Texas: the rise, progress, and prospects of the Republic of Texas, Vol.1 Page: 301 of 432
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CHAP. II.j
POLITICAL RETROSPECT.
247'
Crown. An Indian capitation tax was imposed, the
amount of which has varied in different provinces,
and at different periods. Previous to the Mexican
revolution it amounted to ten francs, besides which,
the natives were chargeable with fees to the church,
for its numerous rites and ceremonies. With a
view to amend their condition, the system of encomiendas
was introduced, which invested the Indians
with some recognised rights, and consigned them to
the protectorship of the superior landholders. Under
these arrangements, every Indian became either the
immediate vassal of the Crown, or, through its
sanction, of the owner of the encomienda-the specified
district in which the encomiendero resided.
The constrained servitude of the Indians was of
two kinds-labour inl the fields, and labour in the
mines. For the latter, they were divided into classes
called mitas, who served in turn, at regular periods,
and for a definite time. No alleviation of their sufferings
arose from the system of encomiendas, whiclh,
by the death of the proprietors and their descendants,
became nearly extinct about the beginning of
the eighteenth century. Those grants that remained
were annulled by Charles III., by whom also measures
were adopted for suppressing the Corregidores,
who by selling indispensable articles to the Indians
(of whom they were legally superintendents) at exorbitant
prices, contrived to keep them permanently
their debtors, and thus retained them in a state of
practical bondage. The increase of population and
food having rendered the supplly of native labour
abundant and cheap, the indirect slavery of the
colonial m itas was gradually abolished.
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Kennedy, William. Texas: the rise, progress, and prospects of the Republic of Texas, Vol.1, book, January 1, 1841; London. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth2389/m1/301/: accessed April 25, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Special Collections.