circumstances which no man could then be expected to foresee, and
which were inconsistent with the rest of the clerigo's plans for the
preservation of the Indians.

I suspect that the wisest among us would very likely have erred with
him; and I am not sure that, taking all his plans together, and taking
for granted, as he did then, that his influence at court was to last,
his suggestion about the negroes was an impolite one.

[1] Helps was an English writer who is best known for his social
essays entitled "Friends in Council." He was the author of several
works on America, including "The Spanish Conquest in America."

[2] Las Casas was a Dominican, born in Spain, who came to the West
Indies in 1502 and devoted himself to protecting the Indians
against slavery at the hands of their conquerors. In 1544 he was
made a Mexican bishop.




II

ITS BEGINNINGS IN THE UNITED STATES

(1620)

BY JOHN A. DOYLE[1]