The Council.
Continuing the account of investigations which have been obtained and were promised in a letter of October 22nd to ascertain with certainty of the excesses committed by the Governor of Florida, Don Francisco Moral Sanchez.
The Council makes known that the events are so strange and extraordinary, which by divers means have been understood to have taken place in that Garrison and its administration, that the very excess itself stuns one with astonishment and paralyzes the credulity of our mind—but, having complied with his duty as commanded, he explains: That he is quite assured of the truth of the report of the Engineer Don Antonio Arredondo, who was an eye-witness and had no reason whatever to judge him otherwise than impartially, being in no conceivable manner dependent. That his report agrees in every particular with the other letters written of the excesses of the above mentioned Governor as will be recognized by the document which accompanies this and is certified to by the Engineer Arredondo at the continuation of them in a private declaration made by the decree expedited for this purpose.
That the few Indians of our faith represent and express their true sentiments, as indicated by a document I remit to this Council, through the Rev. Bishop of Micale, which they obliged Señor Arredondo to receive and remit to your Majesty. That other certificates of military and private individuals of that Garrison, with other documents which accompany this, and not only confirm, but add such scandalous excesses of the private life of that Governor, that it is impossible to find decent and decorous words with which to express them. And some of these words are from the mouth of religious Monks and Priests who affirm all these letters as well as the one written by Don Antonio Benavides—there are also later letters giving accounts of the same proceedings.
Besides the scandalous reports being certified to by all, in about the same manner, they accuse the Governor of his treatment of the Captain of Grenadiers Don Felipe de Iturrieta, commandant of the detached troops, forgetting his personal merits, and official position, and his being a person of implicit integrity. He had him thrust into prison in a most shameful and scandalous manner—even depriving him of the resources of writing—and after trampling him in every way he incriminates him for disobedience in the performance of his duties—a mere pretense, for it was that this Officer refused to neglect his duty or allow his men to do so, by being off guard at the Barracks, where it is imperative, according to all military laws that guards should be at their post. The Governor wishing the men for his private purposes ignored or formed false conception of military duties and suspended and imprisoned the Captain. Of the same nature is the charge made against him of violating the Royal ordinance and defying it—when he replied to the Governor in words which would rather indicate respect. It is a shameful act to treat an Officer of honor of his well known character, who has the heavy responsibilities which are recognized as belonging to said Captain, and are certified to in the statements of the circumstances, as also a petition in which is set forth all that has occurred, and imploring that justice be shown Captain Iturrieta that he may not be stigmatized. While all written in these reports and certificates are true, I did not depose him immediately from office until I received the report asked of the Bishop of Micale, knowing his prudence and virtue and that his word would be more approved than all else in the case. In the meantime while awaiting his report I am taking every step to conquer the difficulties which may arise to name a subject who can act in the interim, because it seems the need is so great that it is impossible to form any resolution whatever in the case pending in that Province, and this consideration has suspended all movement of removing him until the order comes for doing so. This in our judgment being more prudent, as the referred to Governor is so engrossed in his private affairs as certified to in the papers of Don A. Arredondo, in which he speaks of the Barracks for lodging the soldiers, and the looking into this matter belongs to the Viceroy of New Spain—that in proper time he take the precautions which he deems most essential.
Concluding with the disposal of the reports, and taking the less scandalous means to depose the Governor of Florida, Don Francisco Moral Sanchez, as he has not been forewarned of what is to happen, it seems doubtful which is the best means to adopt, we will therefore consider the matter with more deliberation proceeding in the safest and most certain way and rendering a personal account as quickly as possible thereafter.
The Council.
Excellent Lord: