le dix fevrier dernier. je joins ici celui de la Mobile; et je ne peux vous donner exactement ceux des autres Postes qu'après qu'ils me seront parvenus. voila, Monsieur, tout ce que je peux Faire, sans géner les opérations du service dont je suis chargé, pour vous convaincre de l'envie que j'ai de repondre à vos vûes, conformes aux miennes, de maintenir l'union si necessaire à l'avantage des deux nations. j'ai l'honn' & Pour Copie DABBADIE [Endorsed:] 7 xbre 1763 [Translation] Signé DABBADIE. made the tenth of February last. I join herewith the inventory of Mobile; and I can give you an exact account of the other posts only after the inventory shall have reached me. That is, sir, all that I can do, without inconveniencing the service with which I am intrusted, to convince you of the desire I have of complying with your views, similar to mine, for maintaining a union that is so necessary to the advantage of the two nations. I have the honor to be etc. True copy DABBADIE [Endorsed:] December 7, 1763 signed DABBADIE CHAPTER II BANISHMENT OF THE JESUITS THE DECREE AGAINST THE JESUITS ISHMENT THE HISTORY OF THE BAN THE SERVICES OF THE JESUITS - THEIR DEVOTION TO DUTY — THE AUCTION OF THEIR PROPERty at KaskasKIA — JEAN BTE. BAUVAIS MAKES A PURCHASE. BANISHMENT OF THE JESUITS, July 9, 17631 [Carayon, Bannissement des Jésuites de la Louisiane, 1 et seq.] Vous m'écrivez, Monsieur, que vous avez été surpris d'apprendre qu'il était arrivé à Paris, des Jésuites bannis de la Louisiane par un [Translation3] Banishment of the Jesuits from Louisiana2 You write me, sir, that you were surprised to learn of the arrival at Paris of the Jesuits banished from Louisiana by a decree pronounced 1 Printed also in Thwaites, Jesuit Relations, 70: 212 et seq. Dr. Thwaites suggests that the document was written by Father P. Watrin. Ibid., 13. 2 During the middle of the eighteenth century the opposition to the Jesuits, which had been suppressed up to this time, broke out in many countries and resulted in the expulsion of the order from Portugal in 1759, and later in France and Spain, and its final abolition by the pope in 1773. The immediate occasion of this drastic action in France was a lawsuit growing out of an unsuccessful financial speculation on the part of Father Lavalette, Jesuit superior in Martinique. The debt thus incurred was repudiated by Lorenzo Ricci, the general of the society. During the course of the suit the constitutions of the Jesuits were made public and aroused so much indignation that, before the government took its final action in expelling the order, several of the parlements confiscated its property and reduced the members to a condition of secular clerks. The news of these acts reached New Orleans in 1762 but no proceedings were begun against the Jesuits until after the treaty of peace and the arrival of M. Dabbadie the following year. The Jesuits were then cited before the superior council and condemned. Lavisse and Rambaud, Histoire generale du quatre siècle à nos jours, 7:823; Encyclopædia Britannica, art., “Jesuits." For further information on sale of Jesuit property at Kaskaskia see post, 125, 129, 132. The translation is taken from Thwaites, Jesuit Relations, with some changes by the editors. arrêt porté contre eux dans cette colonie. Vous voudriez savoir les motifs de cet arrêt et tout ce qui a suivi son exécution. Je suis au fait de l'affaire qui vous intéresse et même de tout ce qui peut y avoir quelque rapport. J'ai demeuré près de trente ans à la Louisiane, et je n'en suis parti qu'au commencement de cette année. Je suis persuadé que votre curiosité n'a point d'autres motifs que votre amour pour la religion et la vérité. Dans le récit que je vais vous faire, je serais attentif à ne rien dire qui s'écarte tant soit peu de ces deux règles. Au mois de juin 1763 les Jésuites de la Nouvelle-Orléans, capitale de la Louisiane, étaient encore entre la crainte et l'espérance au sujet de leur sort à venir. Dès l'année précédente ils avaient vu leurs ennemis répandre avec un air de triomphe des copies manuscrites de l'arrêt donné par le Parlement de Paris, le 6 août 1761. Mais des personnes respectables les avaient rassurés. Ils attendaient beaucoup de l'avis donné en leur faveur, et surtout de la prière adressée au Roi par les évêques de France. Ils surent enfin à quoi ils devaient s'en tenir à l'arrivée du vaisseau qui, avec la nouvelle de la paix, portait des ordres pour leur destruction. [Translation] against them in that colony. You wish to know of the reasons for this decree, and what followed its execution. I am familiar with the affair that interests you and likewise with all that can in any way relate thereto. I lived for almost thirty years in Louisiana and departed thence only at the beginning of this year. I am persuaded that your curiosity has no other motives than your love for religion and for truth. In the recital which I am about to give you I shall be careful to say nothing which will depart in the least from these two rules. In the month of June, 1763, the Jesuits of New Orleans, the capital of Louisiana, were still between hope and fear as to their future fate. As early as the preceding year they had seen their enemies distribute with a triumphant air manuscript copies of the decree passed by the parlement of Paris, August 6, 1761. But people worthy of respect had calmed their fears. They were expecting a great deal from the opinion given in their favor, and above all from the petition addressed to the king by the bishops of France. They finally learned what they were to expect at the arrival of the ship which brought, with the news of peace, orders for their destruction. Sur le vaisseau était venu M. d'Albadie, commissaire général de la marine, et ordonnateur à la Louisiane, et avec lui M. de la Frenière, procureur général du conseil supérieur de cette colonie; tous deux nouvellement pourvus de leur charge. M. le commissaire ne tarda pas à déclarer au supérieur des Jésuites ce qui se préparait contre eux. Je crois, lui dit-il, que M. le procureur général est chargé de quelque ordre qui vous regarde. A qui aurait pu l'entendre c'était en dire assez, mais les Jésuites trop rassurés voulurent bien croire que malgré l'exemple de tant de Parlements de France, on ne ferait rien contre eux à la Louisiane; et, dans un moment si critique, ils ne prirent pas la moindre précaution pour mettre leur biens à l'abri. On commença à procéder. Il fut ordonné que l'Institut des Jésuites serait apporté au conseil pour être examiné. C'était une grande entreprise pour ce tribunal. Il aurait fallu au moins que tous les juges qui le composaient eussent étudié la théologie, le droit civil, et le droit ecclésiastique. Mais surtout il aurait fallu qu'ils entendissent la langue dans laquelle l'institut est composé. Or, ce ne sont point ces genres de science qu'on exige dans les juges des colonies. [Translation] There came upon the ship M. Dabbadie, commissary general and ordonnateur of Louisiana, and with him M. de la Frenière, procurator general of the superior council of this colony- both newly appointed to their positions. The commissary did not delay to notify the superior of the Jesuits what was brewing against them. "I believe," he said to him, "that the procurator general is charged with some order that concerns you." This was a sufficient warning, for anyone who could understand him; but the Jesuits, too confident, were disposed to believe that in spite of the example of so many parlements of France nothing would be done against them in Louisiana; and at a moment so critical they did not take the slightest precaution about protecting their property. Proceedings were begun. It was decreed that the constitution of the Jesuits should be brought to the council to be examined. It was a great undertaking for this tribunal. All the judges who composed it ought at least to have studied theology and civil and ecclesiastical law. But above all they ought to understand the language in which the constitution is written. Now this is not the kind of Pour les nommer, on ne va pas chercher les élèves des universités, mais on prend parmi les habitants ceux qui montrent quelques capacités dans les affaires. Ainsi, on trouve dans ces conseils d'anciens gardesmagasin, des médecins, des officiers de troupes. Les plus instruits sont ordinairement les élèves des bureaux de la marine; ce sont eux que jusqu'ici on a le plus souvent choisis, au moins à la Louisiane, pour les faire présidents des conseils: dignité attachée à la charge d'intendant ou de commissaire ordonnateur. Voilà ce qui donne droit de dire que c'était pour le conseil de la Nouvelle-Orléans une grande entreprise de vouloir prononcer sur l'Institut des Jésuites. A la vérité, il est juste de supposer que M. de la Frenière, instruit dès sa jeunesse dans la langue latine, avait encore étudié le droit civil pendant le long séjour qu'il avait fait en France; mais sa capacité ne pouvait pas se communiquer aux juges qui devaient prononcer sur son réquisitoire; on pouvait leur reprocher, du moins au très-grand nombre d'entre eux, qu'ils ignoraient le langage de l'écrit dont ils allaient juger. C'était là un grand défaut de compétance: [Translation] knowledge that is required from judges of colonies. In selecting them, search is not made for scholars of universities, but those among the inhabitants who show some capacity for business are chosen. Accordingly, one finds in these councils former gards-magasin, physicians, and officers of troops. Those who are best educated are usually the pupils of the naval bureaus; it is they who, up to the present, have been most often chosen, at least in Louisiana, as presidents of the councils, an honor attached to the office of intendant or commissaireordonnateur. For these reasons we are justified in saying that it was a great undertaking for the council of New Orleans to pronounce upon the constitution of the Jesuits. In truth, it is reasonable to suppose that M. de la Frenière, instructed from his youth in the Latin language, had also studied civil law during the long sojourn that he had made in France; but his knowledge could not be communicated to the judges who were to pronounce their decision upon his charge; the majority of them, at least, could be reproached for their ignorance of the document which they were about |