56 



INTRODUCTION. 



I shall now proceed to give a brief outline of the 

 internal government adopted for these vast regions. 

 They were divided, as has been already stated, into 

 viceroyalties and captain-generalships; these again 

 subdivided into intendancies or provinces, into cor- 

 regidories, comraenderies, and missions. The eccle- 

 siastical divisions will be noticed hereafter. The 

 viceroy is the representative of the king, while his 

 authority lasts, and holds his court with considerable 

 pomp and splendor. He presides over every depart- 

 ment, and with the exception of the distant and tardy 

 control of the council of the Indies, and the imperfect 

 check of the audiencias, he may be considered su- 

 preme; uniting in himself all authority, civil and mi- 

 litary. In latter times, it is true, various checks have 

 been contrived to render his power less absolute, not 

 through any desire to shield the American from op- 

 pression, but through jealous fear that he may con- 

 ceive the idea of perpetuating his sway. The courts 

 of the viceroys, especially those of Mexico and Peru, 

 are said to be formed somewhat on the model of that 

 of Madrid. ^^They have sumptuous establishments, 

 officers of state, numerous guards of horse and foot, 

 and as much display of magnificence and parade, as 

 if they were invested with regal powers. Their sa- 

 laries, although princely, form the smallest part of 

 their income; the exercise of their unlimited authori- 

 ty, and the disposal of a number of lucrative offices, 

 affords them great opportunities of accumulating 

 riches. Exactions, lucrative concerns in some branch- 

 es of commerce, monopolies, conniving at frauds prac- 

 tised by merchants, are the means on which they 

 chiefly depend for raising their revenues.'^ These 



