CHAPTER VIII GOVERNMENT UNDER FRANCE AND SPAIN Louisiana Under La Salle — The Province op Louislvna — Capitals and Governors — Ces- sion TO Spain — Providence op Upper Louisiana — Lieutenant Governors op Upper Louisiana — Districts and Commandants — Syndics — Authority op Ofpicials — French Law Retained — Ch^vkactee op Government — The Cabildo at New Orleans^Organiza- tion of Militia — "L'Annee du Coup" Attack on St. Louis — Treachery op Governor Leyba — Action op the Ste. Genevieve Company — Expedition to New Madrid — Punish- ment of Indians — Orders Concerning Taverns and Sale op Liquor to Indians. We have seen somethiiig of the roi'iuatiuu of the various settlements of Upper Louisi- ana, of the character and, life of its people, and it is desired in this chapter to give a brief account of the government exercised by both France and Spain over the territory be- fore its transfer to the United States. In 1682, when La Salle reached the mouth of the JMississippi river, he took possession of all the territory drained by it and its tribu- taries in the name of the liing of France. He bestowed upon tliis vast region, whieli was as extensive as the valley of the Mississippi, the name of Louisiana, and claimed to exer- cise over it authority as commandant of Louisiana. In 1698 the French organized the province of Louisiana with the seat of government at Port Biloxi, near New Orleans. The capital of the province was kept hei-e until 1701 when it was moved to ^lobile, Alabama. There it remained until 172;), when it was returned to New Orleans. The governors of this prov- ince of Louisiana were as follows : SauvoUe. 16;(8 to 1701 ; Bienville, July 22, 1701, to May 17, 1713; LaMothe Cadillac, May 17, 1713, to 1717; De I'Epinay, March 9, 1717, to 1718; Bienville, March 9, 1718, to January 16, 1724 ; Boisbriant, January 16, 1721, to 1726; Pe- rier, 1726 to 1733 ; Bienville, 1733 to May 10, 1743 ; De Vaudreuil, May 10, 1743, to Febru- ary 9, 1753; Kerleree, February 9, 1753, to June 29, 1763; D'Abbadie, June 29, 1763, to February 4, 1765 ; Aubry, February, 1765, acting governor. In 1763, France ceded to England all of that part of Louisiana east of the Mississippi river. She had promised by the secret treaty of Udefonso to give to Spain the western part of Louisiana, but the fact of this treaty was not generally known for many years and France continued to exercise authority over Louisiana west of the Mississippi river. Just before the transfer of the territory to Spain the province of Upper Louisiana was organ- ized, including all that part of Louisiana north of the Arkansas river. It was some- times called the countrv o' the Illinois. The 111
