Most High and Mighty Sovereigns,
In obedience to your Highnesses' commands, and with submission to superior
judgment, I will say whatever occurs to me in reference to the colonization and
commerce of the Island of Espanola, and of the other islands, both those already
discovered and those that may be discovered hereafter.
In the first place, as regards the Island of Espanola: Inasmuch as the number of
colonists who desire to go thither amounts to two thousand, owing to the land
being safer and better for farming and trading, and because it will serve as a
place to which they can return and from which they can carry on trade with the
neighboring islands:
- That in the said island there shall be founded
three or four towns, situated in the most convenient places, and that the
settlers who are there be assigned to the aforesaid places and towns.
- That for the better and more speedy
colonization of the said island, no one shall have liberty to collect gold
in it except those who have taken out colonists' papers, and have built
houses for their abode, in the town in which they are, that they may live
united and in greater safety.
- That each town shall have its alcalde [Mayor]
... and its notary public, as is the use and custom in Castile.
- That there shall he a church, and parish
priests or friars to administer the sacraments, to perform divine worship,
and for the conversion of the Indians.
- That none of the colonists shall go to seek
gold without a license from the governor or alcalde of the town where he
lives; and that he must first take oath to return to the place whence he
sets out, for the purpose of registering faithfully all the gold he may have
found, and to return once a month, or once a week, as the time may have been
set for him, to render account and show the quantity of said gold; and that
this shall be written down by the notary before the aIcalde, or, if it seems
better, that a friar or priest, deputed for the purpose, shall be also
present.
- That all the gold thus brought in shall be
smelted immediately, and stamped with some mark that shall distinguish each
town; and that the portion which belongs to your Highnesses shall be
weighed, and given and consigned to each alcalde in his own town, and
registered by the above-mentioned priest or friar, so that it shall not pass
through the hands of only one person, and there shall he no opportunity to
conceal the truth.
- That all gold that may be found without the
mark of one of the said towns in the possession of any one who has once
registered in accordance with the above order shall be taken as forfeited,
and that the accuser shall have one portion of it and your Highnesses the
other.
- That one per centum of all the gold that may
be found shall be set aside for building churches and adorning the same, and
for the support of the priests or friars belonging to them; and, if it
should be thought proper to pay any thing to the alcaldes or notaries for
their services, or for ensuring the faithful perforce of their duties, that
this amount shall be sent to the governor or treasurer who may be appointed
there by your Highnesses.
- As regards the division of the gold, and the
share that ought to be reserved for your Highnesses, this, in my opinion,
must be left to the aforesaid governor and treasurer, because it will have
to be greater or less according to the quantity of gold that may be found.
Or, should it seem preferable, your Highnesses might, for the space of one
year, take one half, and the collector the other, and a better arrangement
for the division be made afterward.
- That if the said alcaldes or notaries shall
commit or be privy to any fraud, punishment shall be provided, and the same
for the colonists who shall not have declared all the gold they have.
- That in the said island there shall be a
treasurer, with a clerk to assist him, who shall receive all the gold
belonging to your Highnesses, and the alcaldes and notaries of the towns
shall each keep a record of what they deliver to the said treasurer.
- As, in the eagerness to get gold, every one
will wish, naturally, to engage in its search in preference to any other
employment, it seems to me that the privilege of going to look for gold
ought to be withheld during some portion of each year, that there may be
opportunity to have the other business necessary for the island performed.
- In regard to the discovery of new countries, I
think permission should be granted to all that wish to go, and more
liberality used in the matter of the fifth, making the tax easier, in some
fair way, in order that many may be disposed to go on voyages.
I will now give my opinion about ships going to the said Island of Espanola, and
the order that should be maintained; and that is, that the said ships should
only be allowed to discharge in one or two ports designated for the purpose, and
should register there whatever cargo they bring or unload; and when the time for
their departure comes, that they should sail from these same ports, and register
all the cargo they take in, that nothing may be concealed.
- In reference to the transportation of gold
from the island to Castile, that all of it should be taken on board the
ship, both that belonging to your Highnesses and the property of every one
else; that it should all be placed in one chest with two locks, with their
keys, and that the master of the vessel keep one key and some person
selected by the governor and treasurer the other; that there should come
with the gold, for a testimony, a list of all that has been put into the
said chest, properly marked, so that each owner may receive his own; and
that, for the faithful performance of this duty, if any gold whatsoever is
found outside of the said chest in any way, be it little or much, it shall
be forfeited to your Highnesses.
- That all the ships that come from the said
island shall be obliged to make their proper discharge in the port of Cadiz,
and that no person shall disembark or other person be permitted to go on
board until the ship has been visited by the person or persons deputed for
that purpose, in the said city, by your Highnesses, to whom the master shall
show all that he carries, and exhibit the manifest of all the cargo, it may
be seen and examined if the said ship brings any thing hidden and not known
at the time of lading.
- That the chest in which the said gold has been
carried shall be opened in the presence of the magistrates of the said city
of Cadiz, and of the person deputed for that purpose by your Highnesses, and
his own property be given to each owner. -
I beg your Highnesses to hold me in your protection; and I remain, praying our
Lord God for your Highnesses' lives and the increase of much greater States.