Experience had taught the necessity of a strict supervision by the crown over the management of the treasury. The court, therefore, directed Francisco Armona to come to New Spain as visitador general to inspect and arrange the administration of the royal revenues.[1] The king's minister, Arriaga, sent the viceroy the instructions under which the visitador was to act, and ordered him to aid that officer in every possible way. Armona, who had been given five assistants, died on the passage out, and José de Galvez, an intendente of the royal army, was chosen for the position.[2] He came out in 1761, and before he had fairly begun the discharge of his duties a disagreement sprang up with the viceroy who refused to recognize certain powers claimed by the visitador. Thereupon the latter, referring the questions to the crown, led a retired life and awaited the final decision. The fleet of 1764 brought him powers independent of the viceroy, almost unlimited ones, which the latter could not ignore.
Galvez was endowed with talents of a high order, a sterling fearless character, indomitable will, and uncommon industry, united to great experience in affairs. He has been charged with a harsh, despotic, rancorous disposition,[3] that never tempered justice with clemency,[4] but there were deeply rooted abuses to
- ↑ The French at that time had much influence at the Spanish court. They urged Spain to be better prepared with resources for war, to which end the government should effect such changes in the administration of the American possessions as would bring about an increase of revenue, which hitherto, considering their extent and wealth, was indeed a very scanty one. Alaman, Disert., iii. 296.
- ↑ He owed his great promotion to the French ambassador at Madrid. Alaman, Disert., iii. 296.
- ↑ 'Hombre de pasiones fuertes, rencoroso y terrible. . .abusaba del poder que el Soberano habia puesto en sus manos.' Many thought him insane. Bustmante, Suplem., in Cavo, Tres Siglos, iii. 44.
- ↑ Galvez was a native of Málaga. His services were munificently rewarded by the sovereign. In 1768 he was made a member of the supreme council of the Indies, and on his return to Spain ministro universal de Indias, an office that he held till his death, which occurred suddenly at Madrid on the 17th of June, 1787. He had been also given the title of marqués de Sonora. The news of his death reached Mexico the 30th of August. Many of those who suffered at his hands showed their satisfaction in disgraceful printed papers that made their appearance the next morning. Lorenzana,
