The Indian Wars, 1784-1787 219 



lin," and to become one of its privy councilors, cast 

 ing off his allegiance to the Virginian Government. 35 

 However, the whole movement soon collapsed, the 

 collapse being inevitable when once it became evi 

 dent that the Franklin experiment was doomed to 

 failure. 



The West was thus seething with separatist agi 

 tations throughout the time of Gardoqui's residence 

 as Spanish Envoy in America; and both Gardoqui 

 and Miro, who was Governor of Louisiana all 

 through these years, entered actively into intrigues 

 with the more prominent separatist leaders. 



Miro was a man of some ability, and Martin Na- 

 varro, the Spanish Intendant of Louisiana, pos 

 sessed more; but they served a government almost 

 imbecile in its fatuity. They both realized that 

 Louisiana could be kept in possession of Spain only 

 by making it a flourishing and populous province, 

 and they begged that the Spanish authorities would 

 remove the absurd commercial restrictions which 

 kept it poor. But no heed was paid to their re 

 quests, and when they ventured to relax the severity 

 of the regulations, as regards both the trade down 

 the Mississippi and the sea-trade to Philadelphia, 

 they were reprimanded and forced to reverse their 

 policy. This was done at the instance of Gardoqui, 

 who was jealous of the Louisiana authorities, and 

 showed a spirit of rivalry toward them. Each side 

 believed, probably with justice, that the other was 

 influenced by corrupt motives. 



16 Va. State Papers, IV., pp. 5, 31, 32, 75, etc. 



