Page:The Philippine Islands, 1493-1803 (Volume 08).djvu/155

 reasons that I had for making no innovations until after informing your Majesty and awaiting your Majesty's order and resolution. Setting forth many reasons, I tried to persuade him in the letter which accompanies this; I wrote to him explaining that, even in the never-pacified and rebellious encomiendas, your Majesty commanded that something be paid, as a token of recognition of authority. If there are justices and other benefits useful to the Indians, such as instruction in the faith, teaching them to live decently, and attracting them by kind treatment to receive instruction, when it should be furnished, then all the tribute could be collected except the portion due for instruction. If neglected, the Indians would become intractable and all would be lost. If tribute is never exacted from the infidels, they will never become Christians. This tribute should be collected with all possible gentleness, avoiding violence and wrongs to the Indians. The furnishing of instruction is not delayed by the encomenderos, for they urgently ask for it; but it is not given them because of the lack thereof. It seemed to me that, for the said reasons and others, it is better to make no innovations now; but that an account of everything be given to your Majesty so that you may order the necessary provisions. In the meanwhile, collection will be allowed of at least three-quarters of the tributes belonging to the encomenderos. If their support is taken away, these men would leave the land, and everything would be lost. In that case, even if there were instruction there would be no one to receive it; and the Indians would have to be conquered anew. In particular some arrangement should be made so that the Indians shall receive benefit and profit from us, by