n by lot.

Thus in the administration of Gonzalo de Guzman the principle of "Cuba
for the Cubans," afterward long neglected, was pretty efficiently
established. The Governor, at that time, and all other royal officers of
the island, were Cuban colonists; and the people were invested with
power to select their own procurators or advocates, who were
irremovable, and who were competent to represent the people not only in
the Cuban courts and in those of Hispaniola, but also before the Royal
Council for the Indies at Madrid, and who were empowered to proceed
against the municipal councils, the royal officials, or even the
Governor himself.

CHAPTER X

The early part of the administration of Gonzalo de Guzman was chiefly
occupied with the investigation of his predecessors' stewardships, and
with controversies with the municipal councils. There was also a
controversy with the Crown over the payment to him of a salary for his
services, which he requested of the King, and which the King ordered to
be paid to him, but which he did not receive. Then came complications
over the royal treasurership in the island. Christopher de Cuellar had
been succeeded in that office by Pedro Nunez de Guzman. The latter died,
leaving a considerable fortune, and the colonial government at
Hispaniola immediately designated Andres Duero to succeed him
temporarily, until the King should make a permanent appointment; the
expectation apparently being that Duero would be confirmed in the
office. Unfortunately for the success of this design, however, the
temporary appointment had been made without consulting the royal
officials; who were not unnaturally piqued and offended. The result was
that a protest was made to the King, not only against the method of his
appointment but also against Duero himself. To this the King listened
sympathetically, and he presently overruled the appointment of Duero,
and in place of him named Hernando de Castro as temporary treasurer,
until such time as he could have conditions investigated and could
select some fitting man as a permanent incumbent.

Oddly enough, Castro had once before supplanted Duero, as the royal
factor in Cuba. This office had first been held by Bernardino Velasquez,
upon whose death Andres Duero had been appointed to hold it temporarily,
only to be speedily replaced by Castro. The latter appears to have been
one of the most enterprising men of affairs of that time, and to have
done more th