The authority, then, of the governor-general is complete, and such a number of attributes conferred on one functionary (incompetent, as a general rule, for everything outside of military matters), is certainly prejudicial to the right exercise of his duty.

Until the year 1822, private gentlemen, magistrates, military men, sailors, and ecclesiastics, without any distinction, were appointed to fill so lofty a post; and they have borne the title and exercised the functions of captain-general to suit their own convenience.

During the vacancies, political authority resided in the royal assembly—­the Audiencia in full [107] and the military authority in an auditor (magistrate), with the title of captain-general ad interim.

From the said year of 1822, the government has always devolved upon an official, a general; in case of his death, the segundo cabo, a general, is substituted for him; and in case of the death of the latter, the commandant-general of the naval station.

The captain-general is, as we have indicated, supreme chief of all departments, and the sum total of his pay amounts to forty thousand pesos annually.

A command of so great importance, superior to the viceroyalties of our former American colonies, ought not to be given exclusively to one specified class; and the election of governor should be free, although with the limitation that only ex-ministers and high dignitaries of the army or of any other institution, who merit through their lofty talents, known competence, and proved morality, that Espana should entrust to them its representation and the exercise of its sovereignty in so precious a portion of its domains, should be eligible to it.  Thus jointly do the prestige of the Spanish name the complications of political life in modern society, and the progress and welfare of eight millions of Spanish Indians—­worthy under all concepts on which governments now fix their attention more than they have hitherto done, in a matter of so transcendent importance—­demand this with urgency.

It is also advisable to change the vicious, anomalous, and unsuitable organization of the provinces of Filipinas, assimilating them, so far as possible, to those of Espana.  The separation of the gubernatorial and judicial duties, the suppression of politico-military commands, and the appointment of civil governors, under excellent conditions and unremovable for six years, are urgent; all these are measures that will positively redound to the benefit of the country.

NOTES

[1] The earliest compilation of laws regarding the Spanish colonies of Nueva Espana was made, by royal command, by Vasco de Puga (an auditor of the Audiencia of Mexico), and printed in 1563.  Francisco de Toledo, viceroy of Peru from 1569 to 1581, prepared a code of ordinances for that country (see Markham’s Hist.  Peru, pp. 149, 156-159, 538).  In 1570, Felipe II ordered that a revised compilation of the laws and ordinances for the government of all the Indias be made.  After many efforts and delays, this was accomplished in 1628, but the work was not printed until 1681.  It is the fifth edition (i.e., reprint) of this compilation from which we obtain the laws presented in this document; it was printed in Madrid in 1841.