New Orleans (La.). Office of the Mayor

The Common Council in 1852 established a Department of Police with the Mayor as its chief executive. In 1855 it required that prospective police officers be recommended to the Mayor by at least three freeholders of the city. Candidates had to be resident in the city for two years, citizens of the U.S., and were required to give bond and security to the Mayor for the faithful performance of their duties.

From the description of Bonds for police officers, 1855-1862. (New Orleans Public Library). WorldCat record id: 25288881

On March 16, 1830, the Louisiana Legislature passed an act "to prevent free persons of color from entering into this state." Section 12 of this act required "all free negroes, griffs and mulattoes of the first degree" who had entered the state after the adoption of the Constitution of 1812 and before January 1, 1825 to enroll themselves with the office of the Parish Judge of their resident parish or with the office of the Mayor of the City of New Orleans.

From the description of Register of free persons of color entitled to remain in the state, 1840-1864. (New Orleans Public Library). WorldCat record id: 25332194

In 1852 the Common Council authorized the Mayor to take care of, "at the expense of the city, all such orphan children and foundlings found within the city, as may be in destitute circumstances--at the lowest possible price, until such time as said children can be otherwise provided for." This law remained in effect until its repeal in 1888.

From the description of Records of the disposition of destitute orphans, 1852-1893. (New Orleans Public Library). WorldCat record id: 25288837

In December, 1846, the First Municipality Council consulted with the Wardens of the St. Louis Church "on the expediency of removing the range of owners of the Old Cemetery encroaching on St. Louis Street" and urged the Wardens, "in view of the completed improvements of that part of this Municipality," to come to an understanding satisfactory to all parties. In February, 1847, the Wardens agreed to relinquish the section of the cemetery in question, under the condition that the city construct new vaults for the remains in the displaced vaults. The Council accepted the Warden's proposal and authorized the Mayor to give new vaults to those able to prove title to old vaults "provided that such person or person's family or families renounce forever their rights to the same."

From the description of Renunciations made by owners of vaults fronting on St. Louis Street in the Old Catholic Cemetery Number One, 1847-1852. (New Orleans Public Library). WorldCat record id: 25288919

An act passed by the Louisiana Legislature on May 21, 1806 outlined the "rights and duties of Apprentices and Indentured Servants." The Act stipulated that indentures were to be signed in the presence of at least two witnesses "before the mayor of any city, or the judge of any county." Minors could be bound only with the consent of a parent, guardian or curator or, in their absence, with the consent of the mayor or county judge of their place of residence. The Act specified the form the agreement should take and set fees. Should the apprentice's master or mistress die during the term of the indenture, mayors and judges were also given the power to reassign unexpired terms to another "suitable person of said trade, or calling, mentioned in the indenture" and the power to penalize apprentices or bound servants who "absconded."

From the description of Indentures, 1809-1843. (New Orleans Public Library). WorldCat record id: 25316831

The 1805 city charter provided that the Mayor license all taverns and boarding houses, as well as carts, drays, and other conveyances. This responsibility apparently remained in the hands of the Mayor following adoption of the new city charter in 1836. The General Council did, under that law, gain the power to set citywide license fees and rates.

From the description of License records, 1829-1852. (New Orleans Public Library). WorldCat record id: 25288926

The Mayor is the chief executive officer of the city of New Orleans. Under the terms of the city's 1954 Home Rule Charter the office is elective, for a term of four years. The Mayor is limited to two consecutive terms in office. At present (1992) the Mayor's Office is divided into several functional units, each headed by an executive assistant.

From the description of Records, 1805-1992. (New Orleans Public Library). WorldCat record id: 25253469

The Conseil de Ville in 1822 required a license from the Mayor in order for peddlers to sell merchandize in the public squares or on the streets. The license was to specify the time and location permitted. Slaves could not be licensed directly, but a free person could purchase a license and specify a slave to do the actual selling. The Mayor was further authorized to grant up to 25 gratis licenses each year. Peddlers of bread, vegetables, milk products, wood, and fodder were exempted from the provisions of this law.

From the description of Record book of licenses issued to peddlers; record book of deserters from ships in the ports of New Orleans, 1823-1826; 1822-1831. (New Orleans Public Library). WorldCat record id: 25289183

In 1817 the Conseil de Ville passed an ordinance that, among other things, required prospective Commissaries of Police and members of the City Guard to pledge security bonds for the faithful performance of their duties for the time required by law.

From the description of Records of bonds for members of the City Guard and other police officers, 1816-1827. (New Orleans Public Library). WorldCat record id: 25288899

Section 7 of the 1805 city charter required that the Mayor, Recorders, Aldermen, and other subordinate officers take an oath to perform the duties of their positions to the best of their knowledge before assuming those offices. The Mayor was to take his oath before the Governor and the others before the Mayor. This requirement was modified in the 1852 charter which prescribed the oath of office required by the Louisiana constitution as the oath for city officials. The Mayor's oath was to be taken before a Justice of the Peace while the others continued to take theirs before the Mayor.

From the description of Oaths of office, 1832-1863. (New Orleans Public Library). WorldCat record id: 19489513

In 1817 the Conseil de Ville passed an ordinance that, among other things, required prospective members of the City Guard and Commissaries of Police to pledge security bonds for the faithful performance of their duties for the time period required by law.

From the description of Record of bonds for members of the City Guard and other police officers, 1816-1827. (New Orleans Public Library). WorldCat record id: 25315949

In 1831 the Conseil de Ville required that any person importing slaves from other states into the city for sale first make a declaration before the Mayor. The declarations were to show the number of slaves imported, along with the sex, age, name, and place of origin of each individual slave. The Mayor was to record this information in a book and issue certificates to the person making the declaration. This requirement appears to have been designed as a substitute for an 1829 state law governing the importation of slaves. That act had been repealed in March, 1831.

From the description of Lists of slaves imported for sale in the city of New Orleans, 1831. (New Orleans Public Library). WorldCat record id: 25288913

By ordinance approved in 1897, the Conseil de Ville required registration with the Mayor of "all persons who may come to this city, and are not inhabitants of the same." The ordinance made it the responsibility not only of the foreigners or strangers themselves to register, but also required that masters of vessels carrying such persons, and proprietors of inns, etc., boarding such persons likewise register them with the Mayor's Office. The reports were to include the name, age, and profession of each person, and were also to note where the person had come from and whether the person intended to remain in the city. Fees were set for such registrations, and penalties established for failure to register.

From the description of Passenger lists of ships arriving at New Orleans 1822. (New Orleans Public Library). WorldCat record id: 25288944

With the abolishment of the Police Jury for the Left (East) Bank of Orleans Parish in 1846, responsibility for controlling the emancipation of slaves fell to the three municipality councils.

From the description of Slaves emancipated by the Councils of Municipalities One, Two, and Three, 1846-1850. (New Orleans Public Library). WorldCat record id: 25288939

The charter of the city of New Orleans as passed by the Louisiana legislature in 1805 named the Mayor and the Recorders of the city as Justices of the Peace. Justices of the Peace were empowered, also by act of the state Legislature passed in 1805, to hear and examine complaints of breach of peace and to take the bond of any party charged with such a breach. Justices were also empowered in certain cases to turn offenders over to the custody of the Sheriff to hold until the due course of law could be followed. As such the Mayor acted as a hearing officer, making preliminary determinations in criminal matters that were later to be decided by the Criminal Court.

From the description of Decisions of the Mayor in criminal cases, 1823-1832. (New Orleans Public Library). WorldCat record id: 19011882

From the description of Receipts for papers in criminal cases, 1834-1844. (New Orleans Public Library). WorldCat record id: 20772042

The 1805 city charter authorized the Mayor to "license all taverns and boarding houses, hackney coaches, or other carriages for the conveyance of persons for hire, and all carts and drays for the carriage of goods, or other articles for hire, subject to such restrictions as the said mayor and city council shall by ordinance direct." Beginning in 1814 the City Council implemented regulations setting forth the obligations of licensees and requiring that they subscribe "jointly and severally with another solvent person to the satisfaction of the Mayor" security bonds for the proper execution of those obligations. The amount of the bond varied according to the purpose or occupation being licensed.

From the description of Oaths and bonds for city licenses on taverns, coffee houses, hotel, boarding houses, and other establishments, 1828-1863. (New Orleans Public Library). WorldCat record id: 19097501

From the description of Oaths and bonds for city licenses on vehicles, 1834-1866. (New Orleans Public Library). WorldCat record id: 19072213