An Historical View of the Philippine Islands, Vol 2 (of 2) / Exhibiting their discovery, population, language, government, manners, customs, productions and commerce.

by Joaquín Martínez de Zúñiga

The Field-Marshal Don Fernando Bustamante Bustillo y Rueda, late alcalde mayor of Tlascala, in New Spain, took possession of his government on the 9th of August, 1717. He was a man who knew how to make himself obeyed, and the more difficulties he encountered, the more did his resolution impel him to meet them with effect. He began by issuing some strong decrees, and others still more severe were expected. These were principally directed to the recovery of above two hundred thousand dollars, which he found were due to the royal treasury by different people, both by those in office, and generally by the public. These parties finding he was determined on the measure, began to murmur at his proceedings. Without, however, allowing himself to be influenced by any consideration of this nature, he laid an embargo on all the silver that came in the galleon from Acapulco, and required from the public functionaries correct statements of their accounts with the royal treasury. By an examination of those names which appeared as owners of the silver, he found it an easy matter to cover all those debts, and by this dexterous management recovered about three hundred thousand dollars to the treasury. Many of those, however, then indebted to the government, having died, or being reduced to poverty, their securities of course became responsible, and this extended the consequences of his measures to so many in Manila, that he became an object of general hatred, particularly as he went so far as to punish delinquencies by confining individuals as prisoners in their office, and by seizing their property. He ordered the late secretary of Torralba to give an account of what had been received for licences granted to the Chinese, and as this was not complied with, he seized all his effects, and committed him to prison, practising many other acts of severity too numerous to mention.

Although these islands had been many years at peace with the Kings of Jolo and Mindanao, yet several pirates of those kingdoms continued to infest our coasts, and yet no redress could be had from the respective Sovereigns, who frankly acknowledged their inability to prevent such irregularities. With a view to correct these abuses, the Governor was desirous of re-establishing the station of Zamboanga, which, in the time of Don Sabiniano Manrique de Lara, had been abandoned through apprehension of the Chinese pirate Cogseng, who had at that time threatened these islands.

This matter was brought before a select committee of the royal works, who decided, by ten against seven, that the station should not be re-established; among other reasons alleging, that it was of no service against the Moors, and that it was supported at the heavy annual expense of twenty-five thousand dollars, answering no other purpose than that of enriching the Governor, whose appointment was from Manila, and for a term of three years. In opposition to the decision of this committee, however, the Governor ordered the works to be re-constructed. This further exasperated the public against him.

The Franciscans having requested the Governor to place a garrison in Labo, in the island of Paragua, to protect them from the Moors, he consented to it, and accordingly erected a fort at much less expense than that of Zamboanga, though as little tending to the public benefit.

Don Fernando Bustamante, not satisfied with urging the Spaniards to cultivate commercial connections with the other kingdoms of Asia, was desirous of establishing one with the kingdom of Siam in particular, to whose King he sent a nephew of his own, bearing magnificent presents. He arrived in safety, was received well, and entertained splendidly. He delivered his credentials and presents to the King, and concluded a treaty of friendship, by which the Spaniards were allowed to establish a factory in that kingdom.

By virtue of this treaty, a ship from Siam arrived at Manila with goods, but the Governor treated the Siamese so ill, that they returned discontented, and by this conduct the whole cost of the embassy was thrown away. The Spaniards severely censured this extraordinary conduct of the Governor, some attributing it to the caprice of his disposition, while others feeling less inclination to smother their sentiments, asserted boldly that the public interests of the monarchy, and of these islands, had no influence with him, unless they accorded with his own individual views of interest, or with the gratification of his passion for ostentation.

A charge was made by the King’s fiscal against Señor Torralba, for property which had disappeared during the time he held the chief authority, the amount of which, according to his own account, was seven hundred thousand dollars. It was understood that his son had effected his escape with considerable property, and that his wife, with his younger sons, had embarked in the ship for Acapulco, at the close of his government. The royal fiscal requested that the property might be attached which his wife had taken with her, and that the person of Torralba might be secured. The Governor, in compliance with this, and always very zealous for the royal revenue, imprisoned him in the fort of Santiago. At this period the decision of the court arrived, by which Señor Villa was acquitted, and Señor Torralba fined in twenty thousand dollars, with orders to give security for twenty thousand more. His inability to comply with the terms of his sentence, put it in the Governor’s power to indulge his antipathy against public delinquents, by loading him with fetters, and treating him with the greatest rigour.

These proceedings of the Governor were sufficient to expose him to the hatred of all. It is certain that a little before his death, a royal order arrived, in which the Archbishop was charged to place the Royal Audience on the same footing as before, and the chief Oidor had liberty to suspend the Governor from his office, if it was found necessary.

Having despatched the ship for Acapulco, under the command of Don Domingo Nebra, with letters in justification of his conduct, and suspecting that private letters had been forwarded by the same vessel, complaining of him to the government, he sent directions to stop the vessel, but she sailed immediately on the arrival of the officers despatched for that purpose, without paying any regard to the orders for her detention.

The Governor, who was not of a disposition to permit himself to be insulted with impunity, ordered three ships which were lying in the port of Cavite to be prepared, and gave the command of them to Don Fernando de Angulo, for the purpose of pursuing the galleon, and bringing her back to Manila; and in case this force should not be able to overtake her, he at the same time despatched a patache, in which he sent his nephew, Don Alexandro Bustamente, to New Spain, to give information of what had passed. This was unquestionably a necessary measure on the part of the merchants, as the royal officers had retired to St. Augustine, without having furnished a correct register of the different goods on board, and they had reason to fear that on their arrival at Acapulco they would be seized.