OFFICIAL LETTER BOOKS OF W. C. C. CLAIBORNE 1801-1816 EDITED BY DUNBAR ROWLAND, B. S., LL. B., EL. D. Director Mississippi Department of Archives and History, Secretary Historical Association VOLUME II. STANFORD LIBRARY JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI Printed for the State Department of Archives and History STANFORD LIBRA, Sir, LETTER BOOKS OF W. C. C. CLAIBORNE 1804-1806 To Mayor Bore New Orleans March 1st 1804 Through the representations of the Municipality, I am made acquainted with the complaints of the people against the fees allowed to the officers of the Court of Common pleas in this City, and the jurisdiction of Said Court in certain cases. The inconveniences remonstrated against, I had previous to the receipt of your Letter, in part remedied, by increasing the powers of a single Magistrate, and giving him cognizance of all demands under one hundred dollars. With respect to the fees of the Officers, the subject shall be enquired into, and such decree made, as shall appear to me best suited to the General interest of my fellow Citizens. Accept assurances of my great respect and high consideration. The Honble. (Signed) Wm. C. C. Claiborne The Mayor of the City of New Orleans Trading House License William C. C. Claiborne Governor of the Mississippi Territory, exercising the powers of Governor General and Intendant of the Province of Louisiana To all whom these presents shall come! Know ye, that Bartholomew Shaumberg has permission to establish a Trading House, at each of the posts of Natchitoches and Ouchitaches, for the purposes of carrying on trade with such of the neighboring Indians as may choose to visit those posts. This License is to continue in force, during the pleasure of the Governor for the time being, or until Congress shall make provision for regulating trade and intercourse with the Indian Tribes West of the Mississippi River. Given under my hand and the seal of the administration at the City of New Orleans, the 1st day of March 1804, and in the 28th year of the Independence of the United States of America. You will perceive by the enclosed Statement that a certain Joseph Perry, a Seaman, complains of being imprisoned by his Captain without just cause-you will be pleased in your judicial capacity to enquire into the circumstances of this case, and take such measures as justice may demand! I am Respectfully your obdt. St. Beverly Chew Esqr. Justice of the Court of Common Pleas Sir, Dr. Watkins' Report. In conformity to your Letter of the 9th Instant whereby I was directed to proceed with all convenient dispatch to the different parishes or districts above the City &c, for the purpose of making suitable appointments of Commandants for the same, I have the Honour of making to you the following report!2 In the Parish of St. Charles or the District of the first German Coast, which begins about seven leagues above Town, I found that the former Commandant Mr. St. Amand had already received his Commission, and instructions directly from your Excellency, and was actually engaged in the different functions of his office. He had no hesitation in taking the oath of allegiance to the United States, or that of his office, and having communicated to him the substance of your Excellency's instructions, and received assurances on his part of the good disposition of the inhabitants of his district, towards the Government of the United States, I proceeded without delay to the Parish of St. John the Baptist, or the District of the second German coast. Here I presented to Mr. Manuel Andry the former commandant your letter re-appointing him to the same Office. He expressed great satisfaction in this proof of the confidence reposed in him by your Excellency, rejoiced at the annexation of these Countries to the Dominion of the United States, and begged me to assure you that he entered with pleasure into the necessary obligations of his Office, and that nothing on his part should be wanting to promote the happiness and prosperity of the Country, by a cheerful Co-operation in all the measures 1 Claiborne's confidential agent. 'An intelligent, interesting report of opinion and political and economic conditions in the districts. |