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
These powers were not only exercised by the Audiencia of Lima, but
also by a second tribunal which was created in 1549 at Santa Fé de
Bogotá. The latter body was endowed permanently with both judicial
and administrative powers, appealing important cases to the superior
government at Lima. This audiencia had the status of a presidency. Its
president was often captain-general, visitador, and senior magistrate,
and in exercising the functions of these various offices he was in
all respects the most powerful official in New Granada, always being
able to enforce his will over the other magistrates. At times this
official acted with entire independence of the Viceroy of Perú. [583]
The exercise of military functions by this president and audiencia
is especially to be noticed in the part they played in putting down
the Pijáo Indian revolt in 1565. [584] On the whole, however, judging
by the strife prevailing in the colony, the various struggles between
the oidores and the president, and between the audiencia or president
and the archbishop, the government could never have been considered
successful. The official corruption which became apparent as a result
of the pesquisas and residencias held during the rule of the Audiencia
of Santa Fé could scarcely have encouraged the home government to
entrust that tribunal with the administration of affairs in the future.
The defects referred to above in connection with the government
of the Audiencia of Santa Fé did not deter the Spanish crown from
founding the Audiencia of Charcas in 1559. This tribunal, "like
the audiencias established elsewhere, exercised not only judicial,
but also administrative powers." [585] It had jurisdiction over
the neighboring city of Potosí. Again we may note the case of the
Audiencia of Santiago de Chile, which was established on August 27,
1565. Its members arrived in 1567 and the audiencia was installed at
Concepción "as the supreme court of the colony, and, at the same time,
in accordance with the royal decree, it became the administrative
head of the government. In this latter capacity it undertook to
reorganize the military forces." Later, in 1568, Melchoir Bravo de
Saravia assumed the office and functions of the governorship of Chile
(1568-1575) and the audiencia became a judicial tribunal, without
other attributes. [586]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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