by which he unjustly secured to himself large sums from the sales of that metal.[1]
Other frauds were perpetrated in contracts for paper used in the government cigar manufactories, the contractors charging fictitious prices and paying a bonus to Doña Inés.[2] The administration of Iturrigaray was modelled after that of his protector, Godoy, and it was believed that the king's favorite shared in the profits.
Sumptuous entertainments, presided over by Doña Inés, were given at the palace, with the twofold object of pleasure and profit. Thither assembled grave oidores, hypocritical inquisitors, venerable prelates, and members of the most distinguished families, who, to win the good favor of their viceregal hostess, vied with one another in their efforts to please, and in the costliness of their gifts.[3]
Marquina never gained the affection of the people, because of his restrictions on all kinds of excesses. Iturrigaray would try the opposite course, and make the capital the centre of pleasure and dissipation. To the discredit caused by the venality of the father were added the profligacy and vulgar passion for play of his son José, who was a constant visitor to the
- ↑ He received generally a gold ounce per quintal of quicksilver delivered. Represent. Min. Guan., in Cancelada, Conducta Iturr., 92-5. Alaman states that the traffic in offices was managed through one of the vice-queen's maids, an elderly person, named Joaquina Aranguren, wife of Gabriel Palacios. Hist. Mej., i. 47. Some few miners, with whom a secret compact was made, were greatly favored, while the majority suffered for want of mercury, resulting in immense profits to the viceroy. These frauds are given in detail with attestation, in Representacion, Dip. Min. Guan., Oct. 31, 1808. Compare also Cancelada, Conducta, Iturrigaray, 92-5; Alaman, Hist. Mej., i. app. 43-4.
- ↑ 19 ‘Se justifica el robo que hizo al rei argandole un peso mas en cada resma, con las cuentas misrnas de los que lo vendieron, que existen en autos de infidencia.' Cancelada, Conducta, 11. This author also charges Iturrigaray with shipping surreptitiously many millions of treasure out of the country, in English and neutral ships. This was the popular belief, but no proofs were brought forward. Id., 11-12. From the two contracts of 1806 and 1807 the viceroy's wife received 6,633 ounces of gold. Alaman, Hist. Mej., i. 47. Consult also Hernandez y Dávalos, Col. Doc. Indep., i. 643-4.
- ↑ 'Hacia descender la corte hasta sobre el teatro, ó subia el teatro á la corte por la aficion que tenia á esta clase de diversiones. La conducta de la de Madrid bajo Maria Luisa, era el ejemplo que se seguia.' Zavala, Rev. Mex., 30; El lndicador, iii. 216-17.
