in reference to affairs in the districts which are mutinous, or have
never been pacified; and cites the instructions further to show that
he is justified in collecting tributes where religious instruction is
not given, and that the bishop's privileges in the conduct of affairs
are only advisory, not authoritative. Moreover, the opinions which
the religious orders have furnished to him show that they disagree
with the bishop in many important particulars--not to mention that
the bishop and the religious superiors signed their approval of his
plan in this matter, soon after his arrival. Dasmariñas has already
compelled the encomenderos to refrain from collecting the fourth
part of the tax when they do not provide the Indians with religious
instruction--a reform which had never been secured until he made
it. He advises the bishop to institute another reform by insisting
that the encomenderos shall not collect any tributes until they shall
have provided for the Indians both religion and justice.

I do not understand how it can seem to your Lordship that to provide
the land with justice is to bring about its destruction. Your Lordship
has, indeed, told me that, when the alcalde-mayor is what he should
be, he better edifies and preaches than any minister of religion
whatever. Thus far, I have not found any of these officials who are
bad, except those of whom your Lordship has made some complaints to
me, and whose evil-doing is proved by naught else than the opinion
of your Lordship.

It seems to your Lordship that I wish to appoint too large a number of
these alcaldes-mayor; but one day your Lordship asked me to appoint
some of them. Since I have come to this land, I have established
a new administration of justice in the island of Masbate; and good
results which have followed, can be stated by the father custodian,