death or long illness, for three or four
years, until the remedy comes from Espana; or whether one can proceed
as was done when there was no Audiencia. Also it is desirable to
know whether it is exactly and legally necessary for an auditor to
preside every year at the elections of alcaldes; or whether it will
be sufficient, in the absence of auditors, to appoint a person from
the number of the influential persons of Filipinas, since the auditor
did not _per se_ possess jurisdiction to preside, except by virtue
of the commission given him by the government; or whether the said
election of alcaldes must cease because there is no one to preside.

By decree of June 8, 1621, your Majesty orders, under severe penalties,
that those who still owe anything of the proceeds from saleable
offices can neither vote nor be elected as alcaldes-in-ordinary. This
has been observed; but certain persons, because of their revengeful
dispositions and passions, have extended the decree to [cover] other
and different debts. Especially this year has the fiscal tried to
prevent the votes of some regidors by obtaining statements [of their
accounts] from the accountancy department--some of which debts the
visitor brought forward, although that had not been done hitherto,
except when only royal officials have (and only in a few years)
given a memorandum of those disqualified by evident debts; and in
the three preceding years none of these same exhibits were of this
sort. They were a disqualification while the visitor was present here,
and the interested parties demanded a declaration as the said royal
decree did not concern them, and these statements were not obtained
from the visit; they have made an appeal, in regard to these points,
and they are pending in the royal Council. None of those debts are
regarded as evident while they are in litigation, and while the royal
officials do not begin to investigate them. I referred their petitions
to the said royal officials, so that they could investigate and give
their opinions. Having examined it, I declared that those therein
contained were able to vote and to be elected, in accordance with
the aforesaid; and that, in a community so limited as this, it is
not right to give permission to avenge one's passions under pretext
of this royal decree. That extends, according to its terms, only
to the debts for saleable offices. Few would be the former regidors
and alcaldes who would not be included; and it is