Question refers to the following record of a court case tried in west-central Mexico in 1672.
(Testimony by the creole (European-ancestry) members of a lay religious brotherhood in the town of San Juan Periban.)
"Cristobal Bernal was elected chair of our brotherhood by a margin of only two votes. Most votes in Bernal's favor came from mulatto and mestizo brothers. However, we, the creole brothers, elected Don Carvajal, a resident of the town and owner of the hacienda and sugar mill there. We urge you to command that only creoles should vote for the positions of chair and deputy chairs and neither mulattoes nor mestizos can serve in those positions, and that a new election must be held for these positions."
(Response by the mulatto and mestizo brothers)
"Since the brotherhood was founded, it has had the ancient custom for and electing mulattoes and mestizos as deputies. And mestizos and mulattoes make up most of the membership and help the brotherhood grow. And mestizo and mulatto brothers had donated land, which earns 25 pesos rent per year for the brotherhood. And mulatto and mestizo brothers also collect alms for the brotherhood. If this brotherhood were actually two- one for creoles only and the other for mulattoes and mestizos- then the petitioners might have a case. But there is only one brotherhood in which creoles, mestizos,a dn mulattoes are mixed and, being members of it, they must enjoy the rights and advantages of the said brotherhood. Without question these rights should include voting and electing their own chair and deputies."
(Judges decision)
"The election is declared valid, and Bernal is confirmed as the chair."
The judge's decision in the case is best understood in the context of colonial authorities' policy of