Among other important functions of a non-judicial character was the audiencia’s duty of keeping the archives of the government. The tribunal had a number of records in which entries were made concerning its work.[75] A registry was kept of the votes of the oidores in suits involving a hundred thousand maravedís or more. Further, separate records were kept of all resolutions of the acuerdo relative to government and finance, respectively, Thursday afternoon of each week being devoted to the latter. Likewise, a book of cédulas and royal provisions was kept by the audiencia, and on the basis of these the tribunal formed all judgments and gave advice when requested. Separate files were kept for copies of all royal orders, cédulas and letters, one for secret, and the other for open correspondence. In another volume an account was kept of the amounts received from fines and from funds liquidated for the expenses of justice. As already stated, lists were also maintained of all persons residing in the colony, with an account of their quality and work, their attitude toward the government, their occupation, and, if they were officials, the nature and character of their services.[76] The audiencia kept a book of residencias, which has been described in a former chapter. Also records of persons coming to and leaving the Islands, with appropriate entries concerning them, were preserved in this archive.
Besides the special duties of the oidores indicated in this chapter, there were others which will be described later in more detail. The residencia has been already treated. Other duties will be noted in connection with the relation of the audiencia and the governor. Some are more closely related to the religious and the ecclesiastical institutions of the colony, and merit special treatment in that connection. The audiencia, moreover, had extensive functions in relation to the commercial and economic life of the colony. A fuller comprehension of these numerous activities may be gained in the following chapters where they are discussed in connection with two of the most powerful factors in the colony’s life—the governor and the church.
[1] Recopilación, 2–16–40; see also 7–1–15.
[2] Law of November 10, 1818, A. I., 106–4–19; see Real instrucción dada á los regentes de las audiencias, 20 de Junio de 1776, in Rodríguez San Pedro, Legislación ultramarina, VII, 22–28; Zamora y Coronado, Apéndice. 19–33.
[3] A tax on silver, gold and other metals (as well as on pearls) mined in the Indies. This tax was first authorized on February 5, 1504 (Recopilación, 8–10–1). Philip II conceded a commutation of this tax to ten per cent in favor of adelantados, their successors and other early settlers (ibid., 4–3–19). A draft of a letter exists in A. I., 106–6–6, written about 1585 by Governor Sande of the Philippines, asking for an extension of this dispensation.—See Blair and Robertson, IV, 87, par. 114 and note. On August 8, 1609, the king inquired of the Manila audiencia whether the tax was a fifth or a tenth.—A. I., 102–2–1.
[4] Ibid., 2–16–19 to 22.
[5] Ibid., 23.
[6] Ibid., 24. This junta is to be distinguished from the real contaduría, which was composed of the oficiales reales. See Martínez de Zúñiga, Estadismo, 246.
[7] This was the junta superior de la real hacienda, created for Manila by the law of July 24, 1784. It was one of the reforms of the intendancy. It cannot be said, however, that these reforms became effective until 1787, though the cédulas of July 17 and 24, 1784, which ordered them, were received in Manila on December 5, 1785. These cédulas ordered the formation of a government locally, which would conform to the general principles of the intendancy and which were laid down in the cédulas referred to. These plans had to be referred to Spain on appeal. Subsequently the Ordinance of Intendants of Buenos Ayres was applied to the Philippines.—A. I., 107–5–14. Until January 11, 1791, all appeals from the junta superior were heard in the Audiencia of Manila. The cédula of that date, received in Manila on June 30, 1793, ordered that such appeals should be carried to the Council of the Indies.—A. I., 107–5–22. The junta superior de real hacienda did much toward relieving the audiencia of its advisory functions as in matters of finance and commerce. Many evidences of this may be noted in the reports and correspondence of the superintendente de real hacienda de Manila.—A. I., 107–5–14; 107–5–15 to 31; 107–6–1 to 31; 107–7–1 to 21. Priestley (José de Gálvez, 338–9) shows that even after the establishment of the intendancy in New Spain, the audiencia retained the administration of crown lands, notwithstanding the provisions of the new laws which ordered that they should be controlled by the junta superior. See also ibid., 302–3.