The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 09 of 55 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 293 pages of information about The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 09 of 55.

The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 09 of 55 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 293 pages of information about The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 09 of 55.
and Audiencia.  As I have been petitioned, in the name of the said city of Manila, to order that the three per cent duty imposed by Don Gonzalo Rronquillo be not paid in the city, because the country is very poor and needy, and the citizens have many other expenses for the city, I answered that I should be very glad to relieve them of it, but that, on account of the very heavy expenses that were requisite for the preservation of those islands, I was forced to avail myself of what could be reasonably obtained therefrom.  Accordingly I charged the said Gomez Perez to order the collection of the said three per cent, and directed that the proceeds therefrom be kept separate, for the purpose of paying the military forces.  You shall exercise the same care, and shall attend to the matter with the mildness and efficient means that I expect from you.  While en route through Nueva Spana, you shall request the viceroy to order that the speedy and efficient collection of the duties at Acapulco be attended to, and that he send the proceeds from them to those islands with the least possible delay—­because of the need there of whatever duties are at Acapulco—­in accordance with the terms of the separate decree that will be handed you with these instructions, so that you may give it to the viceroy, and take the requisite action in this.

I was petitioned, in behalf of the said city, to have some public property assigned to it, in order that it might attend to matters of peace, war, government, and other things touching its preservation, defense, and any suits that might be brought against it.  I assigned the city for six years one-half of the fines and penalties applied to my treasury, and the revenues from the warehouses and shops wherein the Chinese merchandise is traded.  When Gomez Perez arrived there, he wrote me that the fines adjudged to the treasury had been assigned to the city; but that the sum raised by this means amounted to very little, and that there were no warehouses.  He wrote, however, that there were a number of Sangley shops in the Parian, the rent from which was given to the judge who governed the Sangleys.  Now, inasmuch as I purpose to bestow favor upon the said city, I have continued the said fines from the treasury for another ten years.  In the matter of the shops, you shall manage and try to procure by gentle means that the Sangleys may voluntarily pay the salary of their judge.  If this be done, then you shall also assign the rents from the shops as public property to the said city.  Failing in this, then, together with the Audiencia, you shall investigate and determine what other thing can be given in its place as said public property, without encroaching on my treasury.  You shall try to arrange this as conveniently as possible, and I shall consider myself well served in this matter.

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The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 09 of 55 from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.