Complete Works of Edmund Burke

by Edmund Burke

It is said, that from such inconsiderable beginnings, several years ago, their subjects amounted to three hundred thousand families. They lived in towns; they were regularly clad; they laboured in agriculture; they exercised manufactures. Some even aspired to the elegant arts. They were instructed in the military with the most exact discipline; and could raise sixty thousand men well armed. To effect these purposes, from time to time they brought over from Europe several handicraft men, musicians, and painters. These, I am told, were principally from Germany and Italy.

  We are far from being able to trace with the exactness they deserve, all the steps which were taken in the accomplishment of so extraordinary a conquest over the bodies and minds of so many people, without arms or violence; and differently from the methods of all other conquests; not by cutting off a large part of the inhabitants to secure the rest, but by multiplying their people, whilst they extended their territory. Their own accounts are not very ample; and they are partial to themselves without doubt. What others have written is with a glaring prejudice against them. The particulars which seem best agreed upon by both sides, are the only ones to be mentioned.

  It is agreed then, that in each mission or district (the country is divided into forty-seven districts) a jesuit presides in chief. He is lodged in a large and commodious house called the presbitery. Adjoining to this house are the church, and the public magazines. No person under the jurisdiction of the fathers has any thing that can justly be called his own property. Each man’s labour is allotted him in proportion to his strength, or to his skill in the profession which he exercises. The product is brought faithfully into the public magazines; from whence he is again supplied with all things which the managers judge to be expedient for the sustenance of himself or his family. All necessaries are distributed regularly twice a week; and the magazines always contain such a stock of provisions and goods of every kind, as to answer not only the ordinary exigencies, but to provide against a time of scarcity, or for those whom accidents, age, or infirmities, have disqualified for labour.

  They provide early for the marriage of their young people, as well to prevent disorders, as to multiply their subjects. Here, as interest can be no motive to the union, there are few difficulties attending it. The young man applies to the governing jesuit, informs him of his desire of marriage, and names the party: she is consulted, and if there is no objection upon her part, they are immediately married. They are supplied with all necessaries for their establishment from the public stores, and they have at the same time their task allotted them, by which they are to make amends for what they have received, and to provide for others in their turn.

  Under the jesuit are magistrates, or caziques, of the Indian nation, who regulate all these matters, decide such differences as are too minute for the attention of the father, and give him regularly an exact account of the state of his district, and the merit and demerit of the people which it contains. They are rewarded or punished according to this report. The punishment is by blows, from which it is said not even the principal magistrates are exempted. These are however received by all, not only with patience, but acknowledgment. The rewards are seldom more than benedictions, and some slight marks of the jesuits favour, which make those men entirely happy.

  Nothing can equal the obedience of the people of these missions, except their contentment under it. Far from murmuring, that they have only the necessaries of life, by a labour which might in some degree procure them the conveniencies of it, they think themselves a distinguished and favoured people in wanting them; and they believe their obedience a duty, that not only secures their order and repose in this world, but the very best means of insuring their happiness in the next. This is carefully inculcated; and indeed besides their attention to the government, the jesuits are indefatigable in their instructions in the doctrines of religion, the regularity of life, and the contempt of this world. And by what I can find, the Indians under their jurisdiction are an innocent people, civilized without being corrupted.

  The jesuits who govern them, are said to be extremely strict in preserving their privilege in keeping all strangers from amongst them. If any such should by accident, or in his journey, arrive in the country of the missions, he is immediately carried to the presbytery, where he is treated for a day, or two at most, with great hospitality, but regarded with no less circumspection. The curiosities of the place are shewed him in company with the jesuit, and he can have no private conversation with any of the natives. In a reasonable time he is civilly dismissed, with a guard to conduct him to the next district, without expence, where he is treated in the same manner, until he is out of the country of the missions. Cautions altogether as strict, and in the same spirit, are observed, when the natives are obliged to go out of their own territory to serve in the king’s works, or when any part of their troops are called out for his service. They shun all manner of conversation with strangers, upon whom they look with a sort of horror; and so return, uninformed and untainted, into their own country as they left it.

  I am sensible, that many have represented the conduct of the jesuits in this mission in a very bad light; but their reflections appear to me not at all supported by the facts upon which they build them. To judge perfectly of the service they have done their people, we must not consider them in a parallel with the flourishing nations of Europe, but as compared with their neighbours, the savages of South America, or with the state of those Indians who groan under the Spanish yoke. Considering it in this, which is the true light, it will appear, that human society is infinitely obliged to them for adding to it three hundred thousand families in a well regulated community, in the room of a few vagabond untaught savages. And indeed, it can scarce be conceived, that any government has not some extraordinary perfection, which has a principle of increase within it, which draws others to unite themselves to the old stock, and shoots out itself a luxuriance of new branches. Neither can we, by any means, blame a system which produces such salutary effects; and which has found that difficult, but happy way, that grand desideratum in politicks, of uniting a perfect subjection to an entire content and satisfaction of the people. Matters, which, it were to be wished, were studied with more attention by us, who content ourselves with railing at the diligence of an adversary, which we should rather praise and imitate; and who in our affairs think of using hardly any other instruments than force or money.

  This commonwealth has lately become a subject of much conversation, upon account of the cession which has lately been made of part of that territory to the crown of Portugal. It is well known, that the inhabitants of seven of the missions refused to comply with this division, or to suffer themselves to be transferred from one hand to another, like cattle, without their own consent. How the jesuits have acquitted themselves at the courts of Madrid and Lisbon upon this article, I do not know. We are informed by the authority of the gazette, that the Indians actually took up arms; but notwithstanding the exactness of their discipline, they were easily, and with a considerable slaughter, defeated by the European troops, who were sent to quell them. It seems to have been ill-judged in this people, who had never seen any real service, nor were headed by officers who had seen any, without which the best discipline is but a sort of play, to have hazarded a battle with troops from Europe. They ought rather to have first habituated themselves to action by attacking small parties, by cutting off convoys, by little surprizes, until by use and success in smaller matters, they were intitled to hazard the sum of their affairs in the open field. However, it is not improbable, that this opposition will rouse the indolence of the Spaniards, and make them take the government of the country out of the hands it is in at present. If they do, it is not difficult to foresee, that the same depopulation, the same distress, and the same discontent, which distinguishes the Indians in the rest of the Spanish provinces, will be soon equally visible in this. It will not be difficult for them to effect the reduction of this country; for the jesuits have too large and valuable an interest in Old Spain, as well as
in the new world, to dispute it with the court, whenever they shall demand in good earnest to have this country surrendered; if it be true, that the jesuits have really such influence on the inhabitants as is attributed to them.

  It was not orginally such bad policy, as it may seem, to have entrusted the jesuits with so great a power; since a little time will shew, that they have given them a territory unknown, unpeopled, and uncultivated, which they have the certain means of repossessing when they please, subdued, peopled, and cultivated. As to it’s wealth, it is hard to say any thing certain; the jesuits deny it. And truly if they acted with a perfect policy, they would never have suffered any mines of gold or silver to be opened in that country. Of this matter I have no information upon which I can depend.

  CHAP. XVI.

  THE Spaniards have not made any settlements in the other divisions of South America, which they claim to the Southward of Buenos Ayres, nor to the Northward, except in Terra Firma, of which we shall say something. The country of the Amazons, tho’ prodigiously large, wonderfully fertile, and watered by so noble a river, is entirely neglected. The country of Patagonia is likewise of a vast stretch to the Southward of Buenos Ayres, all in the temperate zone, and extended all along the Atlantic ocean; a plain country without trees; but this is the case of the delightful and fertile country of Buenos Ayres. It is said likewise to be barren and desart; but what is certain, it is unsettled by any European nation, and little known, though it lies open for any power that can avail itself of a favourable opportunity to establish a colony there.

  The last province, according to the order I have observed, tho’ not of the least consequence in the Spanish American dominions, is Terra Firma; a vast country, above 2000 miles in length, and 500 broad. Bordering on Mexico, Peru, and Amazonia, it stretches all along the North sea, from the Pacific ocean to the mouth of the river of Amazons upon the Atlantic. It is divided into twelve large provinces. They all contain a vast deal of high and mountainous country, particularly the province of St. Martha, where there are said to be hills surpassing Teneriffe itself in height; these hills communicate with the Andes. The valleys are deep and narrow, and for a great part of the year flooded; but they are extremely fertile; produce corn enough; all kinds of the tropical fruits; rich drugs; cacao, vanilla, indigo, piemento, guaiacum, sarsaparilla, and balsam of Peru. No country abounds more in rich and luxuriant pasturage, or has a greater stock of excellent black cattle. Their rivers have rich golden sands; their coasts have good pearl fisheries; their mines yield great quantities of gold; and rubies and emeralds are found in plenty. Yet with all this fertility, Terra Firma is, for the greater part, the most unpleasant and most unhealthful country of the torrid zone.

  This province has a very considerable share of the trade of Europe; not only on account of it’s own produce and demand; but because all the intercourse of Peru and Chili with Old Spain, is carried on through this country. It’s capital city Panama is the great barcadier of the South-Sea. Hither is brought all the treasure which the rich mines of Peru and Chili pay to the king, or produce upon a private account.

  The city of Panama is situated upon one of the best harbours in all respects, of the South-Seas. Ships of burthen lie safe at some distance from the town; but smaller vessels come up to the walls. This town, one of the largest in America, is said to contain five thousand houses, elegantly built of brick and stone, disposed in a semicircular form, and enlivened with the spires and domes of many splendid churches and rich monasteries. It is covered on the land side with fine orchards and gardens, and at a greater distance with an agreeable country, diversified with hills, valleys, and woods. The town stands upon a dry and healthful ground, and has a great and profitable trade with Peru, Chili, and the Western coast of Mexico upon one side, and with the Terra Firma, and with Europe on the other, which is carried on over the isthmus of Darien, and by the river Chagra.

  The second town of consideration in Terra Firma, is Carthagena, which stands upon a peninsula, that encloses one of the safest and best defended harbours in all the Spanish America. The town itself is well fortified, and built after the elegant fashion of most of the Spanish American towns, with a square in the middle, and streets running every way regularly from it, and others cutting these at right angles. This town has many rich churches and convents; that of the jesuits is particularly magnificent. Here it is that the galleons on their voyage from Spain put in first, and dispose of a considerable part of their cargo; which from hence is distributed to St. Martha, the Caraccas, Venezuela, and most of the other provinces and towns in the Terra Firma.

  The fleet which is called the galleons, consists of about eight men of war, of about fifty guns each, designed principally to supply Peru with military stores; but in reality, laden not only with these, but with every other kind of merchandize on a private account; so as to be in bad condition for defending themselves, or protecting others. Under the convoy of these sail about twelve merchant ships, not inferior in burthen. This fleet of the galleons is regulated in much the same manner with the flotas, and it is destined for the exclusive commerce of Terra Firma and the South-Sea, as the flota is for that of Mexico.

  No sooner is this fleet arrived in the haven of Carthagena, than expresses are immediately dispatched to Portobello, and to all the adjacent towns; but principally to Panama; that they may get ready all the treasure which is deposited there, to meet the galleons at Portobello; at which town, (remarkable for the goodness of it’s harbour, which brings such a surprising concourse here at the time of the fair, and the unwholsomeness of the air, which makes it a desart at all other times) all the persons concerned in the various branches of this extensive traffic assemble; and there is certainly no part of the world where business of such great importance is negotiated in so short a time. For in about a fortnight the fair is over; during which the display of the gold, silver, and precious stones, on the one hand, and of all the curiosity and variety of the ingenious fabrics of Europe on the other, is astonishing. Heaps of wedges and ingots of silver are tumbled about on the wharfs like common things. At this time an hundred crowns are given for a poor lodging, a thousand for a shop, and provision of every kind is proportionably dear; which may help us to some idea of the profits made in this trade. The treasure is brought hither from Panama, by a very dangerous road upon mules. The other goods, sugar, tobacco, and drugs, are transported on the river Chagra.

  When the galleons have taken in their returns, they steer together to the Havanna, which is the place of rendezvous of all the ships concerned in the Spanish American trade.

  The Havanna is the capital city of the island of Cuba. It is situated upon an excellent harbour upon the Western extremity of the island. This city is large, containing not less than two thousand houses, with a number of churches and convents; but then it is the only place of consequence upon the noble island of Cuba, which lies in the latitude 20, and extends from East to West near seven hundred miles in length, though in breadth it is disproportioned, being but from one hundred and twenty to seventy miles. However, it yields to no part of the West-Indies in the fertility of it’s soil, or in excellence of every thing which is produced in that climate. But the Spaniards, by a series of the most inhuman and impolitic barbarities, having exterminated the original inhabitants; and not finding the quantities of gold in the islands which the continent afforded, they have left this as well as Hispaniola; of which the French now possess the greater part, and Porto Rico, a large, excellent, and fertile island, comparatively so many desarts. The commerce between these islands, and the Spanish continent, is carried on by the Barlevento fleet, consisting of six ships of good burthen and force, who annually make the tour of all these islands, and the coast of Terra Firma, not only to carry on the commerce between those places, but to clear the sea of pirates and illicit traders. Now and then a register ship from Old Spain is bound to one or other of these islands. Hitherto the Spaniards seemed rather to keep them, to prevent any other nation from growing too powerful in those
seas, than for any profit they expected to derive from them. And it is certain, that if other nations should come entirely to possess the whole of the islands, the trade of the American continent, and perhaps the continent itself, would be entirely at their mercy. However, of late, the Spaniards have taken some steps towards the better settlement of Porto Rico. They are beginning to open the American trade to some other towns in Spain besides Cadiz. They have made a difference in point of duty between their own manufactures and those of foreigners. They are, in short, opening their eyes to the true interest of their country, and moving their hands, though slowly, to promote it.

  Unto this time, the tide of wealth, that constantly flowed from America into Spain, ran through that kingdom like a hasty torrent, which, far from enriching the country, hurried away with it all the wealth which it found in it’s passage. No country in Europe receives such vast treasures as Spain. In no country in Europe is seen so little money. The truth is, from the time that the Indies fell into the hands of Spain, the affairs of that monarchy have been constantly going backward. In America their settlements were carried on conformably to that genius, and to those maxims, which prevailed in their government in Europe. No means of retaining their conquests but by extirpating the people; no schemes for the advancement of trade; no attempts at the reformation of abuses, which became venerable in proportion to the mischiefs they had suffered by them. In government, tyranny; in religion, bigotry; in trade, monopoly.

  When the Spaniards found, to their ambition which was boundless, that they had joined a treasure which was inexhaustible, they imagined there was nothing too vast for them to compass. They embraced a thousand projects at once; many of them noble ones in theory, but to be executed with different instruments in different parts of the world, and all at a vast expence of blood and treasure. The wars, which were the result of these schemes, and the Indies, which were to support them, were a continual drain, which carried off their people, and destroyed all industry in those who remained. The treasure which flowed in every year from the new world, found them in debt to every part of the old; for to the rest of their revenues they had forgot to add that, which is a great revenue itself, and the great support of all the others, oeconomy. On the contrary, an ill order in their finances at home, and a devouring usury abroad, swallowed up all their treasure, whilst they multiplied the occasions for it. With the best scheming heads in Europe, they were every where outwitted; with the bravest and best disciplined troops, they were almost always defeated; with the greatest treasures, they were in want; and their armies were ill provided, and ill paid. Their friends exhausted them by trade; their enemies by plunder. They saw new states arise out of the fragments of their dominions; and new maritime powers start up from the wrecks of their navy. In short, they provoked, troubled, and enriched all Europe; and at last desisted through mere want of strength. They were inactive, but not quiet; and they were enervated as much by their laziness during this repose, as they had been weakened before by their ill-judged activity.