western people, and that, probably, his sending a boat before him, that it might be seized, was a scheme laid by the government of the United States, that he might, on his return, influence the minds of his countrymen; and, having brought them to the point he wished, induce them to choose him for their leader, and, spreading over the country, carry fire and desolation from one part of Louisiana to the other.

On this, Miro expressed his wish to Navarro that the guard might be removed. This was done; and Wilkinson's friend was permitted to take charge of the boat, and sell the cargo, without paying any duty.

Ón his first interview with Miro, Wilkinson, that he might not derogate from the character his friend had given him, by appearing concerned in so trifling an adventure as a boat-load of tobacco, flour, &c. observed that the cargo belonged to several of his fellow citizens in Kentucky, who wished to avail themselves of his visit to New-Orleans to make a trial of the temper of the colonial government. On his return he could then inform the United States government of the steps taken under his eye; so that, in future, proper measures might be adopted. He acknowledged with gratitude the attention and respect manifested towards himself, and the favour shown to the merchant who had been permitted to take care of the boat; adding, he did not wish that the intendant should expose himself to the anger of the court, by forbearing to seize the boat and cargo, if such were his instructions, and he had no authority to depart from them when circumstances might require it.

Miro supposed, from this conversation, that Wilkinson's object was to produce a rupture rather than

to avoid one. He became more and more alarmed, For two or three years before, particularly since the commissioners of the state of Georgia came to Natchez to claim the country, he had been fearful of an invasion at every rise of the water; and the rumour of a few boats having been seen together on the Ohio was sufficient to excite his apprehensions. At his next interview with Wilkinson, having procured further information of the character, number, and disposition of the western people, and having resolved, in his mind, what measures he could take, consistently with his instructions, he concluded that he could do no better than to hold out a hope to Wilkinson, in order to secure his influence in restraining his countrymen from an invasion of Louisiana, till further instructions could be received from Madrid. The general sailed in September for Philadelphia.

A lucrative trade had begun to be carried on between New-Orleans and that city, at which the colonial government appeared to wink. Guardoqui, however, finding that he did not participate in the profits of this new branch of commerce, his friends not obtaining the consignment of the vessels engaged in it, notwithstanding various hints and threats thrown out to the captains and super-cargoes, procured a list of the names of the vessels, captains and owners in New-Orleans, real or pretended, and forwarded it to Navarro, with a severe reprimand; adding, that he had informed the court of the disregard of the laws in Louisiana. He so worked upon the fears of the intendant, that, apprehensive of losing his place if he did not recur t to severe measures, the latter prosecuted, with apparent impartiality and unrelenting rigour, all those against whom information was lodged, seizing vessels on their arrival, confisca

ting their cargoes, and imprisoning the owners, captains and crews. These were all condemned to the mines for various terms of years.

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The spirit of the government and the venality of its officers was, however, apparent. The favourites of those with whom the officers had connexions in business escaped, by bringing proofs that were thought sufficient to destroy those sent by Guardoqui, by receiving timely notice of their danger, by orders forwarded to the commandant at the Balize to favour them, by not suffering them to enter, and allowing those who had entered, but not reached New-Orleans, to return and put back to sea, with such part of their cargoes as they could not conveniently land on the plantations along the banks of the river-the owners having ordered those vessels to foreign ports, pretended they were lost during their voyage, and they were ignorant of any thing concerning them since they left New-Orleans,

It was the practice in Spanish colonies, to condein all contraband traders to the mines; but in such cases the law was rarely carried into execution, when there had been no violent resistance or blood shed. The offender was, however, imprisoned, and after a short time, suffered to escape-the jailor reporting him as runaway or dead. Some of the persons who were thus condemned and imprisoned in New-Orleans, were soon after liberated. A few were permitted to command other vessels, after having made some change or alteration in their names. One of them who had been imprisoned and returned as dead, by the gaoler, went to Madrid, where he obtained the review and reversal of the sentence against him, and came back to New-Orleans.

The congress of the United States, this year, erected the territory to the northwest of the Ohio into a distinct government, at the head of which they placed Arthur St. Clair, an officer of the late revolution, and once their president.

Archives Gazettes-St. Mery-Clark-Marshal.

CHAPTER VI

Conflagration.-Permission given to Wilkinson to trade.-Emigrants.—Census-Navarro's departure: His ideas in regard to the people of Kentucky: their plans.-Charles IV-Wilkinson.-Encouragement to migration.-Irish emigrants.-Federal constitution of the U.States.— Washington.-Nootka Sound.-Negotiations at Madrid-Southwestern Territory.--Don Francisco de Bouligny-Don Nicholas Maria Vidal -Indian affairs.-Insurrection in Hispaniola, -State of Vermont.

The ordinary alcades, for the year 1788, were Foucher and Argotte. Pedesclaux now succeeded Rodriguez in the office of clerk of the cabildo, which he held during the remainder of the Spanish government in Louisiana.

On the twenty-first of March, (Good Friday,) the chapel of a Spaniard, in Chartres-street, New-Orleans, took fire, about three o'clock in the afternoon; and, the wind being very high at the time, a conflagration ensued, which, in a few hours, consumed nine hundred houses, and other property of immense value.

In order to relieve the inhabitants, in some degree, from the distress into which this event had plunged them, the colonial government made a large contrac for flour, to be purchased within the United States, on which it made great advances in money; and in order to induce eontractors to deliver it on the best