Page:Vol 3 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/414

94 At the palace, his commissions being produced and read, he took the oath of office before the real acuerdo. The rest of that day and the two following were spent mostly in ceremonials and compliments. But he soon after devoted his attention seriously to public affairs. His short rule was marked by two great calamities, the loss of crops, consequent upon heavy and continuous frosts, and famine followed by an epidemic. To meet the latter he was foremost in liberality, not only contributing 12,000 pesos remaining from his father's estate, but borrowing $100,000 more for the same purpose. He formed a board of relief, and used every exertion to supply the city with the necessaries of life.

One day while transacting business with the board, information reached him that the alhóndiga, or public granary, was empty, and that poor people could get no maize for the morrow. Rushing into the streets without an escort, or even his hat, he walked to the alhóndiga, where he took steps to keep up the supply. When the people saw him, and learned what had brought him there, they were moved to tears, and escorted him back to the palace in the midst of acclamations. On another occasion, the Saturday preceding palm Sunday, April 8, 1786, as Galvez was riding from the country house called El Pensil to meet the audiencia for the general visit of prisons, either purposely or accidentally he encountered three prisoners on their way to the scaffold, followed by a rabble, who besought the viceroy to spare the condemned, which was done. Much obloquy was heaped upon Galvez for this act; he was charged not only with the deliberate intent of saving the criminals to win favor with the populace, but of misrepresenting the facts to the crown. He stated that under the