American watchman and Delaware advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1822-1828, 1826-07-21

The Inquisition in Lima.--In Stevensou's Mar
rative Of a" Twenty Years Residence in South
America" published in London is the following
curious account of the Inqusition in Lima, at the
time II was aboshedby the Spanish Cortes. Who.
that reads il, wonder at the degradaon to which
South America was reduced, the zeal for liber
ty and right, which has burst forth with so much
power and effect Throughout, the whole continent?
THE act oil the Cortes of Spain which abolished
the lnquisuoD, and which during its discussion,
produced many excellent, though overheated speech
es, was published in Lima Just after the above oc
currcuce. The Sonora Dona Gregoria Gainsa, lady
Of Col. Gainsa, informed me thai she and some
friends had obtained permission Of the Viceroy
Abascal to visit the ex.ribunal: and she invited me
to accompany them on the following day, after din
ner attended, and We went to visit the monster,
as they now dared to call it. The doors OF the hall
being opened many entered who were not invited,
and seeing nothing in posture Of defence, the first
victims to our fury were the table and chairs these
we're soon demolished after which some person
laid hold Of The velvet curtains Of the canopy, and
dragged them so forcibly, that canopy aud crucifix
came down with horrid crash. The cruciix was
rescued from the ruins Of inquisorial state, and its
head discovered to be movable A ladder was found
to have been secreted behind the canopy, and thus
the whole mystery of this miraculous image became
cxplainable and explained man was concealed on
PRODUCING his hand through hole, he moved the
head to make it nod consent, or shake dissent.
In how many instances may appeal TO This imposture
have caused an innocent man to own himself guilty
of crimes he never dreamt Of! Ovcrawed by fear,
and condemned, was believed. by miracle false.
hood would supply the place Of truth, and innocence,
If tInid, confess itself sinful.
Every one was now exasperated with rage, and
",here are yet victims in the cells" was universally
murmured. g A search search !" was the cry.
and the door leading to the interior was quickly
broken through The next we found was called
delsecreto the word secret simulated curiosity and
the door was instantly burst open. II led to the
archives. Here were heaped upon shelves papers,
containing the written cases OF those who had been
accused or tried; and here read the name oil many
a friend, who little imagined that his conduct had
been scrutnlzed by the holy tribunal, or that his
tame had been recorded in so awful place. Some
who were present discovered their own names on
the rack. and pocke,ed the papers put aside fiji
teen cases. and took them home with me but they
we're not OF great importance. Four for blasphemy
bore sentence, which was three months seclusion
in a convent, general confession, and different
penances-all secret The others were accusations
of friars, socitantes in Cornerstone, two Of whom
knew, and though some danger attended the disclo-
sure, told them afterwards what had seen. Pro
hbited books in abundance we're in the room and
many found future owners. To our great surprise,
we here met with quantity of printed cotton hand
kerchiefs. These, alas had Incurred the dispea.
sure of the nquisition, because figure Of religion,