even the bishop, who expresses his regret and remorse for
his own mistakes; but his long experience has opened his eyes, and he
espouses the cause of the oppressed Indians, urging the governor to
consider their needs, without allowing the Spaniards to influence him
in favor of their selfish and unjust practices. Salazar complains that
the orders of both the king and the governors have been systematically
violated or ignored; that no one has been punished for infractions
of law save the poor Indians, who often have been justified in these
actions.] But even this has not availed them to escape punishment
in their persons and property. Yet thus far there is no instance
known when an encontendero or collector has been punished for even
the grossest acts of injustice and injury which they have inflicted
upon the Indians. And this is the Christian spirit and the justice
with which we have thus far treated this unfortunate people--we, who
came hither to bestow upon them a knowledge of God! Notwithstanding
all that, we demand that they shall not dare to move, or to open
their lips in complaint. But we have a righteous God, who hears them,
and in His own time will bestow upon each man according to his deserts.

[The Audiencia had enacted laws favorable to the Indians, which the
governor should enforce. For this purpose, it is useless to depend
upon the alcaldes-mayor, since most of them care only for their own
interests and profit.] On this account the president undertook to
reduce the number of the alcaldes-mayor, and to increase the salaries
of those who were left, in order to remove from them the temptation
to plunder. He also wished to abolish entirely the office of deputy,
as he had already begun to do; this would have been no little benefit
to the country. [The country will only be injured by attempting to
increase the number of officials; they aid in the oppression of
the Indians, and care nothing for the bishop's efforts to oppose
them. If the condition of affairs in Luzon is so bad, what must it
be in Mindanao, or Xolo, or other remote districts? The Indians can
not come to the governor with their grievances, and are helpless in
the power of their oppressors.]

[Salazar briefly state the opinions given by the religious persons whom
he has consulted regarding some of the chief points at issue. Most of
them decide that the third part of the tributes will be enough for
any encomendero, no matter how small his holding may