[_Recopilación de leyes_, lib. ii, tit. xv, ley lviii, contains the
following law on vacancies in the government. It is dated Madrid,
April 2, 1664.]
Inasmuch as representation has been made to us of the inconveniences
resulting from the viceroys of Nueva España anticipating appointments
among persons who reside in the Filipinas Islands, so that, in case
of the absence of the president and governor and captain-general of
the islands, those persons may enter upon and exercise those charges
until the arrival of the person who is to govern--_ad interim_
or by royal appointment, according as we may decide: therefore we
order and command that, in case of the absence of the governor and
captain-general of those islands, by death or any other accident,
our royal Audiencia resident in the city of Manila shall govern them
in political affairs, and the senior auditor in military. The latter,
in any cases of war arising for the defense and conservation of the
said islands, and in any preparations or other precautions that it
shall be advisable to make for this purpose, shall take the advice of
the military leaders there, and shall communicate with them for the
better direction of matters. We order the viceroy of Nueva-España to
use no longer the authority that he has had hitherto by virtue of our
decree of September thirteen, one thousand six hundred and eight, and
the other decrees given to him, to have persons appointed by means of
the ways hitherto practiced. Those we now revoke by this our law, and
annul, but he shall still be empowered to send the person who shall
exercise the said duties _ad interim_. And as it is advisable that
the Audiencia of Manila regulate in conformity to this the execution
of the contents of this our law, we order the said Audiencia that,
in case of the death of the president, it shall maintain that state
in all peace, quiet and good government, administering justice to all
parties. The senior auditor who shall exercise the president's duties
during his absence, shall exercise very especial care and vigilance
in all that pertains to military matters, and shall try to keep the
presidios well manned, and supplied with the defenses necessary for
their conservation, and the soldiers well disciplined for any occasion
that may arise.