The economies which the royal exchequer can practice, and the
augmentations which it can receive, in what the curas and ministers
of doctrinas collect from the king and the Indians.
1. In the paper of suggestions which I presented to the government
[here], and sent to the commander [50] Frey Don Julian de Arriaga with
my report of July 22, 1764, there was a discussion of the saving which
the royal exchequer will be able to make by paying to each cura and
minister of a doctrina one stipend only, and not so many as correspond
to every five hundred tributes. For, since the cura is only one,
it does not seem just, even when the curacy is one of two thousand
tributes, that four stipends be paid to him; but he should content
himself with one, the royal exchequer saving the rest. The amount of
this will reach annually some twenty thousand pesos, very nearly. I
have made representations on this point to the royal Audiencia,
in order that they may settle this by an ordinance.
2. Each stipend for a village or mission is fixed at a hundred pesos
in money, and two hundred cavans of rice; if all this be paid in cash,
and not in the said produce, regulating this [amount for the rice]
by the price in each province, the negotiations of the curas and
ministers with the alcaldes will be avoided, and the royal treasury
will save each year at least fifteen thousand pesos in the stipends of
curas, ministers and missionaries. It should be remembered that the
abuse of paying the stipend in rice was introduced in violation of
the law (ley 26, título 13, libro 1 of the Recopilación de Yndias),
as I have represented in the expediente [51] of ordinances which is
pending in the royal Audiencia.
3. The fabricas of the churches have for funds the fees from the
burials, and the eighth part of the occasional fees, with the others
which I have stated in the document which treats of this subject,
besides the [governmental] contribution of wine; and with the said
funds there is a superabundance for paying the cost of the wine for
masses and the oil for the lamps--which are set down as expenses
of the royal exchequer in the third and fourth items of statement
ii. These amount to nineteen thousand, one hundred and ninety-three
pesos, six reals.
4. In the aforesaid paper of suggestions, and in the report of June 5,
760, the reasons were set forth why the king should not pay the cost of
the missions which come from España to these islands; for the religious
orders are rich, although they deny it. Thus the royal exchequer
could save what is mentioned in the eleventh item of statement ii,
which amounts each year to forty-six thousand, five hundred pesos.
5. The impost of the three reals for each tribute for the feasts of
Corpus [Christi], the patron saint, and the monument, was granted by
the provisor of this archbishopric at the instance of the religious
orders, in the year 1697; and in that of 704 it was included in
the provincial ordinances by Señor Zabarburo. This contribution
is excessive, and the cost of the feasts is very small because
the natives make the decorations of branches and furnish much wax;
and the two feasts of Corpus Christi and the patron saint usually
are held on the same day. For these reasons Señor Molina commanded,
in his bishopric of Nueva Cazeres, that no payment should be exacted
from the Indians on account of these feasts, further than half a real
for each tribute, considering that this sum was sufficient to pay
for their celebration. The same was the practice of Señor Arevalo,
who succeeded him in the same bishopric; but Señor Matos, the last
bishop there, did not act thus. It is also an intolerable burden to
the Indians that at the time when they go to make their confessions,
in order to fulfil the annual injunction, the said contribution is
collected from them; and most of them are persuaded, through their
stupidity and ignorance, that they are paying for the confession. All
this I have explained in the expediente of ordinances which is pending
in the royal Audiencia. It would therefore be expedient that the said
three reals be collected by the alcaldes-mayor, who should give to
the curas and ministers a third part of the proceeds, setting aside
the other two thirds for the maintenance of the fortified posts. Thus
the royal exchequer would have the benefit of this saving of expense,
and would be increased by fifty thousand pesos, which is two-thirds
of the proceeds of the three feasts, as is stated in the first item
of statement iv.
6. The royal exchequer can save the cost of furnishing the medicines,
clothing, support, and comforts for the sick religious; for the
returns from the ministries are large, and the religious orders are
rich. This saving, as is said in the eighth item of statement ii,
amounts to five thousand pesos.
The total of all these items is 155,693 pesos, 6 reals.
Thus the royal exchequer can save expense, and increase its funds every
year by the sum of one hundred and fifty-five thousand, six hundred
and ninety-three pesos, six reals, the amount of the six previous
items, which correspond to the costs of the spiritual administration
of the Indians. This should be deducted from the amount which the
ecclesiastical estate receives, for this very purpose, from the king
and from the Indians--which, according to the summary of statement iv,
reaches the sum of four hundred and thirty-two thousand, six hundred
and twenty-nine pesos, six tomins--and there still remains, in favor
of the ecclesiastical estate, two hundred and seventy-six thousand,
nine hundred and thirty-six pesos.