TRANSCRIPTION OF EXCERPTS OF PETITION |
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[?] el del 1734 [?]
[firmas]
Recibimiento
A El Sr. Don Juan Francisco de Guemez y Horcacitas Mariscal de Campo de los Ejercitos de Su Magestad, Su Governador y Capitan General de esta Isla y Ciudad de la Habana
Los esclavos de las Minas de Santiago del Prado y vecinos de dicho Pueblo nos presentamos ante Vuestra Señoria en la mejor forma que haya lugar en derecho=
Y es a saber que el año de treinta y dos hicimos fuga todos los esclavos de dicho pueblo a los campos con una bendera de Su Majestad retirandonos del mucho rigor con que el Señor Don Pedro Inasio Ximenes Governador de esta Plaza y su Jurisdiccion pensionandonos con graves penas con que nos molestaba como ya lo tendra Vssa por noticia por una [nota] que remitimos a esa Capitananeria con fecha del veinte y nuebe de Junio de este presente año de mil setesientos y treinta y cuatro años en cuya copia expresaba dichos procedimientos que pasamos con dicho Señor Governador
[2] Hicimos dicha sublevacion acompañados de nuestra ignorancia y ceguedad en que estabamos metidos de que Nuestro Amo y Señor [el Rey] nos habia hecho merced de libertad habiendo sido causante el Señor Governador Don Joseph Canales, que lo fue en esta dicha plaza [de Santiago de Cuba], y en medio de su Gobernacion determino Su Señoria el pasar a este lugar [el Cobre] infligiendo varias molestias con que nos hizo cargo de ellas quitandonos nuestras armas y hierros de nuestros oficios que mando las fraguas en que beneficiamos el granillo de cobre que percanciamos para surcir nuestras necesidades. Y viendo el mucho daño que se nos seguia nos determinamos el poner en su noticia de nuestro Amo y Señor lo que por nosotros pasaba. Siguiendo a dicha diligencia Diego de Rosas, hijo natural de este dicho Pueblo, persona tal que con la providencia divina puso en noticia de nuestro amo y Señor nuestros clamores segun las noticias que nos dio Don Nicolas Chirino quien vino en reconocimiento de dichos [asuntos].
[3] Y es [?] y de haber llegado dicho Señor don Nicolas Chirino a la Ciudad de Santiago de Cuba hizo llamar los Regidores que estaban penfiriendo [?] [perciviendo?] antes de la resolucion de dicho Sr. Gov.[Canales] y viendo su orden [de Chirino] y recado pasamos sin tener dilasion alguna y estando en su presencia ordeno Su Señoria se sentasen en los bancos de Cabildo de dicha Ciudad [de Santiago de Cuba] con nombramiento de Regidores hechos en [nombre?] de ambas Magestades y en vista de tales honras se escusaban el ocupar dicho asiento que se les ofrecia por su pobreza [por ser pobres] y de color quebrado dandole las gracias a el dicho Señor. Y su Señoria les insto ocupasen los dichos asientos, que era orden de nuestro Amo y Señor. Que su venida habia sido por dos diligencias y que la una era el volver lo quitado, que cesarian ya nuestras iniquidades, que el nos mostraria como nuestro amo y señor [el Rey] no nos tenia sino era para el resguardo de esta plaza [de Santiago de Cuba] y su real Corona, que lo dejaramos tomar mansion,
[4] que todo se conpondria. Quedo como lo dispuso su Señoria esperando a que nos volviese a llamar, no lo hizo. Y teniendo noticia nosotros de como los Capitulares de dicha Ciudad hacian sus empeños para que no nos diese y mostrara lo prometido. Con cuyas noticias pasamos a su casa y le preguntamos nos dijese en la disposicion que nos hallabamos. Y nos respondio que todavia no era tarde, que tuviesemos paciencia. Con su respuesta nos pasamos a nuestro lugar hasta el interin su Señoria disponia lo mas conveniente quedando a su cuidado nuestro disinio [? Designio?]. Se pasaron mas de cuatro meses que fue el tiempo en que dispuso su viaje y estando cercana su partida pasamos de segunda a su casa y le preguntamos en que disposicion nos dejaba y nos respondio que en la Contaduria de dicha Ciudad [Santiago de Cuba] quedaba nuestro bien, que era cuanto podia hacer y haber hecho por nosotros. Siguio su viaje dejandonos segun estabamos de antes aun con mas necesidades, continuandose la dicha fabrica [de las fortificaciones del Rey en la plaza de Santiago de Cuba]...
[13] ... Su rial [real] persona [adjudica] un precio regular en que podamos redimirnos [cohartarnos] trayendo a su real memorial nuestra notificada pobreza recibiendonos dinero, tabaco, trigo, cobre y demas frutos que da la tierra. Que otorgandonos su real persona nuestro pedimento por medio de Vssa, entre el dicho tiempo le llevamos pedido seremos fieles en cumplir lo prometido sin que sea necesario tome Su Magestad otra resolucion alguna en que seamos pensionados que lo ejecutaremos con toda prontitud como llevamos declarado, no apartandonos de servir a Su real persona en todo lo que sea de su real agrado aun con mas vigilancia que la que hemos gastado en lo antepasado, no siendo menos nuestro agradecimiento por con Vssa haciendonos la caridad de
[14] poner por su parte en noticia de nuestro amo y Señor [el Rey] nuestros clamores doliendose de nuestra miseria que no hemos hallado otro medio y persona mas importante ante quien poner nuestro [...?] sino es a la afabilidad de Vssa, como piadoso y leal vasallo de Su Magestad en quien tiene su Real persona recargado el mayor peso de su Corona asi recargamos nosotros como en persona tal en quen esperamos se servira de proveer y mandar los que mas convenga en este nuestro pedimento: [iniciales]=
Jurando lo necesario los esclavos de las Riales [reales] Minas de Santiago del Prado por Su Magestad=
[firma]
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[?] of 1734 [?]
[signatures]
[Receipt]
To Sr. Don Juan Francisco Guemez y Horcacitas, Field Marshall of His Majesties Armies, Governor and Captain General of this Island and City of Havana
The slaves of the Mines of Santiago del Prado and citizens [vecinos] of the said Pueblo present ourselves before Your Highness in the best way by right=
And it is namely that in the year of [17]32 all of the slaves of the said Pueblo fled to the bushes with a banner of His Majesty withdrawing ourselves from the great rigor with which the Sr. Don Pedro Ignacio Ximenez, Gov. of that garrison [of Santiago de Cuba] and its jurisdiction, who burdened us with grave troubles as you may already know from a note we sent to that Captaincy dated on June 29 of the current year of 1734. That copy expressed the proceedings we were going through with that Señor Governor.
[2] We made the said sublevation blinded by the ignorance in which we that our Master and Lord [the King] had granted us the mercy of freedom and its triggering cause was Sr Gov. Don Joseph Canales, who was Governor in the said Garrison [of Santiago de Cuba] and in the middle of his administration His Lordship decided to come to this place [of El Cobre] inflicting several troubles on us taking away our weapons and tools of our trade, and gave orders to burn the furnaces where we smelted the copper grains we mined to cover our needs. And seeing how much damage was being done to us we decided to inform our Lord and Master what was happening to us. Diego de Rosas, a native of this Pueblo, took up that task and with divine Providence he informed our master and Lord about our clamors according to the news we received from Don Nicholas Chirino, who came to investigate them [the grievances].
[3] And when the said Señor don Nicolas Chirino arrived at the City of Santiago de Cuba he called the councilmen [regidores] who were officiating before the orders of that Sr. Governor [Canales]. Seeing [Chirino's] order and message we went without delay and once in his presence His Highness ordered them to sit in the town council's benches of that City [of Santiago de Cuba] with the appointment of councilmen made in the name of both Majesties. In view of such honors, thanking the said gentleman, they excused themselves from taking the seat that he offered them because they were poor and of broken color [tainted blood]. His Highness urged them to take those seats, that it was an order of our Master and Lord. And [he said] that his visit had two purposes, one was to return what had been taken away [from us], that our inequities would now come to an end, that he would show us how our master and lord [the King] only had us for the protection of this garrison [of Santiago de Cuba] and his royal Crown, to allow him to settle down
[4] and everything would be resolved. Things were left as His Highness disposed [and while] we waited for him to call us again, he did not do so. And we found out how the Councilmen of the said City were maneuvering so that we would not be given and shown what had been promised. With those news we went to his house and asked him to tell us what our situation was. And he responded that it was still not late, that we had to be patient. With his response we went back to our place until his Highness disposed what was most convenient while our plight remained in his hands. More than four months went by which was about the time of his visit and as the time of his departure came near we went to ohis house a second time and we asked him in what situation he was leaving us and he responded that in the Treasury of the said City [Santiago de Cuba] was our security [or welfare?], that it was all he could do and have done for us. He went on with his trip leaving us as we were before if not in greater need, while the construction [of the royal fortifications in the garrison of Santiago de Cuba] continued. ...
[13]... Your royal person [adjudicated] a regular price in which we can redeem [purchase] ourselves bringing to your royal attention our notorious poverty [and accepting to] receive from us money, tobacco, wheat, copper and other fruits of the earth. That granting your royal person our petition by means of Your Highness, during the time [?] we have asked we will be loyal in keeping our promise without needing Your Majesty to take any other resolution that would trouble us since we will execute [everything] promptly as we have declared, serving without fault your royal person in everything that may be of your royal pleasure with even more vigilance than in the past, not being less our gratitude towards your Highness for having the charity of
[14] informing our master and Lord [the King] about our clamors, taking pity of our misery since we have not found any other means or a more important person to present our [grievance?] other than to the affability of Your Highness, as a pious and loyal vassal of His Majesty on whom his Royal person had consigned the greatest responsibilities of his Crown we rely as such person on you [and] hope you will provide and order what is more convenient in this our petition: [initials]=
Swearing the necessary the slaves of the royal mines of Santiago del Prado for His Majesty=
[signature]
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