in odium and seems evil to these natives, just after it
has been preached to them with so great moral example and sanctity of
life--the true preaching that moves and converts this race. They do
not recognize or know that the fault is not in the law, nor can it
be attributed to it, but to those who do not observe it, because of
their necessities--or rather their baseness, vileness, and greed which
they excuse under the name of poverty and lack of support. Therefore,
a great part of the reformation in this matter--which is so important,
and demands reformation, but without having it--will be effected by
having fewer offices and larger jurisdictions. This is advisable and
necessary for the removal of many great wrongs--offenses against our
Lord, and harm to the natives. But if the contrary is done, and things
continue as at present, more troubles have followed and will continue
to follow each day that this reformation is delayed; for it will be,
as says the proverb, like rain upon wet ground. Following upon the
continual oppression, grievances, and other injuries received because
of the abuse, greed, and audacity of these wrongdoers, and the trifling
punishment inflicted upon those who have perpetrated these misdeeds,
and exhausted, as is notorious, the natives, the present injuries,
although fewer, will be felt more severely, because of the distress,
need, and wretchedness in which things are, and to which they have
come. Our only hope is in the law and charity of God, and in the will
of your Majesty constraining them to remedy the above, as well as in
the tolerance and mercy of our Lord in preserving this country and
island by saving therein those whom He has chosen for Himself. He has
not chosen them for us Spaniards, by whose offenses, great greed,
and evil examples, so contrary to the good of society and to the
gospel, His Divine Majesty is not pleased; nor does He permit so many
offenses for the sake of those who commit them, or to the end that
there should be no amendment of them. But even if no attention should
be given to anything but worldly gain alone, which we love so much,
yet even to keep some of this wretched race, we must see to their way
of life, so that they may not perish and die as happened to so great
a multitude of people in Sancto Domingo. It is well to be warned by
this example, and to notice how much diminished, reduced, and changed
are things here now, and are tending to be, in comparison with their