Summary

Cecilia, an Afro-Indigenous woman–the daughter of María of the Patouca nation (Plains Apache)–sues Don Juan Bautista Tounoir on behalf of her niece, Naneta, for her freedom. Due to the supposed illegality of the enslavement of Indigenous people under Spanish Dominion, Cecilia’s legal argument begs that her niece be declared free on this basis due to her maternal descent or, failing that this be ordered by the court, that Naneta would still be valuated in order for Cecilia to purchase her freedom under cortación proceedings. However, not only were the laws pertaining to Indian slavery frequently broken or outright ignored in Spanish Louisiana, including by members of the government, Naneta’s enslaver, Tounoir, died during the course of the legal proceedings against him.¹ His executor of estate, Don Pedro Suavé, refuses to grant her freedom outright, arguing that Naneta’s value cannot be subtracted from Tounoir’s succession inventory. The judge, therefore, orders each party to appoint an appraiser on their behalf to render an estimate of Naneta’s value.

Transcription
Translation
Notes

Transcription (Spanish, diplomatic)

[folio 32 recto] [digital 74]

32)

[Marginalia:]

Presentado
por la parte
ante mi el S.^no
a diez de hen.^o de
mil sete-cientos nov.^ta
y ocho años
expresando no saver fir-
mar doy feè
Broutin
S.^no

[Cuerpo:]

Cecilia india libre vecina de esta Ciudad
ante VS como haya lugar en drō pares
y digo que me ha presentado por ante el
presente S^nō solicitando se declare por__
libre a mi sobrina Naneta esclava de Dⁿ
Juan Bautista Tounoir residente en la
Punta Cortada, por ser oriunda de indios q^e
en todos los dominios de Su Magestad
Catholica son reputados por Ciudadanos
libre, y como en el tiempo que era de__
Gobernador en esta Provincia el Señor
Don Fran.^co Baron de Carondelet se
preceptuó y ordenó a todos lo indios
esclavos de no presentarse para recla__
mar su libertad htǎ que su Magestad
determinase sobre el particular, no ha-
biendo tenido htǎ ahora ninguna instrucción
si los indios han de permanecer esclavos
o libres, Le suplico a VS en esta virtud__
de declarar a la susodicha mi sobrina
por libre o mandar se avalua para
~

[f. 32 verso] [dig.75]

rescatarla de la esclavitud en que
se halla por el precio de su estimacion__
y a este efecto disponer que el pres^te
Es^nō dirija carta de oficio al no-
minado tounoir para que en primera
ocasion remita su poder instrudo
y expendado, y la india Naneta
su esclava por tanto_____

AVS. Suplico se sirva proveer
y mandar como pido con Justicia
costas juro y para ello &__

Por Cecilia
[Firmado:] Felipe Guinault

Librese la carta que esta parte pide para
el fin que expresa reservandose proveér
con audiencia de D.ⁿ Juan Bautista Touno=
ir lo que corresponda sobre lo principal de su
solicitud.__ __ __ __ __

F[irmado:].
[Rubrica, Gayoso] [Rubrica, Vidal]

Proveyolo El Señor D.ⁿ Manuel Gayoso
de Lemos Brigadier de Los reals Extos
~

[f. 33r] [dig.76]

33)
Governador grāl de esta Provincia de la
Luisiana con dictamen y acuerdo del Señor
Doctor Don Nicolas Maria Vidal Theniente
Governador Auditor de Grrā de esta Prov.^a
y Asesor grāl del Gov.^no de ella Por S.M.
y lo rubricaron en la Ciudad de la N.^a Orleans
à onze de Enero de mil Sett.s nov.ta y ocho
años=em.^do=ocho==

[moderno, círculo, a lápiz] 14

[Firmado:] Fran.^co Broutin
S.^no Pub.^co
[Rubrica, Broutin]

N.ⁿ f.^a En el mismo dia lo hize saver a Cecilia Yndia Libre en supersona Doy fee_____

[Firmado:] Broutin
S.no
[Rubrica, Broutin]

Nota: Que este mismo dia Yo el Es.^no he
Escrito la Carta que se manda por el de
creto antecedente a d.ⁿ Juan Bautista Tou
noir y la he entregado a la Yndia libre
Cecilia doy fee_____

[Firmado:] Broutin
S.^no
[Rubrica, Broutin]

[f. 33v] [dig.77]

[en blanco]

[f. 34r] [dig.78]

34
D.ⁿ Pedro Sauvé Albacea testamenta-
rio del difunto D.ⁿ Juan Baut.a Tournoir
en las diligencias que ha promovido Cecilia
Yndia libre de esta Ciudad solicitando que
su sobrina Naneta esclava del memora
do difunto sea declarada libre, ò se ava-
lue para rescatarla por el precio de su
estimacion, con el debido respeto digo:
que se sirvió V.S. proveer que el Escriva
no dirigiese carta de oficio al memo-
rado difunto, para que en primera
ocasion remitiese su poder instruido
y expensado y la enunciada india Na-
neta, reservandose proveer con audien
cia del mismo Tounoir lo que corres
pondiese sobre lo principal de la

[f. 34v] [dig.79]

solicitud de la antedicha Cecilia, y res
pecto a que por auto proveido por V.S.
en las diligencias de la mortuoria del
citado D.ⁿ Juan Baut.^a Tournoir esta
prevenido proveder al imbentario y
estimacion de todos sus bienes en el
Puesto de Punta Cortada donde residia
a V.S. Suplico se sirva mandar que
en aquel mismo imbentario y esti-
macion se comprehenda la de la
enunciada Yndia Naneta por no-
deberse separar del cuerpo de bienes
del ante dho difunto; que ella misma
nombre un apreciador para que
este junto con los demas que elijan
las partes interesadas en dhā mortuo
ria procedan a su estimacion y que
exhibiendo el importe en el que fuer
avaluada sele otorgue su libertad

[f. 35r] [dig.80]

35
conforme lo solicita, y a fin que todo lo
referido tenga su cumplimiento se li
bre Despacho en forma al Comand.^te
de Punta Cortada con incercion de este
Escrito y de la providencia que recaiga
Por tanto

A.V.S. Suplico se sirva proveer y mandar co-
mo pido que es justicia &a_____

Otro si: en atencion a que la mortuoria
del referido D.ⁿ Juan Baut.^a Tounoir
esta radicada en el ^{oficio del} presente Escrivano
D.ⁿ Pedro Pedesclaux suplico a V.S. se
sirva mandar corran ante el mismo
en las diligencias que es Just.^a ut Supra
Entre renglones=oficio del=vale__

[Firmado:] P.^dro Sauvé

En lo Principal, y otrosi como lo pide

[Rubrica, Gayoso] [Rubrica, Serrano]

Proveyolo el Señor D.ⁿ Manuel Gayoso

[f. 35v] [dig.81]

de Lemos Brigadier de los R.^s Exercitos
Gobernador General, Vice Patrono Real
de las Provincias de la Luisiana, y Flori
da Occidental e Ynspector de las tropas
Veteranas y Milicias de ellas por Su
Magestad que lo rubrico con el Señor
Licenciado D.ⁿ Manuel Serrano Asesor
grāl de la Yntendencía y alcalde de
primera eleccion de esta Ciudad por
Su Magestad en la Nueva Orleans
a quince de Marzo de mil setecien
tos noventa y ocho años_____

[moderno, círculo, a lápiz] 15

[Firmado:] Pedro Pedesclaux
S.^no pub.^co
[Rubrica, Pedesclaux]

N.^N } En dicho dia lo hice saber a D.ⁿ Pedro__
Sauvé doy fé_____

[Firmado:] Pedesclaux
S.^no
[Rubrica, Pedesclaux]

Nota Que en el mismo dia se libró en tres foxas el
despacho que se previene en el decreto an
teced.^te y lo entregué a Dn Pedro Sauvé doy fe

[Firmado:] Pedesclaux
S.^no
[Rubrica, Pedesclaux]

Translation (English, modern)

[page #1] [digital 74]

32)

[Marginal note:]

Presented on behalf of the party before me, the notary, on the 10th of January of seventeen-hundred and ninety- eight years, being that they do not know how to sign.
I attest,
Broutin,
Notary.

[Body:]

Cecilia, india libre and citizen of this city, comes before Your Lordship, having place under equal law, and have presented myself before thenotary present, requesting that you proclaim free my niece, Naneta, esclava of DonJuan Bautista Tounoir, resident of Punta Cortada (Pointe Coupée) for being an oriunda de indios² that in all domains of His Catholic Majesty are reputed to be free citizens, and in the time that he was Governor of this Province, Don Francisco Baron de Carondelet, prescribed and ordered all the indios esclavos not to appear [before the cabildo] to reclaim their freedom until His Majesty has made a [final] determination on the matter [of O’Reilly’s decree],³ [and] not having made any instruction now whether the indios are to remain slaves or be freed, I beg Your Lordship on this virtue [alone]to declare the aforementioned, my niece, free, or [failing that] order she be valuated for [this purpose that]

[p. #2] [dig.75]

she be rescued from the slavery in which she finds herself, at the price of her estimate, [through coartación]. And to this [first] effect [asked], order that the present notary send an official order to the named Tounoir so that at his very first occasion possible he remits his power over the india Naneta, his esclava, thusly.

To his Lordship, I beg you to provide and order as I request with due justice, I swear by it, etc.

For Cecilia
[Signed:] Felipe Guinault

Dispatch the order that this party asks at the end, that [clearly] expresses we reserve the right to provisions [to bring forth before the] court Don Juan Bautista Tounoir [to verify] what corresponds within the principal of their request.

[Signed:]
[Rubric, Gayoso] [Rubric, Vidal]

Thus ordered: [By] the Lord Don Manuel Gayoso de Lemos, Brigadier [General] of the Royal Armies,

[p. #3] [dig.76]

33)
Governor General of this Providence of Louisiana with dictum and agreement of Lord Dr. Don Nicolas Maria Vidal, Lieutenant-Governor, Civil Legal Advisor of this Providence, and Adviser General of the Government by His Majesty, and it is signed in the City of New Orleans on the 11th of January, seventeen-hundred and ninety-eight.

[modern, circled, in pencil] 14

[Signed:] Fransisco Broutin,
Notary Public
[Rubric, Broutin]

Notarized and dated: On the same day I made known to Cecilia, yndia libre. I attest,

[Signed:] Broutin
Notary
[Rubric, Broutin]

Note: That on the same day, I, the notary, have written the injunction ordering the decree which precedes to Don Juan Bautista Tounoir, and I have given it to the the yndia libre, Cecilia. I attest,

[Signed:] Broutin
Notary
[Rubric, Broutin]

[p. #4] [dig.77]

[blank]

[p. #5] [dig.78]

34
Don Pedro Sauvé testamentary executor of the late Don Juan Bautista Tournoir in the proceedings that have been brought forward based on the requests of Cecilia, yndia libre, of this city, that her niece, Naneta, slave to the commemorated deceased, to be declared free, or to have her appraised to rescue her [from slavery] based on the price of her estimate, with all due respect I say: That it served Your Lordship to provide the Notary to address an official letter to the commemorated deceased, so that at the first occasion he remit his authority [over the slave] as [sufficiently] instructed and expensed, along with the mentioned india Naneta, reserving the right for a [court] hearing with the same Tounoir regarding that which corresponds to the principal request of the

[p. #5] [dig.79]

aforementioned Cecilia and, with respect to the decree by Your Lordship in the mortuary proceedings of the stated Don Juan Bautista Tournoir, is prohibited from supplying the inventory and estimate of all [or any] of his property [located at] the Post of Punta Cortada (Pointe Coupée) where he resided. To Your Lordship, I beg an order be made [to obtain] that same [succession] inventory and [that] an estimate be agreed upon for the mentioned Yndia Naneta, because it [the slave’s value] should not be separated from the whole of the property belonging to the aforementioned deceased, [and] that she too shall name an appraiser so that he, along with the other interested parties in the said estate, [can] proceed with her valuation, and that when she presents financial proof of having the amount at which she was estimated, may be granted her freedom [via coartación]

[p. #6] [dig.80]

35
as per the request, and at the end of all the above being fulfilled, a written dispatch is issued in due form to the commander [of the Post] of Punta Cortada (Pointe Coupée) with the inclusion of this decree, and the order of remittance, thusly.

To his Lordship, I beg of you to provide and command what I have asked with justice, etc.

Furthermore, in view of the fact that the legal preparations made for the deceased, the said Don Juan Bautista Tournoir, is registered in the office of the present notary, Don Pedro Pedesclaux. I beg of Your Lordship to please order that they be drawn before the same proceedings, which is just. As stated above, as written in service of the final obligations to the dead.

[Signed:] Pedro Suavé

In this principal and all other matters requested,

[Rubric, Gayoso] [Rubric, Serrano]

Thus ordered: [By] the Lord Don Manuel Gayoso

[p. #7] [dig.81]

de Lemos, Brigadier [General] of the Royal Armies, Governor General, Royal Vice-Patron of the Provinces of Louisiana and Florida Occidental, and Inspector of all of our Veteran Troops and [Infantry] Militias by His Majesty, which is signed with the Lord Don Manuel Serrano, Esq., Advisor General of the Municipality and first elected alcalde of this city by His Majesty, in New Orleans, on [the] 15th of March of seventeen-hundredninety-eight.

[modern, circled, in pencil] 15

[Signed:] Pedro Pedesclaux
Notary Public
[Rubric, Pedesclaux]

Notarized: On the said day, I made it known to Don Pedro Sauvé. I attest,

[Signed:] Pedesclaux
Notary
[Rubric, Pedesclaux]

Note: That on the same day, the dispatch referred to in the preceding decree was recorded in three pages and delivered to Don Pedro Sauvé, I attest.

[Signed:] Pedesclaux
Notary
[Rubric, Pedesclaux]

Notes