were sent to instruct the natives in the science of agriculture.
On the 16th of June 1718, while returning from the procession of corpus christi in company with the oidores, an attempt was made on the viceroy's life. When about to ascend the stairs of his palace, a man named Nicolás Camacho grasped at Valero's sword, drew it half way from the scabbard, and would probably have plunged it into his body had he not been seized by the attendant halberdiers. On being questioned as to his motives it was found that the would be assassin was a lunatic, and after a brief trial he was sent to the hospital of San Hipólito.[1]
During the remainder of the viceroy's administration, which lasted until the 15th of October, 1722, the provinces of New Spain were in a prosperous condition. The mines were unusually productive, the yield of quicksilver being especially large; the crops were abundant; and the volume of trade was greatly increased.[2]
The sole drawback to this flourishing condition of affairs was the outbreak of hostilities between France and Spain, occasioned by a dispute between the duke of Orleans, who was appointed regent during the
- ↑ The trial lasted only two days. A report of it is given in Dic. Univ. Hist. Geog., app. i. 470-1. It is the opinion of the writer that Camacho was not insane, but the victim of an intrigue on the part of the viceroy who purposed to deprive him of his wife. The same view is taken in Registro Trimestre, i. 385-407. The editor makes the following comment on the trial: 'Esta causa forma una especie de contraste con la que dimos en le número antérior, y aunque los jueces aparecen mas equitativos, queda siempre una sospecha de que el desgraciado Camacho, fué victima de una intriga para quitarle á, su muger. Por lo demás se advierten cosas dignas de notarse en esta causa. Tal es por ejemplo, el que en un hecho sucedido à mediodia y á muy poca distancia de os testigos presenciales, solo Muelas asegure que Camacho arremetió con el espadin al virey, diciendo unicamente los demás que se lo estrajo de la vaina. Es tambien notable el dictámen fiscál, que fundado en la idea equivocada de que no puede haber un completo trastorno mental sin furor, pide la pena correspondiente al delito de Lesa Magestad in primo capite. Creemos que tambien es de notar el pareoer del protomedicato, pues que su dictámen nada tiene de médico y cualquiera pudiera decir lo mismo sin haber saludado los principios del arte. Sin embargo, esta es una causa formada con esmero, pues per lo singular del caso se mandó al rey copia de ella.'
- ↑ In 1721 the fleet from New Spain reached Cádiz with treasure and merchandise to the value of 11,000,000 pesos. Mayer's Mex. Azt., i. 228.
