St. Louis - The Fourth City, Volume 1. Walter Barlow Stevens

bore out the theory that the military force was for protection, not for enforcement of sovereignty over the people. These soldiers occupied barracks just north of where the Southern hotel stands. A long one-story stone house was built westward from Fourth street. This was divided into rooms. The soldiers cultivated gardens near the barracks. They not only mingled freely with the people of the village but went out into the fields and helped with the planting and harvesting. The relations were so agreeable that some of these soldiers married French girls and became permanent and good residents of St. Louis.

      Militia service under the Spanish governors was not a perfunctory performance. Scattered in little garrisons, "the regiment of Louisiana" did not appear formidable. But the regulars from Spain were reinforced by an enrolment of "all persons able to bear arms, from the age of fourteen years to fifty." One of the orders issued by a Spanish governor at St. Louis read:

      "Innovation or not, the militia will assemble every fourteen days, on Sundays. Each commandant will exercise his company in marching by file, or in sections of four or eight, according to the number of men, teach them the manual of loading and firing to enable them to execute it promptly and with regularity."

      There were penalties for those who shirked military duty. The Spanish governor put into his warning the reproach as well as the threat:

       All enrolled militia men who exhibit an indisposition to comply with the order, by not appearing at the place of assembling when required, thus giving an unequivocal proof of little love of country, will, for the first offense, be reprimanded by eight days' imprisonment and eight dollars fine; for the second time, by double the length of imprisonment and fine; the third time it will be signified to him that he must settle up his affairs and leave the country. Understand that in the oath of allegiance administered to every new comer to the country, before a concession of land is granted to him, he must obligate himself to take arms against the enemies of the state and all malefactors whenever it may be required. As there may be found some of the inhabitants who have not yet taken the oath, the commandant will administer the same to all those he may find on each Sunday of assembling.

      A stringent liquor law was promulgated from St. Louis by the Spanish authorities:

       At each post there shall be but a certain number of tavern and dramshop keepers that wo will appoint, who shall be persons of good conduct and devoted to the government. These, under no pretext, can sell or give liquor to Indians or slaves. They will give immediate notice of the least disturbance at their houses which may lead to disorder, to the commandant or nearest syndic that he may apply the most prompt remedy. All persons other than those who shall be authorized to keep tavern, or dramshop, who shall be found to have sold liquor, shall undergo for the first offense three days' imprisonment and two dollars fine; for the second offense fifty dollars fine and fifteen days' imprisonment; for the third relapse they shall be sent to New Orleans under safe conduct at their own cost and expense.

       Every person, cither keeper of tavern or dramshop, or any other who shall be found to have given or sold liquor to Indians shall be at once arrested, put in irons and sent under escort of a detachment of militia at his cost and expense to New Orleans, and his effects shall be seized and sequestered until the decision of his lordship, the governor general.

      Perhaps in all other Spanish colonial history there was not administered government so far dependent on consent of the governed as that which prevailed at St. Louis. Probably if the authority had been less tolerant, if the rod had been felt, the revolt would have come. The spirit of revolution could not flame out of such go-as-you-please political conditions. The militia and liquor laws were so manifestly in the public interest that they inspired no antagonism toward the government.

      The habitants of St. Louis held town meetings to consider public improvements. As business conditions changed they adopted new methods. They carried their conclusions to government house. The governor often accepted the will of the people.

      The collection of debts occasionally called for an application of authority. The creditor went to the governor and reported the debtor. A notice was sent from the government house. If this did not bring a settlement, the second notice directed the debtor to appear before the governor. Should this be ignored, a squad of soldiers brought in the prisoner as a debtor. This was not often necessary; it was one of the few occasions for the show of the military.

      Before the end of the Spanish regime, the business men of St. Louis were asserting a degree of commercial independence which caused the political authority no little concern but even that did not lead to harsh measures. In January, 1802, Governor-General Morales, at New Orleans, wrote to Governor Delassus:

       After comparing the shipments of goods from this market and the arrivals of furs with those of 1781 and 1782 and other years, we find the difference is against this capital and therefore also against royal interests, because the duties are not paid as before when goods were shipped. I am well aware that the Indian works do not produce as much as they did earlier. I also know this is not the only reason of the decline in mercantile relations between your region and this capital. The secret importation and exportation that I am informed the Englishmen and the Americans are doing contribute largely to the present condition of affairs. Therefore it is my duty to ask you to exert all your efforts to prevent such acts. Advise me what you think it would be necessary to do. If any expenditure is indispensable, I will consider the matter and try to do what will be in my power.

      The consideration shown in the enforcement of authority at St. Louis was illustrated when Delassus reported to Salcedo in March, 1803, that he had been compelled to place Manuel Lisa, the fur trader, under arrest The governor-general referred the matter to Counselor De Guerra. The latter sustained the action of the governor at St. Louis after this manner:

      "It seems to me that you can approve the action he took against Manuel Lisa and his arrest for the insulting and disrespectful expressions he used in his writings, which are the more surprising because they come out as false and without any foundation according to the declarations made by his associates, as seen in the different documents. Therefore it is necessary that the said commander advise Lisa that in future he must behave himself with respect and moderation, as he ought to. Otherwise a different course will be taken for correction and punishment."

      Salcedo wrote on the counselor's findings: "As I think this is satisfactory, I transmit it to you for compliance and in answer to your communication." The papers were returned to Delassus, addressed to him as "commander of the Illinois."

      Monette, in his History of the Valley of the Mississippi, tells of the habit of dress which prevailed in St. Louis in colonial days. The leggins were of coarse linen in summer and of deerskin in winter. The principal garment in cold weather for the men was:

       Generally a coarse blanket capote drawn over the shirt and long vest. The capote served the double purpose of cloak and hat; for the hood, attached to the collar behind, bung upon the back and shoulders as a cape, and, when desired, it served to cover the whole bead from intense cold. Host commonly in summer and especially among the boatmen, voyageurs and coureurs des bois, the head was enveloped in a blue handkerchief, turban-like, as a protection from solar heat and noxious insects. The same material of lighter quality and fancy colors, wreathed with bright-colored ribbons, and sometimes flowers, formed the fancy headdress of the females on festive occasions; at other times they also used the handkerchief in the more patriarchal style. The dress of the matrons was simple and plain; the old-fashioned short jacket and petticoat, varied to suit the diversities of taste, was the most common over dress of the women. The feet in winter were protected by Indian moccasins, or the more unwieldy clog-shoe; but in summer, and in dry weather the foot was left uncovered and free, except on festive occasions and holidays, when it was adorned with the light moccasin, gorgeously ornamented with brilliants of porcupine quills, shells, beads or lace, ingeniously wrought over the front instead of buckles, and on the side flaps.

      Immigration was a living issue at St. Louis in the days of the Spanish governors. Piernas reported to the governor-general at New Orleans