4 



coasts of Africa, notwithstanding the benefits of 

 a more humane legislation. 



The principles adopted by Charles V had 

 long abolished the slave-trade on the continent. 

 But the Conquistador 'es, by the continuation of 

 their incursions, prolonged this system of ra- 

 vaging, which has diminished the American 

 population, perpetuated national animosities, 

 and during a long period crushed the seeds of 

 rising civilization. At length the missionaries, 

 under the protection of the secular arm, spake 

 words of peace. It was the privilege of religion, 

 to console humanity for a part of the evils com- 

 mitted in its name ; to plead the cause of the 

 natives before kings, to resist the violence of 

 the commendataries, and to assemble wander- 

 ing tribes into small communities, which are 

 called Missions; and the existence of which 

 favours the improvement of agriculture. Thus 

 were insensibly founded, though by a uniform 

 and premeditated progress, those vast monastic 

 establishments, that singular system, which 

 continually tends to insulate itself, and places 

 countries four or five times more extensive than 

 France under the control of religious orders. 



Institutions, thus useful in stopping the effu- 

 sion of blood, and in laying the first basis of 

 society, have become in their result hostile to 

 it's progress. The effects of this insulated sys- 

 tem have been such, that the Indians have re- 



