Chapter XIV.
CHANGES IN THE ISLANDS.
Don Juan Antonio Martinez was governor-general of the Philippines from 1822 to 1825. During his term of office he had much to contend with, both from the foes of the people and from the foes of Spain. It was during his rule that the Constitution of 1812 was done away with. The revolt headed by Captain Novales was no sooner quelled than danger again threatened from the pirates of Sulu. These came against Manila, and so daring had they grown that they even captured and carried away the Padre-Provincial of the Recoletos and a number of other members of that order of friars. The captives were taken to Joló, where they were held in ransom for the sum of $10,000. This money was raised in Manila, and the friars were released.
After this outrage, Martinez sent Captain Alonzo Morgado (ä lon´thō mor gä´dō), with the sea forces of the Philippines, to carry on warfare against the southern pirates. Morgado succeeded in driving them back from Manila, and really punished them very severely. It was not, however, until the year 1862, when the Spanish brought steam gunboats into use against them, that these pirates ceased to be a menace to the people of Luzon and the Visayas.
THE MAGELLAN MONUMENT, MANILA.
Still the desire for greater political freedom grew among the young Filipino men. New teachers arose among them from time to time, and the spirit of discontent spread farther and farther. In the year 1828 another revolt took place. It was headed by two brothers, Spanish-Americans, both officers in the Spanish force in the Philippines.
This revolt was put down, as all others had been; but it now became clear that, if peace was to be kept, the Spanish-American soldiers must go. Most of them had come from Mexico, which country was now independent of Spain, and they held ideas of liberty that were dangerous to Spanish rule in the Philippines. A large body of troops was now brought from Spain, and Spanish soldiers always after, while Spain ruled, made up the foreign force in the islands.
In this same year, 1828, a royal order was issued commanding the cultivation and protection of cotton in the islands. The seeds of this plant had years before been brought over from Mexico, and the friars had tried to persuade the people to grow cotton; but they had not been very successful. The people did not yet know how useful cotton could be to them, or how great an industry cotton-growing in the islands might become. Now, however, the matter was given careful attention. Machinery was brought over for making thread and cloth from the cotton fiber, and every effort was made to protect and encourage the new venture.
Don Mariano Ricafort (mä rē ä´nō rē´kä fort), the governor-general at that time, made a law forbidding foreigners to go into the provinces to buy goods or land. As early as 1809 an English firm had been allowed to do business in Manila, and a number of foreigners were at this time in the city. The government tried to keep them as much as possible within the city, and to prevent them from mingling with the people in the provinces.