He Who Insisted In These Remonstrances With The Greatest Zeal And
Perseverance Was Fra Bartholomew De Las Casas, A Dominican Monk, Whom His
Majesty Had Raised To The Bishopric Of Chiapa.
After maturely considering these representations, his majesty was anxious
to devise proper means to relieve the Indians from oppression;
And for
this purpose he assembled a council of all those persons to whom the
administration of affairs in the Indies was confided, with several other
persons of probity learned in the laws. By this assembly the whole affair
was deliberately examined, and a code of regulations drawn up by which it
was expected to remedy the abuses complained of. By these regulations it
was enacted that no Indian should be forced to labour in the mines, or to
dive for pearls; that no excessive labours should be imposed on them, and
even that they should not be obliged to carry burdens except in places
where no other means could be employed; that all Indians should be paid
for their labour, and that the tribute which they were to pay to their
masters should be fixed; that upon the death of any person to whom lands
and Indians now belonged, they were to revert to the crown. Besides, that
all lands and Indians belonging to bishops, monasteries, and hospitals, or
to governors, lieutenant-governors, or other officers of the crown, should
be taken from them and annexed to the crown, even although the possessor
should incline to demit their offices for the purpose of enabling them to
retain their repartitions.
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