The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1853-06-29

preclude as far ss possible al eonflis
. with Portugal. the ismous line Of Dc
narestion MAS proposrd frpm the Mort
and South. hundred leagues vest :
the Azores. cutting the esrih into fs
halves like an apple; and a. far a. d
new discoveries were concerned. eis
ing 20 the Spaniards all west Of shl
line. and confirming al east Of il q
The Peftngese. in virtue Of the gran
already mentioned of Pope Nicbola,
the Filth.
| regret that want uf time will moi
allow me to dwell upon The curious
history Of this line Of demarcation, fsr
the benefit all States having boundar,
controversies. and especially our sister
Republics Of Nicaragua and Costa
Rica. IL is sufficient TO say. that il
remained sd6ject of dispute and COL
lision for three hundred and sixty-one
years. and finally settled at the Con-
gress of Vienna. in 1915.
The territorial extension Of Portugal
and Spain. which resulted from the
discovery Of America, Was followed by
the most extraordinary effects upon the
commerce. the finances. and the poli-
tics generally. of those two countries.
and through them. Of the world. The
overland trade TO the East was absn-
doned. The whole Of South America,
and considerable part Of North Ame-
rlca was. IN the course Of the Sixteenth
Century, settled BY those Govern.
menis. who organized in their trans
atlantic possessions. Colonial system
oil the most rigid and despotic character.
retec ting. as far as was practicable in
distant Provinces. beyond the sea, the
stern features OF the Mnther Country.
The precious metals and monopoly Of
the trade TO the East. were the great
objects. Aliens were forbidden to en-.
ter the American Vice. ROYALTIES; none
but contraband trade was carried on
by foreigners at the seaports. To re.
sist this trade, a severe right Of search
was instituted along the entire exten,
of the coast. | have recently had an
opportunity. in another place, to ad
vert 10 the effects of this system upon
the international relations OF Europe,
Native subjects couldemigrate to these
vast Colonial possessions only with the
permission of the Government. In.
stead Of ahording an asylum to persons
dissenting from the religion Of tn,
State, conformity Of belief was. il pos
sible, enforced more rigidly in the Co
lonies' than In the Mother Country
No relaxation in this respect has takel
place in the remaining Colonies O
Spain, even to the present day. A
Ior the aboriginal tribes, after the frs
work Of determination was over, remr
ant was saved from destruction b,
being reduced to state Of predial Sci
yitude. The detected and spiritles
posterity Of the warlike tribes, thu
offered no mean resistance to Corte
and Pizarro, are now the hewers d
wood and drawers of water to Mexic
and Peru. In a word, from the ex
treme Southern point Of Patagonia I
: the Northmost limit Of New Mexico
am not aware that anything hopeful
was done for human Improvement. b
; either of the European Crowns whic
added these vast domains to their Ter
= ritories.
Ii this great territorial extension wa
fruitless Of beneficial consequences I
America, ii was not less so to the mo
ther country. For Spain. It was tn
commencement of period not Of pros
perity but of decline. The rapid in
ilux Of the precious metals, in the alb
sence oi civil liberty aud Of just prin
ciples and institutions Of intercours
! and industry, was productive Of mani
fold evils; and from the reign of Phil
Ii, if not of Charles ", the Spanis
monarchy began to sink from its haugl,
: ty position at the head OF the Europe
an family. | do not ascribe this dowr
. tal exclusively to the cause mentioned
but the possession OF the two Indies
with all their treasures, did nothing
1 arrest,-accelerated even, the progress
= of degeneracy. Active causes OF tn
!. decline no doubt existed at home an
!, Of these the Inqulsition was the chiei
"This was the weight that dragged her down.
) The spirit Of intolerance aud pc
8 secution, the scandal OF all countri.
!. and all churches, Protestant as well .
) Catholic, mot excepting the pilgri
!. fathers of New-England,) found an i
s strument in the holy office in Spain
j. the 10th Century, such as it never pu
s sessed in any other aye or country.
,f was not merely Jews and Hereti
Il whom it bound to the stake lit ki
e died a slow unquenchable fire in Il
s heart of CASTLE and Leon. The hu
m rid atrocities practiced. not merely
e the Netherlands, but in every city
y the mother country, cried to heay'
for vengeance upon Spain nor eou
IS she escape it. She entrenched hers'
% behind the eternal Cordilleras,-sl
ii tnok to herself the wings Of the NOR
o ing and dwelt in the uttermost par
,r Of the sea; but even there the arm