Salazar complains that the Spaniards enslave the Indians, and, despite
all remonstrances made by the priests and friars, refuse to liberate
their slaves. The natives are oppressed by the officials, and are
at the mercy of lawless, because unpaid, soldiers. The encomenderos
refuse to pay tithes, and the royal officials say that they have
no instructions to pay the bishop; he is thus greatly straitened in
means, and can do but little to aid the unfortunate natives or the
poor Spaniards. The governor proposes to levy an additional tribute
on the Indians; the clergy and the friars hold a conference regarding
this matter, and decide that it may reasonably be levied, in order
to support the expenses of protecting the natives from their enemies,
and of instructing them in the true religion. Nevertheless, the bishop
advises that no additional tribute be imposed until the king shall
have opportunity to examine the question, and order such action as
he deems best. The soldiers in the Philippines have left behind them
(in Spain, Mexico, and elsewhere) families whom they have practically
abandoned for many years. Salazar desires the king to order that these
men be sent back to their homes, or obliged to bring their families
to the islands. Again he recurs to the wretched condition of the
natives, and asks that suitable provision be made for an official
"protector of the Indians;" and that to this post, now temporarily
filled, the bishop may have the right of nomination. He also asks
that to the city of Manila be granted an encomienda, to provide means
for conducting municipal affairs and meeting necessary expenses. He
recommends a reward for Ensign Francisco de Dueñas, who has just
returned from an important mission to Ternate--whither he went with
official announcement of the transfer of the Portuguese settlement
there to the Spanish crown, which is peaceably accomplished. The
Franciscan missionaries who went to China have been brought back