That has come to such a pass that when I ordered that a sailor, one Luys Rivero, should be hanged for an atrocious murder that he had committed--of whose trial and of what passed then I enclose a sworn statement--they actually ordered that he be not executed.

That happened on a day when I had left this city, on account of having ordered that on that same day a retired sergeant be beheaded, who had deserted while under pay and after receiving help, and had abandoned his colors at the time of the embarcation; and in order to avoid the intercessions and importunities that they lavish in order that justice might not be done.

But this is only a pretext of mercy, since punishment, when deserved, is the greatest mercy--especially in this country, where the punishment of offenses was so forgotten or almost never administered.

For that reason, and to lessen my grief over the execution by being farther away from it, I left the city and went up the river.

The proceedings of Doctor Don Alvaro de Mesa, in procuring the obstruction of what he and his associates had ordered, were of such nature that some clamor might have occurred, had not the people been satisfied at the justification of the case, and had they not had some confidence in me, mixed with sufficient respect not to lose it on similar occasions, even in my absence.
[_Marginal note_: "Let what is provided in the preceding section be observed, and whatever pertains to your office.