The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898, Volume 44, 1700-1736: Explorations by early navigators, descriptions of the islands and their peoples, their history and records of the Catholic missions, as related in contemporaneous books and manuscripts, showing the political, economic, commercial and religious conditions of those islands from their earliest relations with European nations to the close of the nineteenth century.
History
The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898, Volume 44, 1700-1736: Explorations by early navigators, descriptions of the islands and their peoples, their history and records of the Catholic missions, as related in contemporaneous books and manuscripts, showing the political, economic, commercial and religious conditions of those islands from their earliest relations with European nations to the close of the nineteenth century.
Demarcation line of Alexander VI; Missions -- Philippines; Philippines -- Discovery and exploration; Philippines -- History -- Sources
A brief summary of events in the years 1701-15 is presented, condensed
from the diffuse account of Concepción. Governor Zabalburú, the
successor of Cruzat, constructs various important public works. In
the Tournon affair (1704), the governor and archbishop show undue
laxity in allowing Tournon to interfere in their jurisdiction and
infringe on the royal prerogatives; for this and other causes they
are removed from their offices. In 1709 Conde de Lizarraga assumes the
office of governor; but little of interest occurs during his term. To
this is appended a memorial addressed to Zabalburú (October 7, 1701)
by the provincials of the religious orders in the islands, urging
him to reform various abuses--the neglect of the military posts and
of new conquests of infidels; the sufferings of the natives from the
building of galleons; the severity, oppression, and fraud practiced
on the Indians in the collection of tributes and in requisitions
for personal services; the greed and cruelty of Spanish officials;
the prevalence of gambling and vagabondism; laxity in enforcing the
laws that prohibit or restrict the immigration of infidels--Moors,
Chinese, and others; and neglect of religious affairs. From these
abuses result most deplorable effects: the depopulation of the islands,
the prevalence of vice, the ruin of many formerly prosperous Indian
villages, and the exhaustion and demoralization of the natives. The
governor is urged to reform these evils and protect the poor Indians.
In summarized form is presented Concepción's account of the government
(ad interim) of the auditor Torralba and (proprietary) of Bustamante,
from 1715 to 1719, in which year the latter is attacked and slain by a
mob, the people revolting against Bustamante's violent and arbitrary
acts. To this are added letters by the Jesuit Otazo and Archbishop
Cuesta, the latter of whom is a prominent figure in the history of that
time. The court of the Audiencia at Manila had been broken up by the
arrest of the auditors, for various charges of official malfeasance,
or as a result of hostilities with the governor; and Torralba
himself is imprisoned by Bustamante for misconduct. Afterward,
desiring the countenance of an audiencia for his proceedings,
Bustamante forms one with Torralba and some associates; but the
legality of this procedure is questioned by the archbishop and the
university professors of law. The governor, as soon as he entered
office, had undertaken to collect by force the large amounts due to
the treasury from its debtors; he succeeded therein, but of course
awakened hatred and resentment in many of the citizens. A controversy
arises with the archbishop over a question of ecclesiastical immunity;
he excommunicates Torralba, and is afterward arrested by the governor,
who also imprisons most of the prominent ecclesiastics. Then arises
a tumult among the people, and a conspiracy is formed against
Bustamante. The friars sally out from their convents and are joined
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