CHAPTER XVI.
NUEVA GALICIA.
1601-1803.
Boundaries of the Territory — Its Governors — The Audiencia of Guadalajara — Its Jurisdiction and Powers — Local Government — Corregimientos and Alcaldias Mayores — Cities, Towns, Villages, and Mining Districts — The Capital — A City of Office-holders — Treasury Department — Industrial Progress — Mines — Quicksilver Monopoly and its Effects — Agriculture and Stock-raising — Labor, Commerce, and Ship-building — Population and Local Statistics.
During the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, Nueva Galicia almost coincided with the territory which now forms the states of Jalisco, Aguas Calientes, and Zacatecas. On the south, however, those parts of the Ávalos provinces that lay south of Autlan and Zayula, now forming part of Jalisco, appear to have then belonged to New Spain, and were subject to the viceroy, while in the north-east Nueva Galicia included the western portion of what is now San Luis Potosi, the boundary line running near Charcas and Matehuala. The territory was under the political rule of a governor, who was also president of the audiencia of Guadalajara, and was appointed by the king, though nominally subject to the viceroy.[1] In case of his death or inability to perform his duties the senior oidor of the audiencia ruled ad interim until a new appointment could be made.
In the seventeenth century the governors were
- ↑ During the latter part of the 18th and the beginning of the 19th century their titles were gobernador, presidente de la real audiencia, comandante general, and intendente. See Cedulario, MS., i. 114, 209; iii. 176, 238; Real Orden, in Mayer MSS., no. 2; Ugarte y Loyola, Rel, in Soc. Mex, Geog., Boletin, 2d ep., iii. 307.
