ir conquerors made it also elective, and when a vacancy now
occurs through want of heirs, or resignation, it is filled up by
the superintendent of the province, on the recommendation of the
gobernadorcillo and the headman. This is also the case when any new
office is created. The privileges of the headmen are great; themselves,
their wives, and their first-born children, are exempted from paying
tribute to the crown, an exoneration which is owing to their being
collectors of the royal revenues. Their duties consist in maintaining
good order and harmony, in dividing the labor required for the public
benefit equally, adjusting differences, and receiving the taxes.

The gobernadorcillo takes cognizance of all civil cases not exceeding
two taels of gold, or forty-four dollars in silver; all criminal
cases must be sent to the chief of the province. The headmen formerly
served for no more than three years, and if this was done faithfully,
they became and were designated as principals, in virtue of which
rank they received the title of Don.

The election takes place at the court-house of the town; the electors
are the gobernadorcillo whose office is about to expire, and twelve
of the oldest headmen, cabezas de barangay, collectors of tribute
for the gobernadorcillo they must select, by a plurality of votes,
three individuals, who must be able to speak, read, and write the
Spanish language. The voting is done by ballot, in the presence
of the notary (escribano), and the chief of the province, who
presides. The curate may be present, to look after the interest of
the church but for no other purpose. After the votes are taken, they
are sealed and transmitted to the governor-general, who selects one
of the three candidates, and issues a commission. In the more distant
provinces, the chief of the district has the authority to select the
gobernadorcillo, and fill up the commission, a blank form of which,
signed by the governor-general, is left with him for that purpose.

The headmen may be elected petty governors, and still retain their
office, and collect the tribute or taxes; for it is not considered
just, that the important office of chief of Barangay should deprive
the holder of the honor of being elected gobernadorcillo.

The greater part of the Chinese reside in the province of Tondo,
but the tribute is there collected by the alcalde mayor, with an
assistant taken from among the officers of the royal treasury.

The poll-t