Intendants in New France
The office of the intendant first made its appearance in connection with the affairs of New France in the spring of I663. On the advice of Colbert, the king had decided to provide New France with a new framework of government modeled in general upon that of a French province. In April 1663 an edict constituting the new administration was issued. As part of this administration, the intendant, who was trained in Finance, Law and Accounting, would be primarily in charge of the finances of the colony. The king normally appointed intendants from the royal service. These were men who entered the service at an early age and had been promoted as the result of tested fidelity to the interests of the monarchy and of industry shown in office.
The Intendants of New France were not appointed for a fixed number of years. In practice, the terms varied considerably, but according to Munro, “the average term of tenure was about eight and one half years.” The position was not something that everyone wanted, because it had enormous responsibilities and a heavy workload. In addition to that, the pay was low for this time in history- twelve thousand livres per year. However, those that did accept the position saw it as a stepping-stone to something greater. Consequently, they strove to conduct themselves so as to win the favor of the crown.
According to Munro, “each intendant received from the king a commission of appointment setting forth his jurisdiction and powers.” These commissions varied but disclosed a broad line of uniformity. These commissions were expressed in such general terms, Munro argued, “that the intendant was the real agent of administration in the colony.” The duties of the intendant were to oversee justice, finances and policing in the colony. He also presided over the Sovereign Council and acted as a judge. He was also responsible for establishing regulations relative to the police, commerce, market prices, currency, militia, and seigniorial rights. Nevertheless, the intendant lacked any power over the military. He was answerable only to the Minister of the Marine.
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