e the governor has
the right desires and a clear understanding, and recognizes the error
into which the government has fallen during the last few years, in
trying to deprive the curas of the civil administration, by forcing
them to reduce themselves to spiritual matters, and to tolerate
irreligious acts. The province of Pangasinan, for example, finds
itself in this case under the orders of the worthy alcalde-mayor,
Don Francisco de Lila, a volunteer of the militia of Manila and
a very decided liberal: I have traveled through this province by
night, with only one servant, without arms, and quite without fear,
although there was not a soldier in the whole province. The horses
and buffaloes were feeding in the meadows without herders; and, on my
arrival at the capital, I went out with him in his carriage. In all
the streets and from all the windows, we were saluted with great show
of affection, and the children began to jump for joy, and to cry out,
"Good afternoon, father." The tears started to my eyes, and I said:
"Ah, simple people, how little do you know the blessing that you
enjoy! Neither hunger, nor nakedness, nor inclemency of the weather
troubles you. With the payment of seven reals per year, you remain free
of contributions. You do not have to close your houses with bolts. You
do not fear that the district troopers will come in to lay waste your
fields, and trample you under foot at your own firesides. You call
'father' the one who is in command over you. Perhaps there will come
a time when you will be more civilized, and you will break out in
revolution; and you will awake terrified at the tumult of the riots,
and will see blood flowing through these quiet fields, and gallows
and guillotines erected in these squares, which never yet have seen
an execution." "But is it not true also," I reflected later, "that
this present happiness may be transitory up to a certain point, and
that a changing of the captain-general or of the alcalde can cause
great evils, and change the aspect of so pleasing a picture? Yes,
it is a lamentable truth; and I shall do what is in my power so that
your lot may be less precarious, and so that the government which
rules you may be so organized that you may be as little as possible
subject to the injustice and avarice of men; and so that, wherever
you see a Spaniard, you may salute him with love and call him father."

But returning from our digressions to our matter in hand, I believe
tha