Page:History of Southeast Missouri 1912 Volume 1.djvu/131

 HISTORY OF SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 71 whom you are connected, as much for our safety as for our defense. "The Governor has approved of the dis- tribution of the twenty thousand beads which I have given the Delawares, and to which you have contributed. It has been my in- tention to reimburse you, and to-day I can do it with greater facility, because they have offered me the means without looking for them elsewhere, so you may draw on me at the rate of six per thousand, which the king has agreed for me to pay. "I am told that you are coming to St. Louis with your savages. Because I am de- prived of all merchandise, their visit will be a little embarrassing. Therefore I ask you to come by yourself (when your presence here is necessary) and attend to it, that when the boats arrive you are here to make a suit- able present to the savages. "May God take you in His holy keeping. "Zenon Trudeau. "P. s.— I keep your permit for an occasion to which I can intrust it. It states that you shall not be troubled from the ^lissouri to the Arkansas in your trade, also in the set- tlements or encampments which you have formed with the savages, the Shawnese and Delawares. etc. and that you shall be pro- tected at Cape Girardeau." It will be seen that this grant conferred great privileges upon Lorimier. In the spring of 1793, in anticipation of this grant, he had removed from the Saline to Cape Girardeau. Here he built a house and estab- lished himself with his Indian friends and allies. They settled on unoccupied lands and engaged in "hunting over a large part of Mis- souri aud Arkansas. In 1796, Lorimier made another trip east of the river gathering more Indians who were brought to this side of the river. He was an active and energetic man, and was moved not only by devotion to Spain, but also by hatred to the Americans. He had never forgotten nor forgiven the destruction of his property in Ohio, and he seemed to take great pleasure in doing everything he could to injure the people of the United States. In recognition of this aud other services he received from time to time grants of land which, by the year 1797, aggregated 8,000 arpents. This land included the site of the city of Cape Girardeau. It will be seen that the Spanish had been liberal in their dealings with him. He was the owner of large bodies of produc- tive land, and he had exclusive right to con- trol of the Indians. This meant, of course, a monopoly of Indian trade. The only condi- tions annexed to the grants of land were that the land should be settled within a reasonable time and that roads and other public im- provements should be made. In 1799 he was engaged in building a new house called The Red House on the present site of St. Vincent's church. Near his house, at the corner of the present William and Lorimier streets, was a large spring. The hills were covered with trees, and on these wooded hills in the vicin- ity of this spring, the Indians were accustomed to camp when they came for conferences with Lorimier. He was appointed comman- dant of the post of Cape Girardeau, holding this place until the transfer to the United States in 1804. He was held in high esteem by the Spanish officials, as is shown in the^ fol- lowing letter written by De Lassus : "M. Louis Lorimier, the commandant at Cape Girardeau can neither read nor write, but he has a natural genius, since he has always had the .iudgment to have some one near him able to assist him in regard to his correspond- ence. He signs nothing without having it