Source: https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/53/209/case.html
Timestamp: 2017-10-22 10:20:07
Document Index: 125388177

Matched Legal Cases: ['art. 131', 'art. 158', 'art. 2', 'art. 21', 'art. 34', 'art. 39', 'art. 54', 'art. 180', 'art. 111', 'art. 122', 'art. 131']

United States v. Moore (full text) :: 53 U.S. 209 (1851) :: Justia US Supreme Court Center
Justia › US Law › US Case Law › US Supreme Court › Volume 53 › United States v. Moore › Case
53 U.S. 209 (1851)
The petition states, that about 11 September, 1797, Antonio Yriarte, a resident of the Province of Louisiana, for the sum of 24,708 reals by him paid, purchased from the proper authorities under the government of Spain, to-wit: Juan Ventura Morales, the Intendant of the Province of Louisiana, and Gilbert Leonard, the Treasurer of said Province, sixty thousand arpens of land &c., all of which more fully appears from the annexed certificate, signed by the said Morales, Leonard and Carsetano Valdes, secretary of the Intendant, acknowledging the receipt of the consideration and the sale of the land above expressed.
His petition alleges that the land was purchased on 11 September, 1797, from Morales, the intendant, and Leonard, the treasurer of the province. The act positively requires that the date of the sale, concession &c., shall be set forth, and by whom it was made, in order that it may be seen whether the officer making the concession or sale had power to do so at the time it was done, and here the question of power existing in the intendant is raised by an allegation of the fact and a denial in the answer Undoubtedly Leonard had no authority to sell or distribute by donation and part of the public domain, but this would be of no consequence if Morales had such power. When the paper exhibited bears date, a controversy existed between the Intendant Morales and the political and military governor of Louisiana, as to which of them appertained the power to sell and distribute the King's domain, the intendant claiming authority under the laws of the Indies and the governor relying on a royal order of August, 1770. The following historical account will best explain how the matter stood in 1797, when as is alleged this sale was made.
So far as we have seen, the exclusive authority vested in the governors to make grants, stood unrevoked up to this time. But on the departure of Rendon, who had been intendant in 1796, the functions of Intendant devolved on Morales, who had been contador, 2 Mart. 131. Morales, thus intendant ad interim, in a letter to governor Gayoso 29 August, 1797,
The royal order was communicated from Spain to Morales on the same 22 October, 1798. In the communication to Gayoso, and that to himself, Morales is styled intendant ad interim.
The royal order seems to have reached Morales in February, 1799, before it did Gayoso. Some correspondence then took place between them, and Morales became vested with the power of making sales and grants. 2 White 478-484. He issued his regulations 17 July, 1799. Id., 234.
To the same effect is the report of Pintado, dated at Havana in 1822, respecting lands in Florida, communicated to our government. 2 White's Recop. 339. See also, 2 Mart. 158.
The first Intendant seems to have come to the country with O'Reilly. His name was Francisco de Loyola. 2 Mart. 2. He died in 1670, and was succeeded by Gayaree, as intendant ad interim. 2 Mart. 21.
Unzaga had the office of intendant united to that of governor. 2 Mart. 34. Galvez, when appointed governor was also appointed intendant. 2 Mart. 39. During the time he was engaged in the expeditions against the British possessions in West Florida, he had no time to bestow of fiscal affairs, and Martin Navarro was appointed intendant in the beginning of 1781. 2 Mart. 54. He left the province for Spain in 1788, and the two offices were again united in the person of Miro. 2 Mart. 180. Carondelet was intendant as well as governor. 2 Mart. 111. On his representation the office of intendant was separated from that of governor, and Francisco de Rendon, who had been the secretary of the Spanish Legation in the United States, was appointed, and arrived in New Orleans in the beginning of 1794. 2 Mart. 122. Rendon was afterwards sent to Zacatecas, and Morales was appointed ad interim, 1796. 2 Mart. 131.
decree was made for complainant, the court could ascertain what part of the land should be granted to him by patent; and as this could only be done by a specific ascertainment of interfering claims, the decree must of necessity specify their boundaries and quantities. Nor can it stop here; it must adjudge that a warrant shall issued, and be subject to location. This decree is not only in general terms, but it is contingent that in case all the lands claimed, or any part or portion of them, have been sold or otherwise disposed of by the United States, then the petitioner shall be authorized to enter a like quantity &c.
This view of the act of 1844 was very forcibly presented to us by the Attorney General in the case of United States v. Boisdore's Heirs, 11 How. 63, 77 [argument of counsel -- omitted], but as we then apprehended that no similar irregularity might again occur, no notice was taken of it in the opinion dismissing the cause on its merits.