, but in a state of need and
ignorance, and with a greed for becoming rich; and this causes much
grief, misery, and trouble. The result is that such a person has to
try and hear suits and causes; and many of those which arise among
these natives are wont to cause perplexity in their determination
and sentence, even to some men of experience and judgment. Thus the
office is heedlessly vested in one who does not know or understand how
to grant, or deprive of, liberty and possessions by his opinion and
judgment. And although there is a superior judge to whom appeal may
be made, and who may undo errors and wrongs, it is not done, nor can
it be done with the same ease. Appeal involves expense and trouble,
and a long journey to Manila that the Indians must make to ask for
their rights, obliging them to leave their houses and fields--a very
troublesome and injurious thing for them. They are often unaware that
appeal can be made; or they do not dare to go, or they look for no
relief. So all this wrong continues.

On account of these reasons and arguments, it is advisable not to
bestow posts among the natives as a reward for services alone, upon
men who are lacking in the virtue and good example so necessary to
all in these regions; and especially to those who should serve as
magistrates, and hold offices in this country, where the Divine
Majesty and your Majesty can be so well served, in case men fill
those offices with some little uprightness and decency of life.

In what pertains to and in what I say upon the subject of deputies
and to giving them a salary in addition, that is in case it is your
Majesty's pleasure to have such officers. But it would be better not
to do this, for it means two alcaldes-mayor and two notaries in one
jurisdiction, since each of those officers has his deputy and other
officials, all of whom have to eat, or rather to rob. Of a truth,
it will be sufficient for the alcalde-mayor alone to be rewarded
and to live commodiously in his office, if he does his duty. But if
he does not do his duty, and has in addition a deputy and officials,
and both have friends, all this is showered down upon the Indians, and
they pay it, with their sufferings, because they have to supply the
sustenance and gain of all. It would be much better for all that, if
two hundred pesos are required for the needless deputies, one hundred
of this amount should be given to an honest alcalde-mayor, while the
other hundred would be s