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The original digest was compiled and edited by the Work Projects Administration
(WPA) under the supervision of Mrs. E. D. Friedrichs, Custodian of the City Hall Archives. It was WPA
project #665-64-3-112. The digest was completed as a single typewritten volume in August, 1939.
The digest was compiled from the English translations (also WPA products) of the original Spanish
manuscript of the Acts and Deliberations of the Cabildo. The original digest was designed, according to its
preface, "to classify this information in order that each subject may be found readily in its entirety, in each
specific classification." The preface continued as follows,
With this idea in view every subject discussed or acted upon, by the members of the
Spanish Cabildo, has been carefully analyzed, condensed, and placed, chronologically, in its proper
classification. In this way all items of information on a given subject are grouped, and falling in their proper
classification form a complete picture of the whole treatment of the subject.
In part one of the digest the compilers extracted all information on the organization of the Spanish
government, on the Cabildo building, and on the transfer of Louisiana from Spain to France. Part two
contains a classified listing of laws enacted or considered by the Cabildo. In both parts references are
included to the relevant book/volume and page number in the translation (books 3 and 4 of the
translations were subdivided into several volumes; the first two books were translated without
subdivision).
NOTE: Researchers using this digest should be aware that the creators of the digest misused the designations "volume" and "book," and thus created a certain confusion. To help clarify the problem, note that a reference in the digest to, for example, "Book 4, Volume III," will be found on the microfilm of the English translations and Spanish transcriptions as "Volume 4, Book 3."
The editors of the digest acknowledged a "great many discrepancies" in the spelling of proper names
throughout the work. They attributed this inconsistency to the different French and Spanish versions of
many given names and surnames.
This online version of the digest was made possible through the efforts of NOPL volunteer Linda
Angelocci. Her efforts have also made it possible for us to present a new chronological index to the Digest.
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