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Benavides' treasury had to repay prior governors' misappriating reconstruction funds

Source: The Governorship of Spanish Florida #122

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In his audit the governor [Benavides] found little to incriminate his predecessors. Although they had not rebuilt the church and the convent, the three governors had used the money for colonial needs—food, arms, powder, salaries, and fortifications. [Note: By the time Benavides turned in this audit, he had become more sympathetic with the problems of his predecessors and was less strident in his criticism and condemnation of their use of the money.] Apparently satisfied that there had been no peculation, the king then outlined a means by which the 34,000 pesos could find their way back into the Florida treasury. In November, 1720, he ordered Benavides and his two treasury officials to separate a small sum from each annual subsidy solely for use on projects proposed in his earlier cedulas, until the entire 34,000 pesos was reintegrated. [Note: gov to king 12/6/1721. The cedula was dated 11/7/1720.]

Poor Benavides was thoroughly discouraged over the course of events. He now found himself paying for the sins of his predecessors. AN163 Although he agreed to reintegrate the 34,000 pesos by the process the king had ordered, he pointed out that this new demand on the situado would only serve to increase the hardships in his colony. In fact, stated the governor, the cedula of November, 1720, might result in the loss of Florida to the English. [Note: gov to king 12/6/1721] As further demonstration of his desperate economic condition, Benavides asked permission to use the 6,000 pesos remaining in the building fund for fortifications rather than for a new church or convent. After all, observed the harried governor drily, dead men could not attend Mass, and his Floridians would surely perish if he did not attend to the defenses of the colony. [Note: gov to king, 4/24/1722. Benavides stated also that he used the 13,254 pesos from the comisos (money obtained from seizure and sale of illicit goods) to aid in the building projects.] To this Philip V gave his grudging approval, but he once again refused to relent on his order requiring the reintegration of the 34,000 pesos into the Florida treasury. [Note: King to gov 12/23/1724]

(Tepaske GSF)