The Governor General supervised and regulated everything concerning general government matters, civil servants, applications to reside in the Indies, and had the ability to arrest people presumed dangerous for public order. He had authority on sea and land power and was also responsible for defense. Though any action concerning relations with the local kingdoms had to be announced to the council. In general, the new colonial government not only continued the previous administrative system by reviving organizations such as the Indies Council, General Procurer, Financial Council, and Court of Justice but also made more systematic and detailed organizational structures such as the addition of irrigation system waterstaatreligious affairs (eeredienst)and postal affairs (posterijen).7 Establishment of the Algemene Secretarie The Algemene Secretarie was a secretariat resulting from the merger of the Generaal Secretarie, which was the secretariat for the Commissioners General, and the Gouvernement Secretarie for the Governor General. The merger was formalized by Commissioners General Decree 1 February 1819 Nr. 10.8 This organization was headed by an Algemene Secretaris, with several Gouvernement Secretaris as his subordinates. The first Algemene Secretaris was J.C. Baud, who was previously Gouvernement Secretaris. Different from other organizations, this organization was not specifically regulated in the Regeringsreglement (the colonial constitution), only the mentioning of the Algemene Secretaris and Gouvernement Secretaris that indicated that this kind of body existed.9 The existence of this organization was indispensable, not a result from an intended plan but more to the inevitability in which the Governor General, as the bearer of responsibility to represent the King of the Netherlands, needed an organ where he could organize his duties—a special bureau to assist him with administrative duties but also a body where he could get expert advice to make decision.10 With a mass of duties which had been imposed upon him, the Governor General brought important attachés to the General Secretariat. Its members were not mere mechanical links between the Governor General and his various officials, but independent agents, who gave not only form but substance to the expressions of the government's will.11 The task of the General Secretariat cannot be separated from the existence and the function of the Governor General as the highest authority in the colony. This organization moved back and forth between Batavia (1816-1838, 1848-1888) and Buitenzorg (1838-1848, 1888-1941), depending on where the Governor General resided.12 The tasks included providing advice and information for the Governor General, reviewing every incoming proposal by department chiefs according to COLONIAL LEGACY IN SOUTH EAST ASIA - THE DUTCH ARCHIVES 7 Regeringsalmanak van Nederlandsch Indie voor het jaar 1819. 8 Geschiedkundige Nota, 5. 9 Kleintjes, Staatsinstellingen van Nederlandsch-Indië, 307. 10 Kat Angelino, Staatkundig Beleid en Bestuurszorg, II, 63-64. 11 Day, The Policy and Administration, 416-417. 12 Geschiedkundige Nota. 13 Tempelaars and Kramer, Handleiding, 9. 14 Geschiedkundige Nota, 11. 15 Louter, Handboek, 194. 116

Periodiekviewer Koninklijke Vereniging van Archivarissen

Jaarboeken Stichting Archiefpublicaties | 2012 | | pagina 118