Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
KING CARLOS II DENOUNCES
THE CORRUPTION OF PUBLIC
OFICIALS IN BUENOS AIRES, 1672
In 1660, my predecessor the King sent four orders concerning
notices that were being received from England and Holland about
how much the vassals of those states were engaged in commerce with
the Ports of the Indies and particularly with that of Buenos Ayres, about
the great returns of silver that they gained from the exchanges that they
carried out, and about the growing profits that they were having due
to the tolerance of the Governors; each day the excess was becoming
greater. And His Majesty ordered that his counselors investigate the
situation and arrive at a remedy, and that the above orders be issued
(conforming to the consultation by the Junta of State) that would be
useful in applying vigilance in Buenos Ayres, with precise instructions to
seize the ships of all nations that still carry on that commerce.
On that occasion it was recognized that where the most excess
had occurred had been Buenos Ayres, during the time that Pedro de
Baygorri governed that city; there had been many English, French, and
Dutch ships which had been admitted, introducing goods to Spaniards
and carrying away great sums of silver from that which was extracted at
the mines of Potosí . . . weakening the power and strength of Spain and
raising those of the enemies. . . . There was imported more than twelve
million pesos in merchandize on which were paid very little taxes for
the Royal Treasury but great sums to the Governors on the pretext
of permitting ship repairs, all very malicious . . . and creating discord
between the Bishop and the Governor, the latter of whom was giving
preference to the business dealings of the Jesuits.
Source:
Carlos II. “Resumen de las consultas en que su majestad resolvió
fundar y extinguir la Audiencia de Buenos Aires . . . [ca. 1672].” Document
number 318, Manuel E. Gondra Manuscript Collection. University of Texas
Library, Austin, pp. 1-2.
efforts. In the early 17th century, the Portuguese traded so much at
Buenos Aires that several of them took up residence and married into
local families of the white gentry.
By 1640, Portuguese traders began to lose their hegemony at Buenos
Aires to the Dutch. As many as 22 Dutch ships might be anchored off
