Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1866-05-04

q
with the celebration of the Mass, af-
ter which Cortez invited the Cacique
and his attendants to collation., which
being ended, conversation began
Having learned from the Cacique that
Montezuma. the king of the country,
resided at a great city two hundred
miles distant, Cortez asked permission
to visit him, to which the Cacique re-
piled that he would send his request
to the king, A week after the mes
sengers returned, bearing to the Span
iards magnificent presents, and a mes
sage from Montezuma, declining the
proffered visit. A second request
elected other costly gifts, and posi-
tive order from the king for the stran-
gers not to approach the capital.
Cortez hesitated not moment
Feigning submission, he prepared at
Ance to march to Mexico. Some of
his followers. however, not so bold as
himself: murmured and plotted against
him. Then it was that, besides re-
pressing the mutiny with the strong
hand, he resolved to make all turning
back impossible. He caused all his
vessels, except the smallest, to be
scuttlcd and sunk From that hour
there was no safety except in the to-
tai conquest ofthe country. Leaving
at Vera Cruz sufficient garrison, he
began his immortal march, August 5,
1918, with he following forces; four
hundred foot soldiers, fifteen horse
men, thirteen hundred Indians to draw
the cannons and carry the baggage,
and seven pieces of artillery,
To relate the conquest of Mexico
requires voluWes. That great empire
tell, like Peru, because it was divided
against itself. At what an enormous
sac ifice of life the conquest was made,
what perils C0rtcz escaped, what an
amazing energy and genius he dis,
played, how much wisdom and human
ity were united il him with bigotry
and crueity-to know these things
the reader must repair to one of the
many works which relate the conquest
Of Mexico.
For twenty one years, if we de-
duet one short. triumphant visit to
spain, Cortez lived in Mexico, and
for Mexico, fighting, organizing, gov,
erning, exploring, evangelizing. He
explored the ISthmus of Darien, and
discovered California. He acquired
incalculablc wealth, and expended the
greater part of it in explorations and
establishments, from which he neither
received nor expected any return
Falling into disiavor with the king, ht
returned to Spain, and, after living in
obscurity for seven years, he died il
l541, aged siXty-two years. He left
large sums for the establishment il
Mexico of three great institutions. &
4 hospital, a college for the education o.
missionaries. and u convent. His vii
contained one passage so curious tha
will conclude by copying it, After
! recommending his heirs to treat The
Indians with humanity. he proceed;
thus:
=. 1t has been long question wheth
er we can, in good conscience. hold thc
Indians in slavery This question no
having vet been decided, | order n,
son. Martin, and his heirs, TO spare NJ
pains to arrive at knowledge of tn,
truth on this point, for it is a matte
which interests deeply their conscience
and mine"
Who would have thought to fin,
such , passage in the will ola Cortez
Nothing is more certain than this, tina
CortcZ. in all that he did in Mexico
fully believed that he was an instru
mcnt in the hand Of a benevolent God
for he found Mexico pagan, and left j
Catholic. Massacre, rapine, devasta
ton, the betrayal and murder of
king, the fall of an empirc-thcs
were as nothing in view OF a result lik
this SO thought all good Spaniard
of that age.