4. In some provinces where there was one alcalde-mayor only, they have been so multiplied that now there are three, and each one with a deputy—all with salaries from the royal exchequer. To some of them the governors give, beside the salary, additional expenses, amounting to a hundred pesos; because such alcaldes-mayor are captains of the citizens, in the manner explained in the clause before this. Likewise some of the said alcaldes-mayor have Spanish alguazils, although not with salaries, and although there are royal decrees directing the governor to check this, and not allow offices to increase. It would be fitting for your Majesty to command, if you so please, that these alcaldes-mayor be reduced to the following:
In the province of Laguna, one alcalde-mayor with three hundred pesos of salary, which is the ordinary amount. On the opposite coast of Mauban, one corregidor; this is the district next to the said Laguna. He should have two hundred pesos of salary. In the province of Camarines, another alcalde-mayor, with the same salary of three hundred pesos. Another alcalde-mayor, who has recently been appointed in the said province for the island of Catanduanes, should be removed; and the said alcalde-mayor of Camarines should care for that, as he used to do. In the province of Cagayan, another alcalde-mayor, with the same salary. In that of Ylocos, another alcalde-mayor, with the same salary. In Pangasinan, another alcalde-mayor, with the said salary. In the province of Panpanga, another alcalde-mayor, with the proper salary, who should administer the jurisdiction of the district of Bulacan, which borders upon it; all this was formerly under one alcalde. The one who was lately added in Bulacan should be removed.
In the village of Tondo and the bay of this city of Manila (all of which is the suburbs and outskirts of the city), the governors keep another alcalde-mayor and lieutenant, although the whole of it is within the five leagues which, by your Majesty's grace, this city of Manila has as a jurisdiction—whose alcaldes-in-ordinary used to administer justice in all the districts of the said alcaldía-mayor of Tondo. Now they have no more than within the walls of the city, although they are vested with authority and can make arrests outside. It would be well, if such be your Majesty's pleasure, to discontinue this alcaldía-mayor of Tondo, and let it be served by the two alcaldes-in-ordinary from this city of Manila, each one six months of the year, while the other one is present in this city. In this way, with the provincial judge, there will be quite sufficient people to administer justice in the civil cases; and in the criminal cases there are the auditors and the said alcalde-in-ordinary. In this way the salary of the alcalde-mayor of Tondo will be saved, which is now paid from the royal treasury; and this city will consider it as a singular grace and favor. So likewise will the Indians, for they will be better treated and less annoyed by this form of government; because the man who is appointed to the said alcaldía must make his living from it, and on that account must do things which are illegal—but, as he is usually a retainer of the governor, the latter shields him in the matter. This will cease with the alcaldes-in-ordinary, for they perform their duties without any selfish considerations, being always men of honor and rich, who do not seek the offices through greed for money.
In the province of Zubu there used to be only one alcalde-mayor; but about two years ago another was added in the islands of Leyte, Çamar, and Babao, which are close to Zubu. It was done to the great displeasure of the citizens of Santisimo Nombre de Jesus, which was the first city founded and settled in these islands; for the said three islands were under the jurisdiction of the alcalde-mayor resident in the said city, and with the other one they would be greatly annoyed and molested, since most of the citizens who reside in the said city are encomenderos in the said islands of Leyte, Çamar, and Babao. The alcalde-mayor of these islands takes them from the said city and enters suits against them. He takes them to the said islands as prisoners; and, as they have their property there, and must needs go there every year for the collection of tributes from their encomiendas, they cannot refuse to go; and thus the said alcalde-mayor molests them as encomenderos, and he of Çubu, on the other hand, as citizens. As this is so, if your Majesty be pleased, the said alcalde-mayor of the said three islands might be removed, and they put under the jurisdiction of the said island of Çubu, whose alcalde-mayor could very well serve all of them.
On the river of Butuan, which is on the confines of this island of Zubu and close to the island of Mindanao, is another corregidor, with a salary of two hundred pesos. In the island of Calamianes is another corregidor, with the ordinary salary. In the district of Oton is an alcalde-mayor, with a salary of three hundred pesos. In Panay is a corregidor, with two hundred pesos salary. All the alcaldes-mayor and corregidors besides those mentioned should be done away with; and no alcalde-mayor or corregidor should have a deputy except when he is absent, and such deputy should not be given a salary.
[In the margin: "If there is any reform to be made, have the new governor act therein, and advise us of his action. Idem. Idem. Idem in this matter.">[
5. One of the things in which, I have understood, the royal exchequer of your Majesty has been the most defrauded and the citizens of these islands the most aggrieved, is in the freighting and despatching of vessels which go from here to Nueva España with merchandise; for the governors have, for some years past, assigned to this duty various special friends and confidants of themselves, and even at times their own servants. The said persons lade in the ships their own property, and even that of their relatives and friends—and likewise, it is said, of any person who will pay them for it. This transaction and negotiation is of great profit for them, and a great fraud upon the royal exchequer; for all the merchandise which they lade in this way, outside of the amount allotted, goes without paying your Majesty the royal duties, and is not a part of the cloth which is assigned to the citizens in the general allotment which is made to them. As a remedy for this, it will be well that in the future, when the allotment of the cloth is made, there should be present and superintend it, besides the governor and the other persons who are appointed, an auditor and royal official in rotation, each year, commencing with those longest here. As soon as the said allotment shall be finished, the royal official shall take a copy of it, and the persons to whom allotment is made of the said cloth shall come with their invoices, to bale it and pay the royal duty in the presence of the royal officials, who should give warrants for it. One or two of the officials should be present at the port of Cavite, which is the landing-place of ships, two leagues from this city; and there should be also present on the ship, during its lading, the freighters who are ordinarily appointed, and an auditor, so that no cloth will be allowed to be laded except it be that contained in the said allotment. That which is thus authorized shall be vouched for by warrants from the said royal officials that the duties are paid. So great has been the irregularity in this matter that, by having it checked by these strict methods, there would probably be a great gain to the royal treasury.
[In the margin: "Write to the new governor about the information given in this letter, and the complaints that are made; and have him remedy this evil, appointing for this persons who are of satisfactory record, and taking care that all this be done with justice—and, if it seem best to him, being sometimes present in person at the inspection.">[
6. From the payment of tributes by the Indians in the usual currency there have resulted and still result many inconveniences, losses, injuries, and diminutions to the royal exchequer; for formerly they paid the eight reals of tribute each year in kind, which they gathered on their lands. A short time ago they were given the alternative of paying it in coin if they wished; and since then they have ceased to cultivate the land, make linen fabrics, raise fowls and cattle, or obtain gold from the mines and rivers, with which articles they used to pay the said tribute. A great part of those articles usually remained with them, because they had all the year for trading and labor, by which the country was supplied with many provisions at a low cost, and clothing of various kinds of linen, with which they were dressed. The encomenderos sailed with these things to Nueva España; and it was not necessary to pay the Chinese what was brought thence in return, and have them carry it off to their country, as they now do, in exchange for the said cloths which they sell. There was a great quantity of gold which was also taken to Nueva España, and from that your Majesty was paid the tenths, which amounted each year to six or eight thousand pesos—not counting another larger quantity which was paid by the tributaries of the encomiendas which are under the royal crown. By reason of the said Indians not paying in kind, so little gold has come to be mined, that in the past year, ninety-eight, from tributes and tenths even, the amount which was collected on your Majesty's account was not a thousand pesos. From this there follows another inconvenience, in that, as the natives of these islands are inclined to laziness and to the vices attendant upon that, since they can easily pay the tribute for one year with ten reals in coin, they seek and pay it, and dress themselves with two or three pieces of cloth, which cost somewhat more. As they find these for sale by the Chinese, they themselves do not manufacture them. It would be expedient, in order that these inconveniences may cease, as well as others which may be seen to result from this matter, that henceforth these Indians should be compelled to agricultural labors and the raising of cattle, according to the conditions of the provinces where they live, and to taking gold from the mines and rivers. If this were put in force, a great deal would be gained by it; for there is a large quantity in the said mines, rivers, and placers. In this way a great part of the trade with the Chinese would cease, and the returns from what was carried to and sold in Nueva España, from both gold and cloth, would remain in this country, and would not be taken away to China, as it now is. The said Indians would be compelled to this, in such manner that, with the practice and profit which they would get from it, in a few years they and their descendants would do it of their own will, without compulsion. The principal thing to be done in order to start the Indians to do this is, to have them pay the tribute in the kind which they raise and harvest.
[In the margin: "With this report write to the new governor to call together the Audiencia, the ecclesiastical prelates who are present in Manila, and the superiors of the religious orders; and have him communicate with those who could not conveniently go there, getting their opinion in writing; and have all of them confer as to what is expedient and ought to be done in this matter—taking into consideration the fact that the Indians should not be annoyed or aggrieved; and that their object should be the cultivation of crops and other things which the land bears; and that for this purpose the tribute should be paid in kind, and the valuation should be as equitable as possible. Whatever they may resolve in regard to this matter, the governor shall cause to be executed, and advise us as to what he does, seeing to it that the Indians labor and are not idle.">[