face o f things, defpifing the laws, and perverting the deligns of thofe
amongft them who are virtuoufly difpofed. They are not, however, under
colour or pretext of their authority, to be inquifitive, or to meddle
in the life, genius, private purfuits, or domeftic concerns of individuals,
nor to take cognizance of reports ®r uneftablilhed accufations that cannot
influence the good example of the people, nor difturb the tranquillity
of the public government.
“ For the due adminiftration o f juftice, and the circumflances which
have already been provided for by the foregoing articles, it appears, that
whatever may conduce to the happinefs or profperity of my vaflals,
fhould and ought to be diligently attended to and obferved by the ma-
giftrates and officers of police. For this efpecial purpofe, I order that
the Intendants do procure, from engineers of the greateft renown and
abilities, topographical maps o f their refpeftive provinces, in which are
to be diftinguifhed their boundaries, mountains, woods, rivers, lagoons,
and all other matters worthy of note ; and to this end, the engineers fo
employed are to execute their commiflions with all the promptitude, ex-
afftnefs, and punctuality of expreflion poflible ; they are to become acquainted
with the temperature and qualities of the feveral foils, and of
the natural productions, not only o f the animal and vegetable, but of the
mineral, kingdoms; of the mountains, valleys, - paftures, and meadows ;
of the rivers which are capable o f being widened, made navigable, and uk
timately to communicate with the ocean ; the expence of fuch undertakings,
and the benefits that would refult to my fubjefts from carrying fuch
works into effect. They are to make themfelves perfeQIy fatisfied in what
places new channels or aquedufts might be made, which would be ufeful
for the watering of the lands under cultivation, and for the purpofe o f reducing
labour by the ere&ion of mills. To report the ftate of the bridges;
.pointing out thofe which require repairing, and the pafles over which
additional ones ought to be thrown. What roads can be amended, improved
or Ihortened ; what proteftion or guards are neceflary for their
fecunty. In what parts are growing timbers, ufeful for {hip-building
in the provinces, or valuable in the European arfenals I they are to certify
and report upon the induftry and commerce of the diftri&s; the
feafea
ports capable of fheltering veflels, which from their fituation and ^795-
utility ought to be kept open, and fuch as are prejudicial that had better i— -*—
be fliut. The Intendants will alfo inform themfelves of the means of
bettering the condition o f my people, by augmenting their comforts, and
by conferving the happinefs and profperity of my dominions. With
thefe objects before them, they are to take efpecial care, that, in
the towns or villages, within their rcfpcciive provinces, they do not allow
of vagabonds without deftination, nor people without inclination to
work; but that they make the fturdy, and of competent age to manage
arms, inlift into my royal regiments, engage in my marine fervice, or on
board ffiips of commerce ; or elfe that they order fuch perfons to be employed
in the repairing or erefting fuch public works, as fhall be judged
molt proper, according to the circumflances of each individual’s cafe.
Should any fuch perfons be unfit for work, and mendicants by profef-
lion, they fhall be taken up, put into hofpitals, and there be employed
each according to his ftrength ; but if it can be proved that they are
reftlefs unquiet fubjeHs of no refponfibility, and bad charafter, the penalties
eftablilhed by the laws of the Indies are to be inflifted, and fuch
vagrants are to be fent to hard labour in the mines, or to the Pre-
fidios.”
Thefe ordinances are alfo the firft of a great number of regulations,
which follow for the encouragement of induftry, the cultivation of the
furface, and extending the mineral property of thefe kingdoms, in which
is difplayed no lefs zeal and concern for the profperity and comforts of
all the inhabitants, whether of Spanilh extraflion or the native Indians,
than for the intereft which the Spanifh crown poflefles in fecuring to it-
felf the monopoly of this valuable part of its extenfive empire. For as.
the kingdom of Chili cannot but be regarded as capable of producing
great wealth, as well from its furface as from its inexhauftible mineral
productions, it may fairly be efteemed as one of the richeft, territories
belonging to His Catholic Majefty. In order, however^ to promote the
growth of the greateft quantity o f corn and number of cattle, encouragement
Ihould be given to the lower orders of the people to become in-
duftrious, and to prefer the pleafant purfuits of cultivation, to that fupine
and.
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