Note 58 — Chapter VII · THE AUDIENCIA AND THE GOVERNOR: THE MILITARY JURISDICTION

On May 14, 1790, the king wrote to the “governor and president of the royal audiencia” and also to the tribunal, ordering the re-establishment of the Parián. This Chinese quarter had been abolished since 1756. It was agreed that the Chinese in this district should be ruled by an alcalde, who should also hear cases in first instance, with appeal to the audiencia. It was furthermore decreed that the Chinese population in the Islands should be fixed at 4000 and that each individual should be taxed at the rate of six pesos per capita.58 This tax was to be collected by the cabecilla of the Chinese, a sort of local leader, subject to the alcalde of the Parián. This cédula, the king stated, was originally suggested by the acuerdo of the audiencia, and had been submitted for royal approval, which had been duly conceded. This correspondence, which shows the real operation of the government much more accurately than the citation of laws alone could do, makes it quite clear that throughout the history of the Islands, notwithstanding the existence of many cédulas to the contrary, the audiencia exercised advisory power in regard to the government of the Chinese. This authority was repeatedly recognized by the governor and by the king himself.