The following are the saleable offices in these Philipinas islands,
from which some gain may be derived.
Seven positions as city magistrates in Manila; because, of the
twelve which are available, three are filled with officials of his
Majesty, and two by Captain Juan de Moron and by Pedro de Herrera,
both possessing titles from his Majesty.
Two offices as notaries-public in the same city; for, of the three
available, one is filled by Diego Alemán who was appointed by his
Majesty, and the other two are appointed by the governors, and
therefore are not royal notaries.
A notary of the cabildo, for no one has been supplied by his Majesty.
The office of alguacil-mayor [high constable] in this city was
held by Hernan Lopez: he has lived during the last three years in
Mexico, where he has married, and has not attended to his office;
and consequently the governor disposes of this position. More will
be given for this office on account of its dignity, as holding a seat
in the cabildo next to the royal officials.
The office of chief clerk of registers and mines of these islands;
for no appointment has been made by his Majesty.
Six magistrates for the town of Zubu, which is the required number. No
one has been appointed by his Majesty.
In the said town, two notaries--one public, and the other for the
cabildo; for they have not been filled by his Majesty.
In the said town, the office of alguacil-mayor; for his Majesty has
made no provision for the said dignity.
The offices which are available in the town of Zubu are also available
in the town of Caçeres, in the province of Camarines; and in the town
of Arevalo, in the island of Panai.
The town of Fernandina in the province of Ylocos has proved to be
so unhealthy a region that, from being the richest town of these
islands, it has now only a few inhabitants with no organized cabildo
or government.
The city of Segovia, in the province of Cagayan, is a newly-settled
city. The offices have been filled by the governor with the early
conquerors; it will therefore be convenient for his Majesty to confirm
them, in order that the community may become permanently settled.
Concerning the office of alcalde-mayor in the villages and provinces of
the Indians, the following method is carried out. The alcalde-mayor,
who goes there for a year or two, takes with him his own alguacil
and clerk, appointed by himself. The lawsuits which take place before
them are seldom made public; and they can keep the fines forfeited to
the royal treasury--which are not slight, for they fine the natives
even for treading the ground. They keep neither archives nor record
of anything, so that his Majesty is ill served in their office;
the natives suffer, and the officials condemn themselves. In view of
all this, it would be better for each province of Indians possessing
the office of alcalde-mayor to have a permanent alguacil and clerk
appointed by his Majesty; for if they are not appointed by the alcalde
and are not his servants, they will not conform so thoroughly to his
will. Thus light would be shed upon the legal proceedings, of which an
account would be kept; and the fines forfeited to the royal treasury
would not be lost, together with the expenses of justice. Finally,
if they are appointed permanently, they will aim at the preservation
of the Indians for their own benefit, and will not plunder and then
go away, as they do now. The three most important provinces in which
an alcalde resides are: the province of Pampanga, which is the most
fertile region of these islands, and which has about thirty thousand
Indians; the province of La Laguna de Bai, with a like number of
Indians; and the province of Bombon, Balaian, Mindoro, with about
twenty thousand Indians. I believe that in these three provinces the
offices of alguacil and clerk will be of no less value than they are
in Spanish communities. In the other provinces, these offices are of
little importance at present.