Portillo, (O.M.Cap.), Father Joaquin de

Procedure taken by Father Joaquin de Portillo, (O.M.Cap.), pastor of (St. Luis(?), New Orleans) to have turned over to him all the goods belonging to the late Fathers J(ose)ph de Arazena, O.M.Cap., Fran(cis)co de Azuqueca, O.M.Cap., and Pedro de Velez, O.M.Cap..

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1794 (May 16)

Portillo, (O.M.Cap), Father Joaquin
New Orleans, (Louisiana)

to (Father Patrick Walsh
New Orleans, Louisiana)

Portillo appears and states that on April 14 he received a letter from Father Adrian de CoteVillo(?) prefect of the Capuchin College of Havana and of those in the mission of Louisiana and Florida, in which he ordered Portillo to obtain possession of all the belongings of Fathers Arazena and the others who have died in this mission and enclosed copies of the laws made by their Provincial and Definers of their Province of Castile for the management of the College of Havana and this mission. These laws were approved by the king and the Council of the Indies December 23, 1792 and communicated to the Province on July 18, 1793. Order 19 of these laws states that whatever is left by the missionaries should be added for the use of the missions, incorporating it in the Syndicature of Havana which will be general for all the missions. Since these regulations superc(?)ede the Royal approbation of the Instructions given Portillo by the Bishop of Havana when Portillo came to New Orleans as Ecclesiastical Vicar, it has been erroneously believed in Havana that whatever was left by the missionaries should be given to the Royal Treasury. So all the belongings of Fathers Arazena, de Velez and Azuqueca are at the disposition of (Walsh). Portillo asks that Walsh examine this petition and that the belongings of the deceased priests be turned over to him.

A.D.S. (Spanish)

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1794 May 16

Walsh, Father (Patrick)
(New Orleans, Louisiana)

Without prejudice to the action concerning the legacies of Father Azuqueca, Arazena and de Velez, complying with the commission and instructions given Walsh by Bishop Felipe J(ose)ph de Tres Palacios, first bishop of Havana, let the party be informed that he should have recourse to His Excellency for the attainment of his purpose. A copy is to be made of the above letter and of this decree. Estevan de Quinones certifies to this decree and adds in a note that he notified Portillo.

D.S. (Spanish)

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(1794) (May. 17)

Portillo, (O.M.Cap.), Father Joaquin de
(New Orleans, Louisiana)

to (Father Patrick Walsh
New Orleans, Louisiana)

Portillo having received (Walsh)'s answer to his petition of yesterday, protests the decree in view of the fact that after all expenses such as inventories, taxes, auctions, etc., are paid there will be very little if anything left for the Mission. He asks that a legalized copy of his letter and the decree be given him and also a copy of the protesting letter.

A.D.S. (Spanish)

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1794 May 17

Walsh, Father (Patrick)
(New Orleans, Louisiana

The protest is to be accepted; the legal documents he asks for are to be given, and the decision filed. Quinones certifies this decree and adds in following notes that he notified Portillo of the decree and made the copies of the proceedings of the 16th and sent them to Portillo and Walsh and made the copies of the 17th and sent them to Portillo.

D.S. (Spanish)

IV-4-o A.D.S., D.S. 8pp. 4to. (Spanish)
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