manity, he published an edict, in which he endeavoured to provide for the mild treatment of the Indians under the yoke to which he fubjected them; he regulated the nature of the work which they fhould be required to perform, he prescribed the mode in which they should be clothed and fed, and gave directions with respect to their inftruction in the principles of Christianity. a)

Effect of thefe.

But the Dominicans, who, from their experience of what was paft, judged concerning the future, foon perceived the inefficacy of those provifions, and foretold, that as long as it was the intereft of individuals to treat the Indians with rigour, no publick regulations could render their fervitude mild or tolerable. They confidered it as vain to waste their own time and ftrength in attempting to communicate the fublime truths of religion to men, whofe fpirits were broken, and their faculties impaired by oppreffion. Some of them, in despair, requested the permiffion of their fuperiors to remove to the continent, and to purfue the object of their miflion, among fuch of the natives as were not hitherto corrupted by the example of the Spaniards, or alienated by their cruelty from the Chriftian faith. Such as re

a) Herrera, dec. I. lib. ix, c. 14.

mained in Hifpaniola continued to remonftrate, with decent firmnefs, against the fervitude of the Indians. b)

Bartholoinew de las Cafas appears in defence of the

Indians.

The violent operations of Albuquerque, the new diftributor of Indians, revived the zeal of the Dominicans against the repartimientos, and called forth an advocate for that oppreffed people, who poffeffed all the courage, the talents, and activity requisite in supporting fuch a defperate cause. This was Bartholomew de las Cafas, a native of Seville, and one of the clergymen fent out with Columbus in his fe cond voyage to Hifpaniola, in order to settle in that ifland. He early adopted the opinion prevalent among ecclefiafticks, with refpect to the unlawfulness of reducing the natives to fervitude; and that he might demonftrate the fincerity of his conviction, he relinquifhed all the Indians who had fallen to his own fhare in the divifion of the inhabitants among their conquerors, declaring that he fhould ever bewail his own misfortune and guilt, in having exercised for a moment this impious dominion

over

b) Herrera, dec. 1. lib. ix. c. 14. Touron. Hift. Gener. de l'Amerique, tom, i. p. 252.

From that time,

over his fellow-creatures. c) he was the avowed patron of the Indians; and by his bold interpofitions in their behalf, as well as by the refpect due to his abilities and character, he had often the merit of fetting fome bounds to the exceffes of his countrymen. He did not fail to remonftrate warmly against the proceedings of Albuquerque; and, though he foon found that attention to his own intereft rendered that rapacious officer deaf to admonition, he did not abandon the wretched people whose cause he had efpoufed. He instantly fet out for Spain, with the most fanguine hopes of opening the eyes and foftening the heart of Ferdinand, by that ftriking picture of the oppreffion of his new fubjects, which he would exhibit to his view. d)

Solicits their caufe in the court of Spain.

He eafily obtained (1516.) admittance to the king, whom he found in a declining ftate of health. With much freedom, and no lefs eloquence, he reprefented to him all the fatal effects of the repartimientos in the New World, boldly charging him with the guilt of having

e) Fr. Aug. Davila Padilla Hift. de la Fundación de la Provincia de St. Jago de Mexico, p. 303, 304. Herrera, dec. I. lib. x. c. 12.

4) Herrera. dec. I. lib. x. c. 12. Dec. 2. lib. i. c. II. vila Padilla Hift. p. 304.

Da

authorized this impious meafure, which had brought mifery and deftruction upon a numerous and innocent race of men, whom Frovidence had placed under his protection. Ferdinand, whofe mind as well as body was much enfeebled by his diftemper, was greatly alarmed at this charge of impiety, which at another juncture he would have despised. He liftened with deep compunction to the difcourse of Las Cafas, and promifed to take into attentive confideration the means of redreffing the evil of which he complained. But death pre

vented him from executing his refolution. Charles of Austria, to whom all his crowns devolved, refided at that time in his paternal dominions in the Low Countries. Las Cafas, with his ufual ardour, prepared immediately to fet out for Flandres, in order to occupy the ear of the young monarch, when cardinal Ximenes, who, as regent, affumed the reins of government in Caftile, commanded him to defift from the journey, and engaged to hear his complaints in perfon.

The regulations of cardinal Ximenes.

He accordingly weighed the matter with attention equal to its importance; and as his impetuous mind delighted in fchemes bold and uncommon, he foon fixed upon a plan which aftonifhed the minifters, trained up under the formal and cautious adminiftration of Ferdinand.

Without regarding either the rights of Don Diego Columbus, or the regulations eftablished by the late king, he refolved to fend three perfons to America as fuperintendents of all the colonies there, with authority, after examining all circumstances on the fpot, to decide finally with respect to the point in queftion. It was a matter of deliberation and delicacy to chufe men qualified for fuch an important station. As all the laymen fettled in America, or who had been confulted in the administration of that department, had given their opinion that the Spaniards could not keep poffeffion of their new fettlements, unless they were allowed to retain their dominion over the Indians, he faw that he could not rely on their impartiality, and determined to commit the truft to ecclefiafticks. As the Dominicans and Franciscans had already efpoufed oppofite fides in the controversy, he, from the fame principle, excluded both these fraternities from the commiffion, He confined his choice to the monks of St. Jerome, a fmall, but refpectable order in Spain. With the affiftance of their general, and in concert with Las Cafas, he foon pitched upon three perfons whom he deemed equal to the charge. To them he joined Zuazo, a private lawyer of distinguished probity, with unbounded power to regulate all judicial proceedings in the colonies. Las Cafas was appointed to accompany