Letter of Resolution.
A. D. 1770.
Sire:
By order of his Majesty I sent the Knight of the Order, Fray Don Julian de Arriaga, with papers of February 27th of this year, to the Governor of Havana, and documents which treat especially of the appeal made to the Bishop of that diocese, asking him for patent and Holy oil to administer baptism and extreme unction to the Catholic families who were taken from Minorca, to colonize the territory in Florida, belonging to the English, so that it may be recognized and consulted in the Council whatever may come up on this subject. The proclaimed Governor Don Antonio Bucareli y Ursna give an account referring to the above mentioned documents. He states that he received a letter addressed to the Bishop of that diocese by one of the passing fish boats on its way to the northern coast for the fisheries. That immediately upon its receipt, he made returns of a copy of it, and its entire sentiment, which he forwarded. From the appearance of its contents, the subject treated, in their judgment it seemed proper to lay the whole matter before your Majesty, including a copy of the aforementioned letter, that you might decide what was most agreeable to your Royal pleasure. In the already mentioned letter signed it seems by Don Pedro Campos, Doctor of Sacred Theology, dated from Mosquito on the 20th of October of 1769, the prelate lays before the public the fact that one year previous Mr. Andrew Turnbull, an Englishman, had taken from the Island of Minorca about 1300 persons to colonize Florida, for whom he was appointed Parish Priest and Don Bartolome Casanovas, of the St. Augustine order, Vicar of said jurisdiction. They had received their appointment from the Supreme Pontificate, not knowing to which Bishop this jurisdiction of Florida belonged, but it was their duty to appear by writing before the expiration of three years to the Prelate of the Apostolic chair in that diocese. That both of them are natives of Minorca, which Island was temporarily subject to the King of Great Britain and spiritually to the Bishop of Minorca. That he had studied philosophy and theology, received all the orders, been one of the governing body and Vicar. This last office he had held for twelve years in Minorca. Preached during several Lents, as had also Padre Casanovas. For all these reasons he begs that he be sent a patent of Parochial Priest and one of Vicar to Fray Casanovas. He also asks for some of the Holy Oil used in baptism and extreme unction. That all these be sent him by the same secret means of the fishermen for the spiritual aid and advancement of those Catholic people.
Successively the same Knight of the Order sent another paper and testimony to the Bishop of Cuba, Don Santiago Echevarria, saying that the dispatch or expedient sent belonged to the Council. With the order of February 27th referring to the solicitude felt by that Vicar and Parish Priest for the families who had been transported from Minorca, so that they might be united to this tribunal which could proceed to recognize them as stated in the prepared information. In it the same prelate, Don Julian Arriaga, of the diocese, states that at the same time he had full knowledge of the letter of Dr. Campos, the Governor passed a bill considering it not worthy of his consideration and not recognizing the legitimacy of the letter of the pretendent nor his pontifical jurisdiction. Affirming that the testimony was of little value or belief. The simple say so of a letter. The class of foreigners who lived among heretics, diminished their estimation of the Holy Oil, finally that he considered it absolutely necessary to lay the whole matter before your Majesty. Considering each clause of the letter, he deemed that it should be answered by the minister, arranging all according to his judgment and resolution to be made known, so that hereafter he may know how to proceed in similar cases. The Council, in view of the referred report, placed it before the Judge, whose original answer is in the hands of your Royal Highness confirming the opinion it contains and placing before your Royal consideration that the judgment found by the Bishop of Cuba has been very prudent, that he has worked with wise precaution, because truly the contents of Dr. Campos’ letter are very delicate, and one should be cautious in being influenced by a weak letter entrusted to uncertain fishermen. That at all events it lacks the necessary antecedents required for an affair of less importance. That the foundation should be the legitimizing of the persons referred to by the Priest and the Fray Casanovas. The claims with which they passed to Florida in company with the families from Minorca and the jurisdiction they assure us to have received from the Supreme Pontificate. Nothing of this has been sent in document form, nor promised to be sent in such form, ignoring also whether the families from said Island taken out by the English were Catholics, and if they had passed into Florida as such and with the freedom of enforcing their religion. That Catholics, permanent residents of Florida, should ask spiritual aid of the Bishop of Cuba, is perfectly proper, because, before the occupation of the English, Mosquito was under his jurisdiction. Neither should sacred things be exposed to the scorn and ridicule of heretics, nor should it be badly administered. The secret manner in which Dr. Campos seeks this aid, so very queer, because if the families from Minorca are Catholic and were transported as such to Florida with the free privilege of their religion, as is seen by their efforts in bringing with them a Parish Priest and Vicar. The English would certainly not oppose them in publicly asking for and having all that is required by these same Catholics for administering the sacraments, education of the masses, and spiritual good of their souls. All this makes it indispensable that we should have a thorough knowledge and investigation of these affairs by other means before we can decide on this matter with any certainty. To which is added that by the article eleven of the Treaty of Peace adjusted on the 13th of July of the year 1713, in which was ceded to the crown of Great Britain the Island of Minorca, (among other things) promised by his British Majesty was that the inhabitants of the said Island should enjoy in all safety and peacefulness all the honors and privileges of the Roman Catholic religion, and also that for the preservation of this religion they should take all measures which did not appear exposed to the Government of Sevilla and laws of Great Britain. Thus it seems to the Council that your Minister in Rome should be appointed to investigate the matter with the greatest solicitude, because if the Catholics of the above mentioned Island of Minorca, transported by the English in the year 1768 (as we deduce from Dr. Campos’ letter), have made an appeal to the Apostolic Secretary in order to carry with them their own Pastor, and if his Holiness has named in the capacity of the Parish Priest and Vicar the referred to Don Pedro Campos and Don Bartolome Casanovas of the St. Augustine Order, and such jurisdiction assigned to them.
Being informed as briefly and clearly as possible, extend an order to the Captain-General of the Island of Minorca and to the Bishop of that Diocese that they may separately inform if they know of the exportation of the families of Minorca by the English to populate Florida. If the declared families were Catholic, and if the Prelates lived and behaved as priests; if they passed over here with the understanding that they had free use of their religion, if Dr. Campos and Pedro Casanova were elected as Parish Priest and Vicar of them. What is the character and circumstances of these two subjects, and if on accepting they gave notice and obtained permission of that minister and that prelate. In the meanwhile if the steps have been taken, it is imperative that the Governor of Havana and the Bishop of Cuba be given to understand that the prudent steps taken by them was exactly and perfectly agreeable to your Majesty. Their determination and your agreeing with it perfectly as though they had anticipated your resolution on the present subject. That without appearing in it, the Bishop should try by all means available to investigate the manner of practising the Catholic religion by these Minorcans in Florida. The position of Dr. Campos and Fray Casanovas who are supposed to be Parish Priest and Vicar of the Catholic portion of the settlement. Let a similar order be given the Governor so as to advance as speedily as possible with the news, giving information of the results of the search that your Majesty may decide on what is most agreeable to your Royal Highness.
Madrid, Sept. 27th, 1770.
Letter of the Archbishop of Valencia.
My Dear Sir: