d were particularly
commendable for their justice towards the native Indians, who were
exempted from all servitude and were accorded equal rights with the
Spaniards. Unfortunately these laws suffered from one serious defect:
they were framed so as to apply to all dominions of Spanish America and
did not take into account the indisputable fact that laws applicable to
and beneficent in Peru, might be prejudicial in Mexico and Cuba. This
did not, however, diminish in the least the ethical significance and
humanitarian value of this codex of some four hundred laws, decrees and
mandates; they gave proof of the admirable sentiment of the mother
country towards her colonies.

Among the functionaries who arrived from Spain at the same time as
Governor Viana, were a new Auditor, D. Manuel de Roa, and a new bishop,
D. Diego Evelino de Compostela. This noted ecclesiastic was famous in
Spain not only for his sterling character as a man, but also for his
extraordinary gifts as an orator. On his succession to the episcopate a
spirit of altruism seemed to awaken in the population and find fruition
in various works of charity. Bishop Compostela was conspicuous in these
organizations and in every possible way encouraged his diocesans in
contributing to and actively participating in such works. He founded
many parishes and in Havana organized the seminary of San Ambrosio, the
academy for young ladies called San Francisco de Sala, and the hospital
for convalescents of Bolen. During the fifteen years of his episcopate
Bishop Compostela accomplished what none of his predecessors had
succeeded in doing. He really raised the moral standard of the diocese,
and he attained that end more by his own noble example, than by his
eloquent sermons on moral issues. He was a gentleman of distinguished
manners, who treated all that came in contact with him with the utmost
courtesy. He lived very modestly and was known always to travel on foot.
He devoted his income to alms freely dispensed to all the needy, and by
his numerous works of beneficence built for himself an imperishable
monument in the memory of the grateful population.

Governor Viana's administration was filled with what at first appeared a
petty local squabble, but later developed into a serious conflict.
Harassed by pirates, the town of San Juan de los Remedios del Cayo had
in the year 1684 obtained permission to remove to another place,
sufficiently distant from the coast to insure the s