claman per una poblacion proporcionada ala feracidad de su suelo, y ala defensa y seguridad de las costas, dando cuenta succesivamente de su progreso; entendiendose que la introducion de negros que comprende la misma gracia, deve sujetarse en quanto al trafico de ellos, a las reglas prescriptas en mi Real Cedula de diez y nueve de Diciembre ultimo, que asi es mi voluntad; y que de esta cedula se tome razon en la Contaduria General de Indias. Fecha en Palacio a seis de Febrero, de mil ochocientos diez y ocho.

Por mandado del Rey Nuestro Senor:
ESTEBAN VAREA."

YO EL REY.

Y para que conste firmo esta Certificacion en Madrid, a quince de Octubre, de mil ochocientos viente.

Don Evaristo Perez de Castro, Caballero de numero de la orden de Carlos 3°. del Consejo de Estado, y Secretario del Despacho de Estado, &c.

Certifico que la firma que antecede del Exmo. Sor. Don Antonio Porcel, Secretario del Despacho de la Gobernacion de Ultramar, es la que acostumbra poner en todos sus escritos. Y para los efectos convenientes doy el presente certificado, firmado de mi mano y sellado con el escudo de mis armas, en Madrid, a viente y uno de Octubre, de mil ochocientos y viente.

(Sig.)

EVARISTO PEREZ DE CASTRO.

(TRANSLATION.)

Don Antonio Porcel, Knight Pensioner of the Royal and distinguished Order of Charles 3d; of the Council of State, and Secretary of State and of Despatch of the Ultra-Marine Government, &c.

I certify, that, under date of the sixth of February, one thousand eight hundred and eighteen, royal letters patent of the same tenor were sent by the late Council of the Indies to the Governor Captain General of the Island of Cuba and its dependencies, to the Intendant of the Army and Royal business of the Havana and its district, and to the Governor of the Floridas, that each should do his utmost, in his particular department, to give effect to the grant, made to the Duke of Alagon, of various lands in East Florida, of the following tenor:

THE KING.

My Governor and Captain General of the Island of Cuba and its dependencies: The Duke of Alagon, Baron de Espes, has manifested to me, on the twelfth of July last, as follows:-"Sire: The Duke of Alagon, Baron de Espes, Captain of your majesty's Royal Body Guards, with the greatest respect, exposes: that, it being the interest of the crown that the uncultivated lands should be given to great capitalists, in order that they may be peopled and cultivated, from which flow the advantages pointed out and advised by all politicians, and by means of which much or nearly the most of the fertile soil of the Floridas has been discovered, and it being a right of your majesty, as absolute lord, to distribute them for the benefit of agriculture, and in reward and recompense of the eminent services which have been rendered to your majesty and your whole kingdom; being desirous of deserving those marks of the value of his magnanimous courage, and of contributing as far as possible to fulfil the designs of population, so interesting to the commonweal, he humbly requests your majesty, that you would deign to grant him all the uncultivated land not ceded in East Florida which lies between the rivers Saint Lucia and Saint John, as far as the mouths by which they empty themselves into the sea, and the coast of the Gulf of Florida, and the adjacent islands, with the mouth of the river Hijuelos, in the twentysixth degree of latitude, following the left bank up to its source, drawing a line from Lake Macaco, then descending by the way of the river Saint John to the Lake Valdes, crossing by another line from the extreme north of said lake to the source of the river Amarima, following its right bank as far as its mouth, in the twenty-eighth or twentyfifth degree of latitude, and running along the sea-coast, with all the adjacent Islands up to the mouth of the river Hijuelos, in full property to himself and his heirs: allowing them also to import negroes, for the labor and cultivation of the lands, free of duties: A gift which I hope to obtain from your Majesty's innate goodness."

Having taken the premises into consideration, and bearing in mind the distinguished merit of the memorialist, and his signal zeal for my royal service, as well as the benefits to be derived by the state from an increase of population in the countries the cession whereof he has solicited, I have judged fit to grant him the same, in so far as is conformable to the laws of these my kingdoms; and to make it known to my

council of the Indies, for its due execution, by a royal order of the seventeenth of December, in the year aforementioned: Wherefore, I charge and command you, by this my royal cedula, with due observance of the laws to such cases pertaining, to give full and effectual aid to the execution of the said cession, taking all requisite measures for its accomplishment, without injury to any third party: and in order that the said Duke of Alagon may forthwith carry his plans into execution, in conformity with my beneficent desires in favor of the agriculture and commerce of the said territories, which require a population proportioned to the fertility of the soil and the defence and security of the coasts, he giving regular accounts of his proceedings; it being understood that the introduction of negroes, which the same cession comprehends, ought, as far as relates to the traffic in them, to be subject to the regulations prescribed in my royal cedula of the nineteenth of December last, for such is my will; and that due note be taken of the present cedula in the office of the Accountant General of the Indies.

Dated at the Palace the sixth of February, one thousand eight hundred and eighteen

By command of the King our Lord:

ESTEBAN Varea.

I, THE KING.

And I confirm this exemplification, at Madrid, the fifteenth of October, one thousand eight hundred and twenty.

Don Evaristo Perez de Castro, Knight of the Order of Charles 3d, of the Council of State, and Secretary of Despatch of State, &c.

I certify that the foregoing signature of his Excellency Don Antonio Porcel, Secretary of Despatch of the Ultra-Marine Government, is that which he is accustomed to put to all his writings; and for the proper purposes I give the present certificate, signed by my hand, and sealed with my seal of arms, at Madrid, the twenty-first of October, one thousand eight hundred and twenty.

Don Antonio Porcel, Caballero pensionista de la Real y distinguida orden de Carlos tercero, del Consejo de Estado, y del Despacho de la Gobernacion de Ultramar, &c. Certifico que con fecha de seis de Febrero, de mil ochocientos diez y ocho, se expedieron por el estinguido consejo de las Indias Reales Cedulas de igual tenor al Gobernador Capitan General de la ysla de Cuba y su distrito, al Intendente de exercito y real Hacienda de la Havana y su distrito, y al Gobernador de las Floridas, para que cada uno en la parte que le tocase dispusiese lo conveniente a que tubiese efecto la gracia concedida al Brigadier Conde de Punon rostro de varios terrenos situados en la Florida Occidental, cuyo contenido es el siguiente.

"EL REY.

"Mi Gobernador y Capitan General de la ysla de Cuba y su distrito. El Brigadier Conde de Punonrostro me hizo presente en exposicion de tres de Noviembre del ano ultimo lo que sigue-Senor: El Brigadier Conde de Punonrostro, Grande de Espana de primera clase, y vuestro Gentilhombre de Camara con exercicio, &c. &c. P. A. L. R. P. de V. M. con el mas profundo respeto, expone: que movido del anhelo de procurar por todos los medios posibles el hacer productible parte de los immensos terrenos despoblados e incultos que V. M. tiene en las Americas, y que por su feracidad prometen las mayores ventajas, tanto al que expone como al Estado, si llegase a verificarse, como lo espera, el noble proyecto que anima al exponente de convertir una pequena parte de aquellos desiertos en morada de habitantes pacificos cristianos e industriosos, que aumentando la poblacion de vuestros reynos, fomenten la agricultura y el comercio, y por consiguiente hagan immensos los ingresos de vuestro real Herario. Esta empresa dirigida por persona que al conocimiento del pays reune las circumstancias de poder comparar los progresos que han hecho por este medio otras naciones, como la de los Estados Unidos, que en una epoca muy limitada ha elevado su poder a un grado extraordinario, distinguiendose la Mobila adyacente a la Florida, que en los seis anos ultimos aprovechandose de la emigracion se ha convertido de un pays inculto y desierto, en una Provincia rica y comerciante, cultivada y poblada con mas de 300,000 habitantes. Esto mismo debe suceder a la Florida en el corto tiempo de diez y ocho o veinte anos si se adoptan las medidas conducentes a ello, y si al exemplo del exponente avandonan otros la apatia y se dedican a labrar su fortunar

individual, y por consiguiente la del Estado. Confiado pues en lo re comendable de esta empresa, en los vivos deseos que animan a V. M. por la prosperidad de la Nacion, y en los servicios y sacrificios del exponente, se atreve a suplica a V. M. que en remuneracion de ellos se digne concederle en plena propiedad y con arreglo a las leyes que rigen en la materia, todas las tierras incultas que no se hallen cedidas en la Florida, comprendidas entre el rio Perdido al occidente del Golfo de Mexico, y los rios Amaruja y el Sn. Juan, desde Popa hasta su desague en el Mar por la parte de Oriente, por el Norte la linea de demarcacion con los Estados Unidos, y al Sur por el Golfo de Mexico, incluyendo las yslas desiertas en la costa. Por tanto, a V. M. rendidamente suplica, que en atencion a lo expuesto, y a las includables ventajas que resultan a la Nacion, se sirva acceder a este solicitud, y mandar al mismo tiempo se comuniquen las correspondientes ordenes a las Autoridades del Pays, prebiniendoles presten al exponente todos los auxilios y proteccion necesaria, asi para la designacion de los terrenos, como para llevar a efecto la empresa en todas sus partes: gracia que espera de la munificencia de V. M. Enterado del contenido de esta exposicion, y atendiendo al distinguido merito de este sugeto, y a su acreditado celo por mi real servicio, como tambien a las ventajas que resultaran al Estado del aumento de poblacion de los citados paises que pretende, he tenido a bien acceder a la gracia que solicita en cuanto no se oponga a las leyes de esos mis reynos, y comunicarlo al mi consejo de Indias para su execucion en Real orden de diez y siete de Diciembre, del referido ano. En su consecuencia os mando y encargo por esta mi Real Cedula, que con arreglo a las leyes que rigen en la materia auxilieis eficazmente la execucion de la espresada gracia, tomando todas las disposiciones que se dirijan a su debido efecto, sin perjuicio de tercero, y para que el espresado Conde de Punonrostro pueda desde luego poner en execucion su designio, conforme en todo con mis beneficus deseos, en obsequio de la agricultura y comercio de dichas posesiones que claman por una poblacion proporcionada a la feracidad de su suelo, y a la defensa y seguridad de las costas; dando cuenta succesivamente de su progreso; que asi es mi voluntad, y que de esta cedula se tome razon en la Contaduria General de Indias. Fecha en Palacio, a seis de Febrero, de mil ochocientos diez y ocho.

Por mandado del Rey Nuestro Senor:

ESTEBAN VAREA."

YO EL REY.

Y para que conste firmo esta certificacion en Madrid, a quince de Octubre, de mil ochocientos y veinte.

Don Evaristo Perez de Castro, Caballero de numero de la orden de Carlos 3d, del Consejo de Estado y Secretario del Despacho de Estado, &c.

Certifico que la firma que antecede del Exmo. Sor. Don Antonio Porcel, Secretario del Despacho de la Gobernacion de Ultramar, es la que acostumbra poner en todos sus escritos. Y para los efectos convenientes doy el presente certificado, firmado de mi mano y sellado con el escudo de mis armas, en Madrid, a veinte y uno de Octubre, de mil ochocientos y veinte.

EVARISTO PEREZ DE CASTRO.

(TRANSLATION.)

Don Antonio Porcel, Knight Pensioner of the Royal and distinguished order of Charles 3d, of the Council of State, and Secretary of State and of Despatch of the Ultramarine government, &c.

I certify that, under date of the sixth of February, one thousand eight hundred and eighteen, royal letters patent of the same tenor were sent by the late Council of the Indies to the Governor Captain General of the Island of Cuba and its dependencies, to the Intendant of the Army and Royal business of the Havana and its district, and to the Governor of the Floridas, that each should do his utmost in his particular department to give effect to the grant made to Brigadier the Count of Punonrostro, of various lands situated in West Florida, of the following tenor:

THE KING.

My Governor and Captain General of the Island of Cuba and its dependencies: The Brigadier Count of Punonrostro submitted to me, on the third of November last, what follows: "Sire: The Brigadier Count of Punonrostro, Grandee of Spain of the first class, and your Gentleman of the Bed Chamber in actual attendance, &c., &c., throwS himself at your Majesty's Royal feet with the most profound respect, and submits to your Majesty: That, prompted by the desire of promoting, by all possible means, the improvement of the extensive waste and unsettled lands possessed by your Majesty in

the Americas, which, by their fertility, offer the greatest advantages, not only to your memorialist, but to the state, provided due effect, as is hoped, be given to the noble project formed by your Majesty's memorialist, of converting a small portion of those deserts into the abode of peaceable Christians and industrious inhabitants, who will increase the population of your kingdoms, promote agriculture and commerce, and thereby add immensely to your royal revenues. This enterprise should be conducted by a person who, with a knowledge of the country, would combine the intelligence necessary for comparing the progress made by other nations in similar situations, and particularly by the United States, which, within a very recent period, have advanced their power to an extraordinary height, and especially in the instance of the Mobile country, adjoining Florida, which, in the last six years, has received such an influx of emigrants, as to be converted from a desert waste into a rich commercial province, highly improved and peopled with more than three hundred thousand souls. A similar change would be effected in Florida within eighteen or twenty years, by the adoption of judicious arrangements, and by those exertions which your Majesty's memorialist proposes to employ for the promotion of his personal interest, and consequently that of the state. Relying on the merits of the case, and the lively interest felt by your Majesty in the national prosperity, and in the services and sacrifices of your Majesty's memorialist, he humbly requests your Majesty that, taking them into consideration, you would be graciously pleased to grant and cede to him, in full right and property, and the mode and manner required by law, all the waste lands, not heretofore ceded in Florida, lying between the river Perdido, westward of the Gulf of Mexico, and the rivers Amaruja and Saint Johns, from Popa to the point where it empties into the ocean, for the eastern limit; and, for the northern, the boundary line of the United States; and, to the south, by the Gulf of Mexico, including the desert islands on the coast. He therefore humbly prays, in consideration of the premises, and the unquestionable advantages to be derived by the nation, your Majesty will be pleased to grant this his petition; and, thereupon, direct the necessary orders to be given to the local authorities to afford him all due aid and protection, as well in designating the territory referred to, as in giving full effect to the whole enterprise. All which he hopes from the munificence of your Majesty."

Having taken the premises into consideration, and bearing in mind the distinguished merits of the memorialist, and his signal zeal for my royal service, as well as the benefits to be derived by the state from an increase of population in the countries, the cession whereof he has solicited, I have judged fit to grant him the same, in so far as is conformable to the laws of these my kingdoms, and to make it known to my Council of the Indies, for its due execution, by a royal order of the seventeenth of December, in the year aforementioned; wherefore, I charge and command you, by this, my Royal Cedula, with due observance of the laws to such cases pertaining, to give full and due effect to the said cession, taking all requisite measures for its accomplishment, without injury to any third party, and, to the end, that the said Count of Punonrostro may forthwith carry his plans into execution, in conformity with my beneficent desires in favor of the agriculture and commerce of the said territories, which require a population proportionate to the fertility of the soil, and the defence and security of the coasts, he giving regular accounts of his proceedings, for such is my will; and that due note be taken of the present Cedula in the office of the Accountant General of the Indies. Dated at the Palace, the sixth of February, one thousand eight hundred and eighteen.

By command of the King our Lord:

ESTEVAN VAREA.

I, THE KING.

And I confirm this exemplification, at Madrid, the fifteenth of October, one thousand eight hundred and twenty.

(Signed)

ANTONIO PORCEL.

Don Evaristo Perez de Castro, Knight of the order of Charles 3d, of the Council of State, and Secretary of Despatch of State, &c.

I certify that the foregoing signature of his Excellency Don Antonio Porcel, Secretary of Despatch of the Ultra Marine Government, is that which he is accustomed to put to all his writings. And for the proper purposes, I give the present certificate, signed by my hand, and sealed with my seal of arms, at Madrid, the twenty-first of October, one thousand eight hundred and twenty.

(Signed)

EVARISTO PEREZ DE CASTRO.

COPIA.

Don Antonio Porcel, Caballero pensionista de la real y distinguida orden de Carlos tercero, del Consejo de Estado y Secretario de Estado y del Despacho de la Gobernacion de Ultramar, &c.

Certifico que con fecha de nueve de Abril, de mil ochocientos diez y ocho, se espidieron por el extinguido Consejo de las Indias reales cedulas de igual tenor al Gobernador Capitan General de la ysla de Cuba y su distrito, al Intendente de exercito y real hacienda de la Habana y su distrito, y al Gobernador de las Floridas, para que cada uno en la parte que le tocase dispusiera lo conveniente a que tubiese efecto la gracia concedida a Don Pedro de Vargas, de varios terrenos situados en las Floridas; cuyo contenido es el siguiente.

:

"EL REY.

Mi Gobernador y Capitan General de la ysla de Cuba y su distrito. Confecha de veinte y cinco de Enero ultimo, me hizo presente Don Pedro Vargas lo que sigueSenor Don Pedro de Vargas, Caballero de la real orden militar de Alcantara, tesorero general de la real casa y Patrimonio de V. M. con el mas profundo respeto a V. R. M. espone. Que hay una porcion de tierras vacantes y despobladas en el territorio de las Floridas, y deseando que si V. M. se digna premiar sus tales cuales servicios y las pruebas de lealtad que le tiene dadas, sea sin el mas minimo grabamen del Erario, ni perjuicio de tercero como puede en el dia verificarse con algunas tierras de aquel pais a V. M. suplica que por un efecto de su soberana piedad se digne concederle la propiedad del terreno que esta comprehendida en la siguiente demarcacion, asaver. Desde la embocadura del rio Perdido y de su bahia en el Golfo de Mexico, siguiendo la costa del mar, subir por la bahia del Buen Socorro, y de la Mobila, continuar por el Rio de Mobila hasta tocar la linea norte de los Estados Unidos, y baxar por ella con una recta al origin del Rio Perdido y siguiendo por el Rio de la Mobila abaxo y la bahia de su nombre volver por la costa del Mar acia el Oeste con todas las calas entradas e yslas adyacentes que pertenecen a la Espana en la epoca presente hasta llegar a la linea del oeste de los Estados Unidos y volver por la del Norte comprehendiendo todas las tierras baldias que corresponden o puedan corresponden a la Espana y estan en disputa o reclamacion con los Estados Unidos, segun el tenor de los tratados, y asimismo el terreno baldio y no cedido a otro particular que hay entre el Rio Hijuelos en la Florida Oriental y el Rio Santa Lucia tirando una linea desde el nacimiento del uno al del otro y siguiendo por la costa del Golfo de Mexico, desde la embocadura del Rio Hijuelos, hasta la punta de tancha, y doblando esta por la costa del Golfo de Florida hasta la embocadura del Rio Santa Lucia con las yslas y cayos adyacentes."

Enterado del contenido de esta esposicion, y atendiendo al merito de este sugeto y a su acreditado celo por mi real servicio; como tambien a las ventajas que resultaran al Estado de la poblacion de los citados paises, he tenido a bien acceder a la gracia que solicita, en cuanto no se oponga a las leyes de esos mis reinos, y comunicarlo al mi Consejo de las Indias para su complimiento en real orden de dos de Febrero proximo pasado. En su consequencia os mando y encargo por esta mi real Cedula, que con arreglo a las Leyes que rigen en la materia y sin perjuicio de tercero auxilieis eficazmente la execucion de la expresada gracia, tomando todas las disposiciones que se dirigan a su debido efecto, como tambien al aumento de poblacion, agricul tura y comercio, de las referidas posesiones; dando cuenta succesivamente de su progreso que asi es mi voluntad, y que de esta Cedula se tome razon en la contaduria general de Indias. Fecha en Palacio, a nueve de Abril, de milochocientos diez y ocho. YO EL REY.

Por mandado del Rey Nuestro Senor:

ESTEVAN VAREA."

Y para que conste firmo esta certificacion en Madrid, a quince de Octubre, de mil ochocientos y veinte.

Don Evaristo Perez de Castro, Cabellero de numero de la orden de Carlos 3°. del Consejo de Estado y Secretario del Despacho de Estado, &c.

Certifico que la firma que antecede del Exmo. Sor. Don Antonio Porcel, Secretario del Despacho de la Gobernacion de Ultramar, es la que acostumbra poner en todos sus ascritos. Y para los efectos convenientes doy el presente certificado, firmado de mi mano y sellado con el escudo de mis armas en Madrid, a veinte y uno de Octubre, de mil ochocientos y veinte.