1046 



ANNUAL REGISTER, 1805. 



from eighty to a hundred thousand 

 men, all properly trained, clothed, 

 and accoutred, and ready to follow 

 wherever their pastors should 

 think fit to lead them. 



" How far this estimate may be 

 true I know not I J give it you on 

 the report of father Hernandez ; 

 and I have heard the same confirm- 

 ed by don Manuel, who is of ojji- 

 iiion tha.t the present rncc of eccle- 

 siastics have not at all mended the 

 condition of the Indians, who are in 

 fact worse off and more oppressed 

 than before. He thinks, and says, 

 that were the English to make a 

 spirited attack on Buenos Ayrcs in 

 conjunction with the Portuguese 

 on the side of tJic Brazils, there is 

 not a doubt of the Indians joining 

 them ; the face of things being so 

 materially changed since the dis- 

 missal of the Jesuits, under whom 

 they had been detached from a state 

 of barbarism, instructed in the 

 knowledge of our blessed christian 

 faith, and taught the use of arms, 

 agriculture, and commerce ; nay, 

 even some of the fine arts are 

 known among them ; I myself have 

 seen several specimens of drawings 

 done by the Indians, which, from 

 their correctness and beauty, I 

 should readily have taken for the 

 work of an Italian artist, I had 

 eketched two or three views from 

 the convent-garden, and thought 

 them tolerably well done ; but I 

 found them very inditVcrent when 

 compared with those examples of 

 savage genius, which plainly evinces 

 that great care must have been 

 taken to instruct them, and proves 

 that those very people we have 

 been taught to look upon as little 

 better than the brute creation, 

 possess not only a clear compre- 

 hension of percL'ptiblc objc6tSj how- 



ever different from any thing they 

 have been accustomed to, but ele- 

 gant and refined intellects, and ca- 

 pacities competent to execute what- 

 ever an enlightened European may 

 boast as an exclusive accomplish- 

 ment. The Jesuits judged and 

 afted right j mildness and persua- 

 sion have succeeded in draV.ing 

 forth from obscurity those gems of 

 reason which, like the diamond, 

 remained hid in darkness till the 

 ingenuity of man found the means 

 of disclosing their beauJies. I 

 hope it is not sinful to wish this 

 oppressed and deeply injured peo- 

 ple might make one more grand 

 effort ; and, by the aid of the still 

 unconquered nations, assert their 

 rights, and drive these barbarous 

 tyrants from their lands. They 

 arc now brought to a knowledge of 

 the true God, and human sacrifices 

 are no longer known au)ong them. 

 The rights of nations, and the rela- 

 tive duties of society, they are now 

 informed of ; nor do they negle(5l 

 the practice. 'Allien will not divine 

 vengeance be at length appeased by 

 the deaths of so many tliousands, 

 as, since the conquest, have paid, 

 throu'gh the upraised arm of pow- 

 er, the debts due to olVended Hea- 

 ven ? 



" I am certain, my friend, this 

 great revolution might be accom- 

 plished, could the British arms but 

 gleam upon the plains of Paraguay : 

 believe me, this is no idle chimera 

 or phantasm of the brain, but the 

 result of critical enquiry and mature 

 reflection. Had the Spaniards 

 pursued their conquest with mild- 

 ness and lenity, no honest or good 

 man vvoiild have envied them the 

 possession of this rich and lertilc 

 couniry ; but every one would 

 have rejoiced to see so many hn- 



maa 



