HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



367 



mire and praife the refinement of thofe nations, and the 

 prudence of their legillators in the laws of commerce. 

 They had, in every city or village, a public place or 

 fquare, appropriated for the traffick of every thing 

 which could fupply the neceffities and pleafures of life ; 

 where all merchants affembled for the more fpeedy def- 

 patch of bufinefs, which they tranfa&ed under the eyes 

 of infpectors, or commiffaries, in order that frauds might 

 be prevented, and all diforder in contracts avoided. Every 

 merchandize had its particular place, which preferved 

 order and convenience to thofe who wifhed to make 

 purchafes. The tribunal of commerce, eftabliflied in 

 the fame fquare, to determine difputes between dealers, 

 and to punifli inftantaneoufly every offence committed 

 there, preferved the rights of juftice inviolate, and fecu- 

 red the public tranquillity. To thefe wife difpofitions 

 was owing that wonderful order, which in the midfl 

 of fuch an immenfe crowd of merchants and merchan- 

 dize, raifed the admiration of the firft Spaniards. 



Laflly, in the laws refpecting Haves, the Mexicans 

 were fuperior to all the mod cultivated nations of an- 

 cient, and perhaps, modern Europe. If we compare 

 the laws of the Mexicans with thofe of the Romans, 

 Lacedsemonians, and other celebrated people we fliall 

 perceive in the latter a barbarity that is (hocking and cru- 

 el ; in the former, the greateft humanity and refpecl: to 

 the laws of nature. We do not fpeak here of prifoners 

 of war. What could be more humane than that law 

 which made men born of Haves free ; which allowed a 

 Have a property in his goods, and in whatever he ac- 

 quired with his own induftry and toil ; which exacted of 

 the owner to treat his flaves like men, and not like beafts; 

 which gave him no authority over his life, and even de- 

 prived 



