The Audiencia in the Spanish Colonies: As illustrated by the Audiencia of Manila (1583-1800)Cunningham, Charles Henry
History
The Audiencia in the Spanish Colonies: As illustrated by the Audiencia of Manila (1583-1800)
Cunningham, Charles Henry
Philippines -- History -- 1521-1812; Spain -- Colonies -- Administration
Finally, unable to resist the pressure exerted by the archbishop,
and obtaining advance information of the royal condemnation of the
audiencia for its acts in the banishment of Pardo, the governor
arrested, imprisoned, and exiled the magistrates, temporarily
reconstituting the tribunal with local and more subservient
members. [529] Curuzaelegui's proceedings were thenceforth as
high-handed as they had formerly been conciliatory, and from that
time onward the residents of the colony were subjected to the rule
of an absolute governor, aided by an unscrupulous and vindictive
prelate and a subservient audiencia. Just before his imprisonment,
Magistrate Bolívar, in a letter to the Minister of the Indies,
described the chaos existent in Manila as follows:
Here there is no will, save that of a governor, since he is
absolute, we all had to acquiesce, under compulsion and pressure,
in the restitution of the archbishop; [530] ... to state the
case in few words, the archbishop does whatever suits his whim,
without there being anyone to restrain him. [531]
Fray Luís Pimentel, a Jesuit, in a letter which he wrote to a friend,
stated that the arrest of the oidores by the governor had been inspired
by personal spite and a desire for revenge. He had desired to punish
magistrates Viga and Bolívar, particularly for their opposition to him
in matters of administration and in his trading-schemes. The governor
was also said to have been actuated by a suspicion that these oidores
had formulated elaborate charges of misgovernment against him, and
he desired to prevent these complaints from reaching the king. [532]
Pimentel proceeded to relate that the governor then found himself
embarrassed without the aid of an audiencia, and had accordingly
formed another of his own selection. This body was careful to execute
the governor's will in every particular; consequently there was no
check on his misrule. This new audiencia approved all the acts of
the archbishop and refused to entertain the appeals of the ex-governor,
royal decrees were despatched against the preachers (Jesuits)
who zealously proclaimed from the pulpits the arbitrary and
malicious character of the recent acts, and the Dominicans alone
had the privilege to utter whatever absurdities they pleased in
the pulpits.... No authentic statement of the evil deeds of these
years can be sent to the court for the scriveners are intimidated
and will not give official statements of what occurs, except
what may be in favor of the governor and the archbishop. Item,
(this) is written in much distrust and fear, on account of the
numerous spies who go about prying into and noting everything
that is done. [533]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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