain that the said Forget had all power in the administra- tion of this mission; and the inhabitants have had no doubt there- of, since they have acquired property of him; and if even he should not have been armed with a particular power, he has been known as a member of the mission and vicar-general and consequently all the sales or transactions made by him are for the account of the said mission; and it is therefore more than ridiculous for arbitra- tors to take the high tone of authority of annulling and setting aside sacred acts - a tribunal of civil justice would respect them every- where. There is only the defect of form which could annul them, but it is forbidden arbitrators to take cognizance thereof. In con- sideration of this, gentlemen, you should decide to declare the said verdict null and rendered by persons incompetent, and to say that their power does not extend to deciding a question of law, which belongs only to a competent tribunal.

Furthermore the petitioner prays you, gentlemen, to receive his appeal from the verdict aforesaid and to expedite an act thereof in order that he can plead everywhere in regard to whom the rights belong and obtain justice. Presented by me, the under- signed, to the honorable Court of Cahokia, the 15th of February, 1787, at Cahokia. Signed, Dubuque. And now the said petition has been returned to the said M. Dubuque by me the undersigned clerk, after the sitting of the Court, held by MM. Fr. Saucier, presi-

504

ILLINOIS HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS

(44, 1787.)

LaCroix-At. girardin - Louis Chatel - M saucier - Clement alary-et joseph Lapensée a qui ladite Requete a Eté presentée Et par eux apointee au bas dicelle ainsy quil suit vû par la Cour assemblée la requete cy dessus du sr dubuque Ensemble la sentence rendue par les deputez arbitres Nommez par la Communauté des habitans des cahos auxquels ledt sr dubuq a promis de sen raporter par son Ecrit En datte du sept Novembre 1786. la Cour a debouté le sr dubuque de toutes ses demandes et chef dobserva- tions mentionnés En sa requete Et a Confirmé et Confirme la sentence desdits deputez et ordonne quelle sortira son plain Et Entier Effet nonobstant tout apel. donné aux Cahos le 19 fevrier mil sept cent quatre vingt sept. signé au bas de Lapointe de ladite requete remise au st dubuque At girardin-Mt saucier-une + pour marque de joseph Lapensée-une+pour marque de Cle- ment alary. une+pour marque de Louis Chatel-fr. Saucier presidant et le grefier soussigné

Aug. Dubuq

Labuxiere

aujourdhuy premier Mars mil Sept cent quatre vingt Sept est comparû au greffe de ce siege le sr augustin dubuque marchand voyageur lequel a requis Lenregistrement de la procuration cy aprés

Pardevant les notaires de la province de quebec residants a montreal Soussignez Mr valentin jautard avocat demeurant fau- bourg St joseph prés cette ville de montreal lequel a par ces pre- sentes fait et constitué Son procureur general et special la pesonne de Mr augustin Dubuc Negociant voyageur actuellement En cette ville auquel il donné pouvoir de pour luy et En Son Nom aliener vendre, cedder, et transporter a qui Bon luy Semblera Et pour tel prix et Sommes que ledt Sr Contsitué jugera les terrains cy aprés dessignez Savoir, un lopin de terre Situé au village des cahokias paroisse de la Ste famille contenant Environ trois cent pieds de terre de front, Sur neuf cent pieds de profundeur Sur lequel Est construite une maison de pierre ainsy et dans lEtat ou elle Se trouve actuellement, plus une terre de quatre arpents de front situé anteritoire des cahos a prendre du Rigolet en pro-

505

CLERK'S RECORD, MARCH, 1787

dent in the place and stead of M. Jean Bte. LaCroix, Ant. Girardin, Louis Chatel, M. Saucier, Clement Alarie, and Joseph Lapancé, to whom the said petition was presented and by them referred. Below is also what follows: Seen by the assembled Court the above petition of M. Dubuque, together with the verdict of the deputed arbitrators appointed by the community of the inhabitants of Cahokia, to whom the said M. Dubuque has promised to leave the decision by his writing dated November 7, 1786. The Court has overruled all the prayers and principal observations mentioned in the petition of M. Dubuque, and has confirmed and does con- firm the verdict of the said deputies, and decrees that it shall have its full and entire effect notwithstanding all appeal. Given at Cahokia February 19, 1787. Signed below the reference of the said petition returned to M. Dubuque, Ant. Girardin, Mt. Saucier, a + for the mark of Joseph Lapancé, a + for the mark of Clement Alary, a + for the mark of Louis Chatel, Fr. Saucier, president, and the undersigned clerk.

Aug. Dubuque.

Labuxiere.

To-day, the first of March, 1787, there appeared at the office of this Court M. Augustin Dubuque, traveling trader, who has required the registration of the power of attorney here following :

Before the undersigned notaries of the province of Quebec, residing at Montreal, M. Valentine Jautard, lawyer living in the faubourg St. Joseph near this city of Montreal, has by these presents made and constituted his attorney, general and special, the person of M. Augustin Dubuque, traveling merchant, at pres- ent in this city, to whom he has given power to sell, alienate, cede and transfer for him and in his name, to whom it shall seem good to him and for what price and sum which the said constituted attorney shall determine, the lands hereafter designated: to wit, a piece of land situated in the village of Cahokia, parish of the Holy Family, containing about three hundred feet frontage and about nine hundred feet in depth, upon which is constructed a stone house, in whatever condition it is found at present; also a plantation of four arpents frontage situated in front of Cahokia extending in depth from the trench to the bluffs, adjoining on

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Cahokia records, 1778-1790, Part 53

Author: Alvord, Clarence Walworth, 1868-1928 Publication date: Publisher: Number of Pages: 856

Author: Alvord, Clarence Walworth, 1868-1928
Publication date:
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 856