of America. As early as the reign of Charles III. the decrees not included in the Recopilacion, were more numerous than those which it did contain: many of these, again, were annulled by others of a later date; so that, at last, not even the lawyers knew what decrees were in force, which had fallen into disuse, and which had been suspended, either in their application to particular Provinces, or to the Colonies in general. The consequences of this confusion were such frequent discrepancies in the Royal orders, as to render it extremely difficult, even in the clearest cases, to prevent the defendant from sheltering himself under the sanction of some decree unfavourable to the injured party; a circumstance, which encouraged, not a little, that corrupt system of administering justice, which has so long disgraced the Mother country, and which it is almost impossible to correct, where there is no check from publicity, and where, in the multiplicity, and inconsistency, of the laws themselves, the judge is sure to find a plea for the most glaring-injustice.
The special privileges, or Fueros, enjoyed by the different professions, and Corporate bodies, greatly increased this confusion. There were Fueros of the clergy, which embraced all dignitaries of the church, canons, inquisitors, and their dependents, and all members of colleges; Fueros of all persons employed in public offices; fueros del Consulado, or merchants Fueros; special Fueros of the militia, the navy, the
