94 KANSAS CITY REVIEW OF SCIENCE. 



friend of Ulloa, induced the Spanish governor to re-instate the company in the 

 privileges it had lost, which he did in 1766. Riu, as we have already seen, reg- 

 ulated the Indian trade at St. Louis, and of course, as in duty bound, enforced 

 the odious Maxent, Laclede & Co. monopoly in their interest. Naturally Lac- 

 lede and all who were influenced by the company he represented were favorable 

 to Riu. St. Ange, although in the service of Spain, happily for himself, was 

 not required to take part on either side. As all the independent traders and 

 the merchants who furnished their supplies were cut off by the monopoly, they 

 became hostile to Ulloa, and those on the spot to Riu especially. Incited by the 

 wrongs to which they were subjected, at one time a number of inhabitants and 

 traders assembled and addressed a passionate remonstrance to St. Ange against 

 the restrictive policy which was being enforced, and set forth the ruin with which 

 they were threatened. With the rare tact which had ever characterized his con- 

 duct, St. Ange managed to pacify them with the assurance that their complaints 

 should be forwarded to New Orleans, where no doubt they would receive atten- 

 tion. 



Meanwhile the Autumn of 1768 had come, revolutionary proceedings at 

 New Orleans taken place, and in consequence, Ulloa had left the province on 

 November ist. With his departure the Maxent, Laclede & Co. monopoly and 

 other Spanish restrictions on trade disappeared, and also the occasion of complaint 

 against M. Riu in St. Louis. On the eve of departure, Ulloa had agreed wiih 

 M. Aubry that the four posts should be evacuated, his force replaced by French 

 soldiers, and the Spanish troops sent to Havana. 



News of what had occurred at New Orleans reached St. Louis in due season ; 

 but winter disappeared, the spring of 1769 came and passed, summer set in, still 

 Riu and his little garrison tarried, the solitary representatives of Spanish power 

 in Louisiana. Why should they leave ? Spain, which regarded the loss of great 

 interests with indifference, but not insults and contumelies, was sure to return in 

 her might, and they could well bide the arrival of the coming avenger. The 

 Spanish and French commandants on good terms, Riu spending most of his time 

 in the village, his friends of the late Maxent & Co. monopoly owing him much 

 good will, the traders no longer interfered with, harboring no grudge, his little 

 garrison at Fort St. Charles an advantage to a country so sparsely populated, 

 there seemed to be reason for his going. Besides, St. Louis was not implicated 

 in the revolution at New Orleans; and St. Ange was far too prudent to allow 

 himself to be made an accomplice, whatever the plausible Lafreuiere might say, 

 or the wily Foucault write in favor of their conspiracy; and he knew too, how 

 hostile Aubry was to all that had been done to Ulloa. He was ready to take 

 charge of the fort when the Spaniard was ready to deliver it, for this was his 

 duty; but for the rest he was determined to keep clear of all entanglements. 

 Any how, it was only in the latter part of July that Labuxiere, the notary, and 

 an officer and a few soldiers went up to the mouth of the Missouri, the first to 

 make an inventory of the fort for the military authorities, the others to receive 

 and hold possession. Spain's proud banner was slowly lowered, taken from the 



