CHAPTER VI. 



GENERAL ADMINISTRATION — GOVERNMENT— CIVIL, JUDICIARY, ECCLESIASTICAL, AND 

 FINANCIAL DEPARTMENTS. 



Under the Spanish dominion, Trinidad was a dependency of the 

 " Capitania- General de Caracas/ ' and was administered by 

 Governor, assisted by the " illustrious cabildo " — a kind of muni- 

 cipal corporation, vested with extensive powers, and enjoying 

 great privileges. 



This corporation was a self -elected body, exercising jurisdi( 

 tion partly general, partly municipal and judiciary. It consistec 

 of the Governor, as president, and twelve members — two of 

 whom were elected " alcaldes " of the first and second election^ 

 or " alcaldes " in ordinary. It was lawful for the cabildo to levy 

 duties and impose taxes, but their municipal jurisdiction did not 

 extend beyond the limits of Port-of-Spain. The town had beei 

 divided into four "barrios" or wards, and an "alcalde de barrio" 

 was appointed to each by the cabildo. Their functions were 

 similar to those of the commandant, which I will define here- 

 after. The " alcaldes " in ordinary had special charge of the 

 streets and markets. The alcaldes in ordinary exercised their 

 judicial powers in criminal as well as in civil matters, assisted by 

 a Spanish lawyer, actiug as assessor or adviser ; and for nearly 

 eight years — from 1808 to 1814 — they held both the civil and 

 criminal sessions. No case, however, involving forfeiture of life 

 was ever decided by these judges after the island became a 

 British possession. 



Don Jose Maria de Chacon — the last Governor under the 

 Spanish rule — had divided the island into numerous small dis- 

 tricts called "quarters;" to each was appointed "a comman- 

 dante " as chief and sole magistrate ; for he was, at the same 

 time, police magistrate, justice of the peace, and administrator of 

 his district, charged with the return of population and property, 





