USA > Louisiana > Historical collections of Louisiana : embracing translations of many rare and valuable documents relating to the natural, civil and political history of that state > Part 5
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21st. Memorial of the inhabitants and merchants of Louisiana to the King of France, explaining the causes which led to the expulsion of Ulloa. This document, penned by Lafrenière, was drawn up it ap- pears after the failure of the application to the British Government for protection, on the standard of liberty being raised-it is couched in fine language, contains valuable statistical information, and shows that Louisiana in its infancy contained talented men and noble souls.
22d. Letter from the Marquis de Grimaldi to the Count of Fuentes, then Ambassador to the Court of France, giving an account of a council of state, wherein the whole matter of the Louisiana Rebellion is taken up-the council having with only one dissenting voice decided to consider Louisiana as a Spanish possession. The Marquis announces the appointment of Gen. O'Reilly with extraordinary powers, modi- fied, however, by the King of Spain, so as confine to expulsion all rases deserving greater punishment. The Ambassador in the same letter is desired to demand of the King of France to disapprove the conduct of his subjects in Louisiana .*
234. Letter from Aubry to the Duke of Choiseul, wherein he tries to show that to France Louisiana can be of no advantage-and that
. The ministers who met to decide upon the fate of Louisiana, after the ex- pulsion of Gilda, were the Dukes d'Alba, Munian, the Counts d'Aranda, Mus. quir, Atriega, and the Marquis de Grimalda.
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HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS OF LOUISIANA.
to Spain it can be of no other advantage than to protect its Mexican possessions against smuggling. This letter bears date 1768.
24th. Letter from the same to the same, bearing date 24th August, 1769-referring to his former accounts of the doings of the rebels from 29th Oct. 1768, to 20th May, 1760-confirining all the state- ments of Ulloa-he announces the arrival, at a moment when he con- sidered all lost, of a liberator, Gen. O'Reilly, with 3000 troops-he gives an account of the transfer of the government to that general- he appears then to have considered the whole matter as ended, and that the past would have been forgotten-the leaders having by his advice quietly submitted.
25th. 1765-16th Nov. Decree prohibiting the introduction of slaves from Martinique, on account of their propensity to poisoning.
26th. 1766, 29th Sept .- letter from Aubry and Foucault, notify- ing the refusal of the French troops to enter into the service of Spain.
27th. 1716-letter from Mr. Duclos to the French minister rela- tive to Natchez.
28th. No date-finances of Louisiana-first account of the intro- duction of goverment paper money in Louisiana by Ordinance of the King of France, bearing date 14th Sept. 1735-amount issued 200,000 livres. The reasons alleged for this issue are the same which were given by some of our modern financiers, to justify their application to the Bank of the United States for their depreciated paper, to enable the New Orleans banks to resume specie payment. At that epoch the King of France was a merchant, had public stores, and the circu- lation of his paper money was to have been obtained by its being made legal tender for all goods purchased from the public stores. This document is not dated, and appears to have been written in 1744-5.
29th. No date-opinion of Messrs. Bienville and Salmon regard- ing the emission of paper money, which they recommend.
30th. Statistics of the Indian nations from Mobile to Carolina- plan presented to secure the trade then carrying on between the In- dians and Carolina. This document is without date, and appears to have been drawn up under the administration of Gov. de Kerleree.
31st. 1740-Muster roll of all the officers and cadets in Louisiana.
32d. 1710, 13th May-instruction of the King of France to Mr. De la Mothe Cadillac, as Governor of Louisiana. This document shows the great difficulties the first inhabitants had to labor under.
38d. 1743, 21st July -- letter from Vaudreuil Salmon, touching the wax-trec.
34th. Memorial of Dr. Brat on the same subject.
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PORTFOLIO NO. I.
35th. Memorial on Natchitoches. This document is interesting ; that country is there represented as favorable to all the agricultural products of Europe, and to cotton, tobacco, &c. It bears no date, and appears to have been drawn up by Mr. St. Denis.
36th. 1765-report of the arrival of 193 Acadians sent to Ope- lousas.
37th. 1764, 7th June -- memorial of the merchants of New Orleans to Mr. d'Abbadie, depicting the wretched condition of the colony produced by depreciated paper money. This document contains a practical refutation of the credit system as eulogized by our present chamber of commerce in their pamphlet entitled "Credit System." It shows the demoralizing effects produced by the shadow being mis- taken for the substance.
38th. 1764, 10th April -- letter to Mr. d'Abaddie, respecting 3000 Judians collected in Mobile-the advantages of the colony, and the progress in the manufacture of sugar.
39th. 1764-letter from Mr. d'Abaddie to the Duke of Choiseul announcing the establishment at Lafourche Chetimaches, of about 200 Indians from Mobile-the Teansas.
40th. 1704-statistics of the colony -- population including the garrison, 180 men.
27 families-3 girls and 7 boys from 1 to 10 years.
80 houses covered with lataniers, laid out in straight streets.
190 acres land cleared for the building of the city.
9 oxen, of which 5 belong to the King.
14 cows.
4 bulls belonging to the King. This document is signed "Lasalle."
41st. 1702-letter from De Lasalle, announcing his arrival at Pen- sacola and Mobile. This document is interesting.
42d. 1702, 11th Dec .- letter from De Lasalle to the minister, stating that he has been compelled to dispatch a vessel to Vera Cruz to inform the Viceroy of Mexico of the siege of St. Augustine by the English and Indians, with 16 ships.
Pensacola appears to have been founded four years after the disco- very of Louisiana.
434. 1729-30-history of the wars in Louisiana-Dartaguette was killed in battle with the Indians.
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HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS OF LOUISIANA.
PORTFOLIO NO. II.
44th. 1769-remarks of Mr. Aubry on the rebellion in Louisiana. 45th. Memorial on the finances of Louisiana posterior to 1731.
46th. 1697, 14th Oct .- Quebec, letter touching information re- quired about the Spanish possessions in Mexico bordering the tribu- taries of the Mississippi : this document is interesting; it speaks of Lasalle, and presents some remarks on the mines.
47th. 26th July-Dartaguette in Louisiana speaks of the inunda- tion by the Mississippi; its waters having risen to the garrets of houses in New Orleans.
48th. 22d February, 1759-survey of the domains of the King adjoining Mrs. Pradel's plantation. ·
49th. 1748, 21st May-memorial of Mr. Gradesfils in Louisiana, showing the great advantages of that colony.
50th. Project of colonization for Louisiana, demand of a large tract of land on condition of its being cultivated in tobacco, cotton, sugar-cane and indigo. This project, drawn up in Versailles, bears no date.
51st. 1717-memorial of Mr. Hubert on Louisiana, attempting to show that the colonization of that country, if energetically pursued, would gradually lead to the conquest of the whole of North America.
52d. Memorial to show that Louisiana might become as important as Mexico.
53d. 1719-memorial of Mr. Bienville announcing the fall of Pen- sacola into his hands, and the events ensuing the same.
54th. 1738-insignificant letter respecting the Jesuits.
55th. 1754, 20th Sept .- letter from Mr. de Kerlerec to Dauber- ville, on the necessity of military station at the Balize. This letter contains an interesting account of the mouth of the river, and a pro- posal to establish there a floating battery with heavy guns.
56th. Statement of occurrences in Biloxi.
57th. Project to restore confidence in Louisiana destroyed by irre- deemable paper money ; proposal to make the King's paper legal ten- der ; form of an edict. This document must have been written some time about 1754.
58th. Memorial on Louisiana, representing the necessity of retain- ing that colony, in order to prevent the English becoming masters of not only the whole of North America, but also of Mexico. By this
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PORTFOLIO NO. II.
document it appears that Mr. St. Denis headed the 20 Canadians on the exploring expedition from the Red River to the province of Leon in Mexico; it appears to bave been written about the year 1715.
59th. Memorial on the same subject at the same epoch.
60th. do. do.
61st. 1692, 14th Sept .- account of the attack by five 60 gun ves- sels of the Fort Louis in Louisiana, under the command of Mr. de Bouillon, Governor of Newfoundland.
62d. 1700-memorial for the colonization of the Mississippi.
63d. List of the officers under the command of Dartaguette, and in Louisiana.
G1th. 1749, 17th Dec .---- memorial of Mr. Le Bailly Messager, on Louisiana. This document is interesting ; a central power is proposed to be established on the Wabash-fertility of the soil, &c.
65th. 1750-memorial of the same, on the same subject.
66th. 1754, 6th March-memorial on Louisiana; by Mr. Colom, to increase the commerce of Louisiana with the Islands and the me- tropolis; the plan embraces the whole of the basin of the Mississippi, and is interesting.
67th. No date-report of three commissioners touching an inter- view with the Governor of Pensacola, de Galve, for the purpose of de- vising the means to prevent the English taking possession of that post. Determination on the part of the Governor of Pensacola to rely upon the Bull of Pope Alexander the VI., conceding the line 180 to the Catholic Kings, the power of the Pope to grant crowns repudiated by the commissions. This document is curious, and appears to have been written in 1700.
68th. 1709-observations on the Bull of Pope Alexander; de- velopment of the immense advantages to be derived by France from the possession of Louisiana.
69th. 1701, 17th July-memorial on Louisiana; advice to the King as to the measures to be adopted for its welfare.
70th. 1700, 27th April-memorial on Louisiana; situation of the colony.
71st. 1712, June-memorial of Mr. Tions de Gouville, on the ad- vantages of Louisiana, and the causes which have checked all progress in that country.
72d. No date-memorial on fortifications required.
784. 1738, 10th May-Hubert's memorial on Louisiana. This document is very interesting for its statistical information.
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HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS OF LOUISIANA.
. 74th. 1714-memorial to show the necessity of inviting emigration to Louisiana. This document is interesting, and contains extracts of letters from Crozat.
75th. 1716-great and masterly development of the destinies of Louisiana.
76th. 1714, 17th April-memorial on the wretched condition of the colony.
77th. 1716-a memorial is to be found on Louisiana after Lasalle's discovery, in the registers of the navy department, 8 f., 123 ro. (This is a memorandum in this portfolio.)
78th. 1720-memorial on the fortifications of Pensacola, and of the impossibility on account of the nature of the soil to establish good foundations.
79th. 1723-letter and memorial of Mr. Hubert on the advantages of Louisiana.
SOth. 1753-prohibition by the Marquis Duquesne against the ex- portation of grain from Canada ; he styles himself Governor of "la Nouvelle France, and of all the lands and countries of Louisiana."
81st. 1755-Quebec, Canada, proces verbal of a voyage to the river Senaramixi.
82d. 1751, Tombeckbe, 18th June-letter announcing the capture of five deserters; speeches of the Indians who brought them back, to obtain their pardon.
83d. 1787-extract of a letter from Mr. de Villiers on the sub- ject of a tobacco contract with the King of Spain.
S4th. Canada, 1753-ordinance of the Marquis Duquesne, fixing the maximum of wheat to 3 livres per minot on plantations, and 3 livres 10 sols in town.
S5th. 1716-memorial of Mr. Crozat on Louisiana, important de- velopments.
86th. 1751, 15th July-accusation of Mr. Michel against Mr. Fleurian, procureur-general, and Captain Derneville.
87th. No date-memorial explanatory of patent letters proposed to the King.
88th. 1769 --- grievances against Governor Ulloa and Aubry. The document is not signed.
80th. 1745-interesting memorial on the administration of Louis- iana. By this document it appears that the Ursulines are bound to at- tend to the hospital, and to educate 80 orphan girls.
00th. 1716-letters patent projected for Louisiana.
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PORTFOLIO NO. II.
91st. 1662-memorials respecting the doings of the West India Company ; forms of concessions.
92d. 1723-memorial on the rivers, lands and Indians of Missouri. This document is interesting, and shows that there was a traffic then carrying on between Missouri and Mexico.
93d. No date-memorial for a concession of lands from Manchac to New Orleans.
94th. No date-memorial on the subject of Father Beaubois, supc- rior of the " Missionnaires Jesuites" in Louisiana. This document ap- pears to have been addressed to Governor Bienville.
95th. 1738-memorial of Governor Bienville, touching his intended operations against the Chicachas.
96th. 1735-opinion of Mr. Bienville in case of war.
97th. 1735, 25th August-Mr. Bienville sends an account on Georgia ; of their system of colonization, &c. This document is in- teresting.
08th. 1735, 20th Sept .- Mr. de Bienville on the Chicachas.
90th. 1735, 14th April-Mr. de Bienville on the Indians.
100th. 1739, 25th March - do. do.
101st. No date-report on the necessity of separating the govern- ment of Louisiana from that of Canada, to which under the West India Company it was attached. This document was evidently written in 1731 ; recommends a new organization.
102d. 1731, 25th March-Mr. Paria advises the minister of the defeat of the Renards, by the Illinois and other Indians living on the borders of Canada ; he enters into some details respecting Indian war- fare. Speaks of one of the passes at the Balize having 17 feet water, which shortly before had only 12; is of opinion that two vessels em- ployed three months each year, say April, May and June, would give 22 feet on the bar. Speaks of a report by him on the Balize which I have not yet found. . This document is very interesting.
102d. 20th August-account of the Natchez war, by Mr. D'Iron, 1731.
104th. 1735-Mr. de Bienville on Louisiana in case of war; its relation with the Indians.
105th. 1787; 20th Dec .- Mr. Bienville's report of two expeditions of the Chactaws against the Chicachas.
106th. 1788, 18th August-Mr. Bienville's report of deserters brought back by the Alibamous.
107th. 1788, 26th April-Mr. Bienville's report on the interior of Illinois and Ohio, and of the Indians there.
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HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS OF LOUISIANA.
108th. 1738, 22d March-Mr. Bienville's report of an exploring voyage to the river Jachoux (Yazoo), details on those countries; dis- covery of the Chicachas road which led to the voyage.
109th. 1738, 20th May-Mr. Bienville's report of the voyage of exploration on the Wabash ; interesting account of the adjoining country.
110th. 1702, 20th June-memorial of Mr. d'Iberville on the Mis- sissippi, the Mobile, and surrounding countries ; their inhabitants, latitudes of many places taken by him ; statistics of all the Indian nations, including the Illinois and Ohio. He states the number of families at 21,860 ; plan of action proposed. This document is ably drawn up and full of interest ; it bears the signature of Mr. d'Iber- ville.
111th. 1708, 25th Feb .- memorial of Mr. Dartaguette, giving an account of the information received by him from Mr. Demny of the fort of Louisiana ; statistical report on Mobile.
112th. Letter from Bienville, with a full account of the doings in Mobile and Louisiana ; represents the country in a state of great poverty ; contains interesting information on the Indians and the English.
113th. 1731-letter from Mr. de St. Denis to Mr. Salmon, giving an account of a battle with the Indians.
114th. 1763-evacuation of Louisiana. It is proposed to send to St. Domingo the troops in Louisiana ; this plan is approved.
115th. 13 Fructidor An 10, General Milford Tastanagy proposes to answer the application made by the American minister for the pur- chase of Louisiana ; General Milford promises to prove to the first consul that a cession would be fatal to France.
116th. 1747, Feb. - Governor Vaudreuil states his preparations in case of attack by the English ; sends a plan of the mouth of the Mis- sissippi (not yet found) ; says that the bar at the Balize contains 11 or 12 feet, mud and sandy bottom, and 15, 16 and 17 feet on the eastern pass, and a shorter bar.
117th. 1712, Sth Sept .- memorial to prevent debauchery (liber- tinage) in Louisiana.
118th. 1762, 13th Nov .- cession of Louisiana to Spain ; ratification by the King of Spain.
119th. Questions by General Victor to the First Consul regarding Louisiana and his answers.
120th. 1753-Mr. de Kerlerec, suit of Andre Barri.
121st. 1701-memorial of Mr. d'Iberville on Pensacola.
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PORTFOLIO NO. II.
122d. 1703-project to take Charleston and to burn it.
123d. 1750, Ist Feb .- letter of Pierre Rigaut, Marquis de Vau- dreuil, informing the King of the necessity he had been under of is- suing paper money.
124th. Memorandum to show in what light the West India Com- pany ought to have been considered by the French Government.
125th. No date-memorial of the West India Company.
126th. 1685-memorial of the West India Company.
127th. 1753, 8th March-Mr. Kerlerec announcing his arrival in Louisiana, he gives an account of his reception, and some statistical details.
128th. 1770, 16th June-memorial of Mr. Robe; Ordonnateur of Louisiana.
129th. 1715-instructions of the King to Messrs. Lamothe, Ca- dillac and Duclos, Governor and Ordonnateur of Louisiana.
130th. 1752-three tables to carry on the official correspondence between the colony and its metropolis by the means of ciphers, and the key for the same.
No. 520 St. Yago; No. 530 lui; No. 540 ab; No. 550 Croix ; No 460 beau; 400 Canada, &c.
131st. 1732, 9th May-proces verbal of Messrs. Perrier and Sal- mon respecting the arrival of 146 Swiss soldiers.
132d. 1760, 2d June-result of the sitting at the government house respecting certain works to be undertaken.
133d. 1707, 22d June-proposals of Mr. le Count de Ponchartrain for the formation of a Company in Louisiana.
13.4th. 1733-Mr. de Bienville announces his arrival at the Cape Francois; hopes to be in New Orleans 30 days after.
135th. 1732, 12th May-letter from Mr. Salmon touching the con- dition of Louisiana and Mobile.
136th. 1715-extract of a letter written at Caskasias, a village in Illinois, sometimes called l'Immaculée conception de la Ste. Vierge, dated 9th Nov. 1712, by Father Gabriel Marest, a Jesuit residing since several years in that country as a missionary. This letter was printed in 1715 in the " Lettres édifiantes ;" it is full of interest, and contains great statistical information.
137th. 1761, 12th Dec .- letter of Mr. Thiton de Sileque in behalf of Mr. de Kerlerec, stating his services for the King.
138th. No date-picture of the troubles in Louisiana, and of the demoralization occasioned by paper money ; plan to restore confidence; means recommended ; " to coerce forthwith the withdrawal of paper
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HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS OF LOUISIANA.
money and its payment in full." This document appears to have been written in 1760.
No date-Mr. de Kerlerec asks the cordon rouge and sends his " feuille de service."
139th. No date-remarks on the commerce of Louisiana and its ces- sion to Spain. This document must have been written in 1770.
140th. 1764, May-memorial of Mr. de Kerlerec on the advan- tages of a commercial treaty with Spain, with a view of establishing an entrepot in New Orleans.
141st. 1764, May-letter of Mr. de Kerlerec enclosing the above memorial.
142d. No date-extracts of all the letters of Mr. de Kerlerec on the demoralized condition of Louisiana. This document must have been written in 1764.
143d. No date-memorial of the corps of engineers ; the artillery and cadets of Louisiana.
144th. No date-memorial on the population of Louisiana ; Paris and other large cities of the kingdom had been sending to Louisiana their debauched women ; fortunately for the colony, says the paper, the women died as they arrived; recommends colonization on a more respectable plan.
145th. No date-memorial on Louisiana, from which it appears that the Capucins established themselves there in 1722; that their establishment obtained the royal sanction on the 15th July, 1725. That the first treaty between the Jesuits and the West India Company was entered into in 1721; and that they obtained the royal sanction to their establishment on the 20th February and 17th August, 1726; that their ecclesiastical functions were subject to the control of the Superior of the Capucins.
PORTFOLIO NO. III.
146th. 1765-1767-correspondence of Aubry and Foucault with the government touching the administration of the country.
147th. 1763-project of evacuation of Louisiana by the French on the cession to Spain.
148th. No date-memorial on Louisiana. This document appears to have been written towards the year 1730; it is remarkable for its extensive views ; it treats of the country of Mobile, of the Balize, of its passes, of the country between the Balize and New Orleans, of the
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PORTFOLIO NO. III.
neighborhood of this city, of Pointe Coupee, of Natchez, or Arkan- sas, of Illinois ; it contains 40 pages, and concludes by offering a plan of colonization for the whole. On the passes it states :-
"River St. Louis (Mississippi) throws itself into the sea by five mouths, thus distinguished : eastern pass, south-east pass, south pass, south-west pass, and the Balize. In 1720 the south pass was the only- one used."
" It has been observed since these passes have been used that only one or two can be navigated at the same time, and that even then they have only 10 to 12 feet water on their bars, which vary each year according to the violence of the winds," &c. &c. -
" Besides these five passes, the river throws its waters through smaller issues forced by it, and called Bayous. If three of the above passes were closed, as also the bayous, all the waters would be forced into the two passes situated in opposite directions, such as the pass of the east and the south-west pass; the current being increased there would be less deposits; besides the wind from the sea, which would stem the current of one pass, by throwing a greater bulk of water in the other would increase its current, whereby the bar thereof would clear itself of mud deposits, &c. &c. These passes and bayous may be easily closed by three or four rows of pilotis placed close to cach other, and at a distance of about 150 to 200 toises from the mouth of the Mississippi to the pass. The interval would serve as a bed for the drift wood, which being thus stopped would soon be covered with the deposits of the river. I believe that such a work would soon afford a great protection against the river."
At the time this memorial was written, the sugar-cane was producing 2500 pounds of sugar, besides the molasses.
A plan is presented for the employment of 325 white families, and 19,000 blacks, in the cultivation of the sugar cane and tobacco.
149th. 1710-memorial on the advantages to Louisiana of inviting the Acadians established at Detroit to return to this colony.
150th. 1778-memorial of Mad. Dubreuil, praying for a pension from the French Government, as daughter of Mr. Delachaise, director of the West India Company, who was the first administrator of Louis- iana, whose wisdom and activity tended to consolidate the colony.
151st. No date -- memorial of the citizen Bounevie to the citizen Peeres, minister of marine and the colonies, proposing to undertake an exploring voyage from the western part of Louisiana to the Pacific Ocean.
152d. 1754-expose by Mr. Colon of the advantages to France of
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HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS OF LOUISIANA.
the possession of Louisiana. This paper is highly interesting and full of statistical information ; it treats fully of the agriculture of the country.
153d. 1754-memorial of Mr. Colon on the commerce of Louisiana. 154th. 1754-project of association for Louisiana by Mr. Colon.
155th. No date-picture of the wretched condition of the colony produced by the depreciated currency; plan to restore confidence. This document must have been penned about the year 1765 or '6. .
156th. An 12, Frimaire 20-proces verbal of the " prise de pos- session" of Louisiana by France. This document is signed Laussat, and is addressed to the citizen Decres, minister of marine and the colonies.
157th. 1766 to 1768-private letters of Mr. Foucault to the French minister, No. 1 to 70.
158th. Paris -- 29 Fructidor-An 9-memoranda on Louisiana by Mr. Joseph Pontalba, of Louisiana. Its position as to the United States ; its population ; the character of its inhabitants; its culture ; its commerce ; its resources ; the importance it might acquire and the means to obtain the same. Speaks of a plan proposed by a rich in- habitant of Ohio (evidently Gen. Wilkinson), to detach the whole of the western country from the cast, to form an independent govern- ment with Louisiana, &c. &c. This document, dated " Croissy, near Chalons," is addressed to the minister Decrès.
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