all the regions occupied by the Spaniards north-west of Nueva Galicia, including also the Ávalos provinces, and at times Colima.[1] It claimed jurisdiction as well over the north-western region of Coahuila and Texas, but the king's decision in 1679 was adverse to this pretension.[2] It does not appear that the authority of the audiencia in Nueva Galicia differed in any respect from that in Nueva Vizcaya, although on account of distance and consequent expense, only cases of considerable importance came as a rule from the latter territory.[3] The oidores of the audiencia were alcaldes in criminal proceedings, but had no voice in matters pertaining to war and exchequer; and after the time of Governor Ceballos, who ruled during the latter part of the seventeenth century, they lost the power of making higher appointments which originally they seem to have held. The president, who, as we have seen, was also political governor of Nueva Galicia, simply held the right of presiding over the
- ↑ In 1790 Colima was subject in civil affairs to Nueva Galicia. In matters ecclesiastic it was entirely under the bishop of Michoacan till August 8, 1790, when it was finally decided that it belonged to the diocese of Guadalajara; and thus Colima continued belonging in all branches of administration to Nueva Galicia. Colima, Representacion, MS., 4. During the 17th and 18th centuries the province of Colima made little progress owing to its isolated position. The Villa de Colima continued to hold its rank as the chief town and capital of the province and was the residence of the principal part of the Spanish population. Some dozen or more smaller towns composed the remaining settlements, whose inhabitants, for the most part natives, were employed in farming. Besides the usual agricultural products, a limited amount of sugar and cotton was produced; a few natives were employed in the manufacture of matting; considerable salt was made, and a variety of fruits, among which were the cocoanut and plantain, grew in abundance. Upon the establishment in 1787 of the system of intendencias this province became a part of the intendencia of Guadalajara. Humboldt, Essai. Pol., i. 259; Calle, Mem. y Not., 78; Gac. de Mex., i. 273; ii. 282, 342; Villa-Señor y Sanchez, Theatro Am., ii. 83-8.
- ↑ According to royal cédula of October 15, 1778, the audiencia of Guadalajara then had jurisdiction to a certain degree over six provinces: Nueva Galicia, Zacatecas, Nueva Vizcaya, Sonora, New Mexico, and the Californias. Cédulario, MS., iii. 9-10.
- ↑ The audiencia was composed of four oidores, or judges, and a fiscal, or attorney, each with a salary of 2,000 ducats. There was also quite a number of minor officials of whom a few were appointed and received a salary, but most of them bought their offices at auction, paying from 1,000 to 10,000 pesos, according to the privileges and emoluments connected with each.
Council only by death, and was succeeded by his son. The few and meagre records that have been handed down to us concerning these officials are taken from Mota-Padilla, the original historian of Nueva Galicia.
