Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1848-11-10

" afA' Nv Jun 10 AANnN lt "hF D.
so absorbed in ulterior objects, so DESTROYS Of
convincing Ferdinand and Isabella, that the
new world he had given them would bring a
revenue TO Spain, that men were either Who'll
ly disregarded by him, or looked upon mere
ly as the pawns upon the great chess-board
where he was playing his game with the eyes
Of all Europe upon him.
As long as Isabella lived, though she was
probably more sincerely anxious than any
one else for the Characterization and the con-
sequent salvation of the nations Of her new
possessions, her woman's heart inslinctively
recoiled from any attempt, however dainiiiy
yelled, 10 enslave them. Amid eager steel
clad adventures who hid the avaricious heart
under the red cross, and cunning, cowled
marauders lusting Tor spiritual dominion, with
what a gracious light does her image seem
Invested, covering her poor islanders with
the wings Of her womanly instinct! Let us
give one more passage In which Columbus
bears his testimony 10 the disposition Of the
natives and then see TO what account the
Christians turned it. They are a loving
and uncovetous people, so docile in all things,
that | assure your llighnesses that | believe
in all the world there is not a better people
or a better country. They love their neigh
bours as themselves, and they have the sweet
est and gentlest way Of talking in the world,
and always with a smile"
Tn first step towards the establishment of
Slavery, was the division Of the Indians into
what were called rcpdrtimientOs. Cnder this
system a certain nImber of nations were
bound Ouf, so 10 speak, to different colonists,
either TO be worked on the farms or in the
mines. The time OF this compulsory service
was limited and the poor creatures were TO
work under the direction Of their cGciques.-
This was Slavery in everything but the name,
and it was not long before the Indians came
to be considered as chattles. No matter
what the system, the most horrible c~ruel,ies
were perpetrated, especially at the Mines
And it is worth remarking at time when we
have been acquiring" territory, a part Of
which is said TO contain veins of gold and
silver, that the miners in these first Spanish
settlements became invariably beggars.
A curious story is told of the notion which
one Of the Caciques named Hatuey had Of
the deity worshipped by the Spaniards.-
Calling his people together, and recounting
the c~tuellies of the SpaRiards, he said that
they did all these things for a great lord
whom they loved much, which lord he would
now show TO them. Forthwith he produced
a small basket filled with gold. Here is
the lord whom they serve, and after whom
they CO."
We need not trace the gradual steps by
which Slavery was introduced, nor dwell
upon the crueliies Of the Sraniards. These
last are already branded with an infamous
notoriety, and were not so much exceptional
as necessary incidents to the system. Blu
it will be interesting to see how these things
impressed the lookers-on, and ESPECIALLY what
course was taken by the clergy as the spiri'
tual guides Of the perpetrators Of them
There were in Hispaniole about fifteen Dom
inican monks, living under the government
of their vicar, Peter de Cordova. Remem.
bering that these men belonged to the order
whom Protestants know chiefly as the foun.
ders of the inquisition, and seeing them &C
tuated by the purest and most devoted huma
nifty we shall arrive at the conclusion with
which DR.. King sums up his epitaph or
George III. and be satisfied that they "nequt
does, nee iupoS fuiSSe, sea hOmineS."
Having satisfied themselves OF the cruelty
with which the natives were treated, they
Z" determined that their protest should express
the general opinion of their body and they
accordingly agreed upon a discourse 10 b,
preached before the inhabitants of ST. Domin
go, and signed their names to it." The,
chose one Of their number, brother Antonio
Montesino 10 preach it, 4" man Of great as
perity in reproving vice." They also, in or
der 10 insure a full church caused it TO b
given out that a discourse particularly con
corning the inhabitants was to be delivere,
on the next Sabbath. In short, they obtain
ed the use of the cathedral, and advertised
the first Anti-Slavery lecture. We have n
report of Father Antonio's Sermon. We on
ly know that he "declared with very pier
cling and terrible words, that the Voice pro
nounced that they were living in mortal sin.
Our author supposes that the discourse nigh
! have ended somewhat as did the first sermon
of Vieyra in ST. Luiz, 1858, which he quote
from Southey's History at Brazil. "Bu
| you will say TO me, this people, this repub
lie, this state, cannot be supported withou
Indians. Who is TO bring us a pitcher @
, water, o: a bundle of woodl Who is I
, plant our Mandioc! Must our wives do il
! Must our children do itl (Here this, Messr
} Clay and Calhoun.) In the first place, a
! you will presently see, these are not the strait
: in which | would place you but, if neces
7 sity and conscience require it, then | say
r yes and | repeat it, yes! You and you
/ wives and your children ought to do ii! w
+ ought TO support ourselves with our owI
h hands for better it is TO be supported by tn
sweat of ones own brow than by another
n blood. o We riches of Maranham what
k these cloaks and matles were to be wrong
o They would drop blood"
h But whatever Father Antonio's words wert
e they produced their effect. 1t seems as
d we were reading a story Of to-day, except f
l. the constancy of the preacher. The inhab
tants met together, resolved that the Fatht
u must r%etract, and sent a deputation to conve
o their resolution to the monastery, and to sa
n that if The monks preached such "deriLiol
l. things" they had better return to Spain
:. once. After a long parley, the committ'
" left with the assurance that the matter shou
. be touched upon in the next Sabbath's di
" course, as they supposed with an ample ap
l. logy. But Father Antonio had a conscienc
e He repeated his former ststemen and r
proofs, and only urged them the more ear