How is this to end? Is it really intended to grasp the whole continent, and make these fragments of nations, aliens on their own soil? or to annihilate them at last? Beware! men of bad faith, or greedy of landed wealth! There is a God in heaven, and he deals justly with nations as with men. He may find means to punish you, if you continue to violate the sacred laws of mankind. The desperate tribes, either become stronger by concentration, or acquired knowledge, may fall on you at last, like so many Goths and Vandals, Huns and Tartars, to revenge their wrongs, and desolate this land wrongly acquired. Or among you will arise Agrarian sects, that [pg 113] will deprive your children of this landed property so unjustly acquired and held.
Be wise and just in time, if cupidity does not blind you, imitate the happy policy of Mexico, Guatimala, Peru &c. that has admitted the natives to equality and citizenship. Do better still, allow them to form peculiar states and territories, preserving their languages and laws, and admit these states into your confederacies. Then you will be secure, and both live in peace, increasing and multiplying as time rolls on. There is land enough for all, and to spare. What need has a man of 1000 acres of land; while 100 can support a large family! in the cold climates, and 10 acres in the fruitful tropical climates, where thrive the banana and the sugar cane. If hunters require a large wilderness to sustain their mode of life, greedy worshippers of mammon wish for 10,000 acres to hold waste for speculation! or to fill with plantations of slaves and tenants, in order to become lords of future generations; but the real wise and active men, the props of society, are content with moderate, secure estates, which they may improve and beautify into smiling gardens.
The modern intercourse of the two hemispheres has been productive of much more misery, than mutual benefit. The Americans have received the European cattle without imparting to Europe, their equally useful Peruvian cattle; they have [pg 114] received the horse, and often adopted him as a friend, to become Tartars and Arabs by his help, so as to retaliate mischief on the cruel Spaniards. Some European fruits and grains have been received and cultivated: while all have been introduced into the colonies. Woolen cloth, blankets, iron and copper kettles, tools, trinkets, guns and gunpowder, with the liquid poisons of the still, have been spread by trade. These last with horses and guns, have been the chief deadly weapons of Europe against America.[14]
In return, Europe has received gold, silver and precious furs: pearls and diamonds, cochineel, annato, indigo, die woods, vicunia wool, cacao, vanilla, gum elastic and many other useful or medical articles. Maize, returning east whence it came; with tobacco, a loathsome weed of heathen growth and rites. Human knowledge has been increased, and trade greatly enlarged; the tame cavias, with turkeys and musky-ducks have been transmitted. Thus Europe has been the gainer, and was for a long while jealous of these treasures.[15]
Under the pious guise of hypocrisy, the heavenly religion of Jesus, was offered or forced upon many American nations, by the same men, who were behaving worse than heathens, worshipping gold and mammon with the earth itself, bathed in human blood and tears; introducing slavery and over toils; exulting in deeds of cruelty, revenge, [pg 115] wanton lust, cupidity and avarice; with all the other anti-christian vices. If Mexico had ghastly idols and cruel rites; Hayti, Cuba, Bogota, Peru &c. had not; but peaceful, harmless worships: to which was substituted the papal worships of other idols, saints and monks. The pure undefiled religion of love and peace to all mankind, was seldom introduced in America, even by the Jesuits—except by the heavenly Las-Casas, the friendly quakers, the humane moravians, and a few other christian missionaries. All the sects of christianity have now spread to America, and even some arisen there; nay, the Jews have reached this continent, with a few Mahometans, Hindus, Chinese, Budhists &c. Thus all the religions of the earth are now found in this hemisphere, by the tolerance and freedom of opinions lately proclaimed in many parts.
Great has been the influence of 3 or 4 ages, on the American tribes, that have been enslaved, or in frequent communication with the nations of Europe—not in religion alone; but in dress, manners, knowledge, civilization and pursuits. The alphabetical writing has been introduced among them, the Tzulukis have invented a syllabic alphabet; some arts, and the pastoral nomadic life have been adopted. In the boreal regions, the English and Russians employ the hunting tribes as providers of furs. In South America the native tribes are often skillful fishermen or traders.
Upon the whole, the late prospects of America are cheering. Many independent nations have sprung, which deem themselves Americans, and love their homes. A general spirit of tolerance and peace is spreading, the true religion of the heart better understood; and a disposition is evincing to render tardy justice to the oppressed tribes, and the poor slaves. Those who wish oppression and intolerance to be perpetuated, are not many in this continent, at present; they will be fewer still in half a century or the year 1892.
Thus, mankind lives in fluctuations of mind and manners. A few ages have been sufficient to produce these mighty changes. Meanwhile, nature although changing slower, is still at work on the soil of this hemisphere. Since 1492 volcanoes have appeared and disappeared, the sea shores have receded, the lakes are falling, the streams are lessening, the mountains are crumbling, the swamps are draining: immense forests have been cut, and changed into ploughed fields, hills have been cut or ploughed, roads, causeways and canals made, splendid cities have been built, with innumerable towns and villages. The deltas of the Mississippi and Magdalena have been cultivated, many mines dug for metals or coals. The face of the country has been quite changed in these new seats of civilization; in the regions of Apalacha from Canada to Louisiana, in Guyana, Brazil; but in the western [pg 117] regions from Mexico to Chili, agriculture has rather receded: they had at least as many towns and fields in ancient times.
Earthquakes and irruptions of the sea have caused sad changes in other parts, gulfs have been formed on the coast of Cumana, Callao twice sunken in volcanic tides, mountains and cities overthrown from Popayan to Chili: while the alluvial formations proceed along the streams and shores; their floods are perennials, increasing deltas and islands: Hurricanes scatter ruins and dismay over the Antilles, whirlwinds prostrate strips of forests. The spouting springs and earthy volcanoes eject water, mud, clay and marl, pitch and other substances. The water volcanoes drown valleys and cities, have ruined Guatimala, and desolated Quito. Mexico near a lake and often overflowed by it, is now distantly removed; the lake having been drained by nature and art jointly combined.[16]
These rapid sketches and views offer a connected picture of men and soil, in this hemisphere, during the ages past. The detailed local annals of the various nations, will enlarge the subject, and present the required outlines of the ancient and modern events of both.