HIS DEATH AND CHARACTER. 409
of French ; and the cardinal followed up the blow chaptek
XXV
by demolishing the principal fortresses of the king- *—
dom ; a precautionary measure, to which, in all
probability, Spain owes the permanent preservation
of her conquest. ^°
The regent's eye penetrated to the farthest lim-
its of the monarchy. He sent a commission to
Hispaniola, to inquire into, and ameliorate, the
condition of the natives. At the same time he
earnestly opposed (though without success, be-
ing overruled in this by the Flemish counsellors,)
the introduction of negro slaves into the colonies,
which, he predicted, from the character of the race,
must ultimately result in a servile war. It is need-
less to remark, how well the event has verified the
prediction."
It is with less satisfaction that we must con-
template his policy in regard to the Inquisition.
As head of that tribunal, he enforced its authority
and pretensions to the utmost. He extended a
branch of it to Oran, and also to the Canaries,
and the New World. ^^ In 1512, the neiv Chris-
tians had offered Ferdinand a large sum of money
to carry on the Navarrese war, if he would cause
10 Carbajal, Anales, MS., ailo Ximenes's objection to have been,
1516, cap. 11. — Aleson, Annales the iniquity of reducing one set of
de Navarra, torn. v. p. 327. — Pe- men to slavery, in order to liberate
ter Martyr, Opus Epist., epist. 570. another. (History of America,
— Quintanilla, Archetype, lib 4, vol. i. p. 285.) A very enlightened
cap. 5. reason, for which, however, I find
It Gomez, De Rebus Gestis, fol. not the least warrant in Herrera,
164, 165. — Herrera, Indias Occi- (the authority cited by the histo-
dentales, torn. i. p. 278. — Las rian.) nor in Gomez, nor in any
Casas, CEuvres, ed. de Llorente, other writer,
torn. i. p. 239. 12 Llorente, Hist, de I'lnquisi-
Robertson states the ground of tion, torn. i. chap. 10, art. 5.
VOL. III. 52
Page:History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella the Catholic Vol. III.djvu/437
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409
409