The Governor being dead, the ordinary alcalde assumed the reins of government in the civil department, and Don Fernando Bustamente, the son of the late Governor, who had that day lost his life in assisting his father, notwithstanding this succeeded nominally to the military department. The arrangement was every way invalid, as his Majesty had determined, by repeated royal edicts, that on the death of the Governor, the Royal Audience should be invested with the reins of Government. This tribunal, however, had been of late merely a shadow, as it had been composed of Señor Torralba solely, who was a prisoner by his Majesty's order. The principal people of the city not knowing on whom to bestow the chief magistracy, went to the fort of Santiago, where the archbishop was confined, and requested that he would assume the government. He, however, declined it, on the plea that he was not authorized; but upon their pressing his acceptance of it, he left the fort, and passing by the palace of the Governor, the people attempted to force him to enter and take possession of it, but he resisted, and proceeded on to the archiepiscopal palace. He ordered two notaries public to examine the body of the Governor, who reported that he was dead, and upon this report the principal people in Manila again assembled, and resolved, that under all the circumstances, it was incumbent on the archbishop to assume the direction of public affairs. The archbishop was at last prevailed on to assent, but before taking the customary oaths, he thought it prudent to make the declaration, that what he did was not from any wish to prejudice the right which any person might have to the government through the appointment of his Majesty. The ceremony ended with the citizens doing him the same homage as was usual on the appointment of regular Governors.