The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1844-03-07
M | S G L L L A N Y.


Mr.. Prescott is one of the best living
historians. His style is at once simple
and elegant. 1t is marked by perspicui-
ty and force. He rarely latigues the
reader with tedious details and never puz-
zles him with dark and enismalical ex-
pres$ions. Many Of his scenes are as
pjcturt sque and graphic, as the most ad-
mired descriptions OF Scott, though the
reader never for moment loses the con-
victon OF their reallty. Prescott posses
ses both the "miIky sweetness" Of Liyy
and the "phiIosopbic spirit" of Tacitus.
The subject he has chosen cannot fail to
interest every reader whether he be
q child or a philosopher. The mar
ralive is not above the comprehension
of the one or beneath the most exalted
contempIations OF the other. The Con-
quest of Mexico is so exclusve y the work
of Cortes, both in its inception and execu-
lion, that history here wears the appear
ance of romance and the hero Of the tale
s ems to be rather the creation Of fancy
tlan veritabe specimen OF humanity
Cortes is one OF the few mortals who
seem like the Assyriau king of old TO be
employed as the instruments of divine
Pro yidence, in the eXterlhnation of
guilty people The terrible carnage and
inhuman butchery that attended the stops
oflhe Conqueror point him out as the
Scourge Of a gully people. The mind
of The reader is ialigued and his sensibili-
ties shocked By the constant repetition of
the most revolving scenes of violence, cru
ely and bloodshed. One is almost temp
ted TO lay down the history in disgust and
10 mourn that he belongs to race of be-
ings that can coldly perpetrate such enor.
mites in the face of high Heaven. A
more beautiful land, toe sun never shone
on than was Mexico when Cortes with |
his handful of bold followers landed on lis
shores. 1t was rich in the products ofthe
soil and mineral treasures: 1t possessed |
every variety of climate that exists be-
tween the polar circles and all within
the space of 100 leagues from the Gulf of
Mexico. This diversity of temperature
was produced by the various elevations
of the country, from the coast TO the inte-
rlor. The native Aztecs possessed CIV
ilization inferior 10 the Chinese but equal,
perhaps, to that of the Inhabitants of
Southern Asia, when it was first visit
ed by the Portuguese in the 18th century.
They possessed so many redeeming traits
of character that one knows not where to
bes.ow his sympahies in the contest, es-
pecially, when he reflects that sheer Gu
pidity, yelled with religious fanaticism,
was the on y motive Of the Spanish in
vasion. But there was one feature in the
religious worship of the natives which
recOnciles US to their subjugalion. They
offered human sacrifices, not solitary in
dividuaIs as among the old Greek and
Romans, but a0hole armies. Their pris-
oners of war were inundated in thous-
ands, to their blood-thirsty deity. And
when prisoners were wanting, they Sc
lected the young and fair from their own
citizens for sacrifice. 1t is said that at
single festival, 10000 were butchered in
this inhuman manner. The heart only
of the victim, torn from his breast while
living, and thrown still palpitatng at the
feet Of their hideous idol or placed in his
open mouth, was offered in sacrifice
The flesh of the inundated persons es,
peciaIly Of those that had been fattened
for the purpose, was roasted and eaten by
The worshippers. Such was their relig-
ion; and though Corles only substituted
one species of idolatry for another, setting
up the image of the Virgin and her infant
son instead of that of the God of war, yet
the change was salutary in the highest
degree. 1t was substituting the mild and
peaceful alteration of 6Iameless aoomSn
for the stupid fear of an imaginary mons
Ter, a blood thirsty demon. Contem7lat.
it in this light, we rejoice that Mexico
passed through that baptism of blood, and
that the denominations OF gross and cru
ell ritual were buried beneath the ruins of
her smoking cities. 1t was one step in
he upward progress Of our race. Though
superstition still blasts the budding hopes
of this fair land, and retards the progress
Of liberty and religion, yet we have rea-
son 10 rejoice that Mexico has risen to its
present comparatively elevated position in
civilization, though the conquerors of this |!
country waded through seas OF blood TO
attain even TO such moral heights.
INDEX. II