Volume 51 / Part 2 — REPRESENTATION OF FILIPINAS IN THE SPANISH CORTES
Reading edition
Preliminary Note: The account of the first two Cortes is drawn largely from notes made by James A. LeRoy from Diario de las sessiones de las Cortes generales y extraordinarias, and other sources, and kindly sent by him to the Editors. For the first Cortes see also Montero y Vidal, Historia general, ii, pp. 388–390, 392, 396–398, 400–409, 411–413,422–435, and Guia oficial de España, 1813, pp. 21, 22, where the Philippine deputies are named. For the second Cortes, see also Montero y Vidal, ut supra, ii, pp. 444–452, 457–462, 476–481. For the third Cortes, see Montero y Vidal, ut supra, ii, pp. 544, 545, 552–560, 563–573; and Filipinas y su representacion en Cortes (Madrid, February 8, 1836), which although published anonymously is by Camba.
The Cortes of 1810–1813
The Cortes of 1820–1823
The Cortes of 1834–1837
A royal decree of the date when the Cortes were dissolved, ordered the new Cortes to assemble at Madrid, March 22, article 5 of the decree specifying that elections should be held in the provinces of Ultramar on receipt of the decree. Consequently, at this session, which lasted from March 22 until May 23, when it was again dissolved, the Philippines had no representation.
Notes in this chapter
Note 1 · The Cortes, as first known by the Spaniards, contained three divisions, the three estates; the ones called in the three periods above-mentioNote 2 · For a good account of this period in Spain, which was one of great confusion, see E. W. Latimer’s Spain in the nineteenth century (Chicago, Note 3 · The latter, indeed, was granted permission (January 4, 1811) to go to Veracruz for his health; and on July 22, 1811, permission was given toNote 4 · Such were the decree of October 5, 1810, confirming the essential unity and equality of all parts of the Spanish domain; the abolition of thNote 5 · February 20, 1812, was the last meeting on the island of León, the Cortes assembling on the twenty-fourth at the church of San Felipe Neri, Note 6 · The method of election for the Cortes of 1813 (decree of May 23, 1812) provided for a preliminary election board for each colonial province Note 7 · Trouble had arisen over the administration by the board of the obras pias which it was usual to loan out to those interested in the galleon Note 8 · These ordinances were unconstitutional because control of the hospice was vested in a board headed by the captain-general, while by the consNote 9 · On July 7, 1810, the governor of the Philippines proposed the suppression of the galleon, and requested permission for the inhabitants of thNote 10 · This decree (which is given by Montero y Vidal, Historia general, li, pp. 412, 413) states that the inhabitants of the Philippines may tradeNote 11 · In accordance with a royal order of June 17, commanding the representatives of the colonies to report the petitions pending, or which had noNote 12 · On the seventh he took the oath to observe the Constitution of 1812; and on the tenth, by a decree ordered the reëstablishment of the SecretNote 13 · Apparently appointed by the Secretary of Ultramar. Their credentials were approved at the third preliminary meeting of July 5 or 6. ↑Note 14 · A general decree of October 5, 1820, ordered a uniform and general schedule of duties for the Peninsula and Ultramar; but this law was modifNote 15 · The secretary of Hacienda considered the privileges of the company for the importation of cotton goods as unconstitutional and contrary to tNote 16 · The decrees of the Diarios de las Cortes show no decree of this date confirming a previous decree of March 7, 1820, granting exemption of duNote 17 · In October, 1820, the preliminary board for the election of representatives was organized in Manila, but inasmuch as the elections were not Note 18 · Wrongly called a decree by Montero y Vidal. This order was addressed to the Secretary of War in answer to a question raised by the Council oNote 19 · The special discussion arose over the item of 50,000 reals for missions and a note in the report reflecting on the native clergy in the PhilNote 20 · Each university was to have a public library, a drawing school, a chemical laboratory, cabinets of physics, natural history, and industrial Note 21 · On the twenty-third there was a discussion as to the legality of the substitutes for the representatives of Ultramar being allowed to hold oNote 22 · This exclusion was in accordance with a decision of the committee on Credentials handed in February 11, 1822, to the effect that government Note 23 · Foreman states wrongly (p. 362, ed. of 1906) that seventeen deputies were elected and sat during the Cortes of 1820–23, and he names eight oNote 24 · Although a provincial deputation had been organized in Manila in 1822, almost its only act was to petition (April 12, 1823) for more missionNote 25 · Fernando’s infant daughter, Isabel II, ascended the throne under the regency of her mother María Cristina. Through the efforts of the liberaNote 26 · The first news of reform and the fact that the new Cortes were to be summoned was received unofficially at Manila by a United States ship saNote 27 · No provision was made in the third Cortes for substitute representation for Ultramar (except in the decree of August 21, 1836, calling a CorNote 28 · Andrés García Camba resided in Manila during 1825–35, and became so popular that he was elected a deputy to the Spanish Cortes; he was afterNote 29 · Foreman says that Lecaros was a mestizo; and Montero y Vidal that he was a Filipino lawyer. The board of electors was mainly composed of penNote 30 · Camba proposed (Filipinas y su representación en Cortes, 1836) a special mode of election to Cortes for the Philippines, which was to be by Note 31 · He wrote Memoria sobre las Islas Filipinas (Valencia, 1842). ↑Note 32 · July 31, 1837, the new commercial treaty made September 22, 1836, between the governor of the Philippines and the sultan of Joló was referreNote 33 · On May 25, 1869, an amendment was presented by Julián Pellón y Rodriguez in the Spanish Cortes demanding that parliamentary representation bNote 34 · Three times in their history have the Philippines had representation in the Spanish national Cortes,1 namely, for the years 1810–1813, 1820–Note 35 · With Fernando virtually a prisoner in France (where he remained for five years), the nationalists in Spain being without a ruler, since theyNote 36 · Several general measures enacted by the Cortes touch the Philippines incidentally.4 The first matter, however, specifically connected with tNote 37 · In January, 1813, after recommendation by the committee on Ultramar, it was resolved to grant the petition of the board (mesa) of the MiseriNote 38 · By far the most important measure affecting the Philippines, however, was the suppression of the Acapulco galleon.9 The discussion on the maNote 39 · The special session of the Cortes closed on the date of the decree above, and the regular session opened at Cádiz, either in the latter partNote 40 · After vainly endeavoring to rule as an absolute monarch, Fernando VII was compelled to convoke the Cortes by his decree of March 6, 1820.12 Note 41 · At the opening of the new session of the Cortes, the Philippine substitutes of the previous session held over.17 An order18 of March 22 deciNote 42 · The preliminary meeting of a special session was held on September 22, 1821, at which the above two Philippine substitutes were approved.21 Note 43 · The first preliminary meeting of the regular session was held February 15, at which Vicente Posada, a former magistrate of the Manila AudienNote 44 · At the first preliminary meeting of the special session, held October 1, 1822, Francisco Bringas y Taranco, ex-alcalde-mayor of Ilocos, the Note 45 · The regular session opened on March 1, 1823, at Madrid, but the absolutists gaining control through the invasion of the French, nothing was Note 46 · The third Cortes of 1834–37 were called after the death of Fernando VII, which occurred September 29, 1833, when the liberals again demandedNote 47 · The new session was set in a meeting of the Consejo de Ministros (September 28, 1835) for November 16, 1835. The first preliminary meeting wNote 48 · A decree of May 24 ordered a new session for August 20, at which the Philippines were to have four representatives, the officials evidently