A Complete History of the United States of America Embracing the whole Period from the Discovery of North America Down to the Year 1820 [1]

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(0(§lil^M^B MIOT^ OF THE

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, EMBRACING THE WHOLE PERIOD FROM

THE DISCOVERY OF NORTH AMERICA. DOWN TO

i.4J!^^K

THE YEAR IN

1820.

THREE VOLUMES.

BY FREDERICK BUTLER, Author of

"^

Catechetical

Compend of General

Tlriiversnl History,'*' Historv.'>' and Universal

«Q(7/

'^

Farmer's

A.

M.

History^''''— '•''Sketches of

ManualP

TRANSTULIT SUSTJNET?'

VOL.

I.

HARTFORD PRINTED FOR THE AUTHOR. 1821.

THE NEW YORK

j

PUBLIC LIBRARY A8T0R, LENOX AND TILDEN FOUNDATIONS.

lb»9

DISTRICT OF COJV^'ECTICUT, ^*

llE

^'

,b6'.

REMEMBERED

That on Ihe eighteenlh day of JanuaIT ; the torly-fifth year of liie independence of the United Stales of America, Frederick Butlei of thesaid District, hath deposited in this office the title lit' a Book, the right whereof he claims as Author, in the words following, to wit, " A Complete History of the United States of America, embracing the whole period from the discovery of North America, down to ry,

in

the yecif lUtlO. in three volumes. By Frederick Butler, A. M. Author of Catechetical Compend of General History," '-Sketches of Universal History," and '-Farmer's Manual." " Qui Iranstviit susUnet.^'' In conformity- to the act of the Congress of the United States, entitled, "An act " for ihe encourajfement of learning, by securing the copies of Maps, Charts " and Books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies, during the " times therein mentioned" A. INGERSOLL, Clerk of the District of Connecticut.

—

"A

CHARLES

A

true

copy of Record, examined and sealed by me,

CHARLES

A. INGERSOLL, Clerk of the District of Connechcut,

KOBEGT'- ^ND

?':'-.V..

f'lilVTH":^.;.

PUEFACE.

TO

shew

that one

supreme eternal God created the

verse, and by His ahiiighty

spake

liat,

all

them

istence, with all beings that inhabit

;

that His super-

intending providence preserves and governs

His wisdom regulates and controuls smallest as well as the largest,

His care

;

are

all things,

events,

all

uni-

worlds into ex-

that

that the

the objects of

eqi'.allj

" not a sparrow fallcth to the ground without

His notice, and even the hairs of our heads are all numbered," was the great object of my Sketches of Universal History.

To

illustrate this great truth,

1

have there traced

tlie

history of the family of man, from the creation to the ilood,

and from the flood down

present time, and shewn

to the

the special government of God, as displayed to the world, in the rise

and

fall

of states and empires

liave fulfilled a succession of

:

all

which events

genera! as well as

particu-

lar prophecies, predicted by the prophets, hundreds and thousands of years before they were accomplished.

To shew

the

same superintending power, wisdom, and

government of God,

in planting

his'church

in this

wilder-

ness of the west, and thus laying the foundation of a grc^t nation,

which has grown up and taken

its

rank, amongst is

also the

rise

and pro-

the free and enlightened nations of the earth,

great design of this work.

To

illustrate this design,

I

have traced the

gress of navigation, by the way of Introductory Ptemarks, through a period of about 3500 years, down to the time of the settlement of the discovery of America by Columbus ;

Hispaniola, and the conquest of

and Pizarro.

Mexico and Peru by Cortes

PREFACE.

iv.

have

I

also traced the causes that led to,

and promoted

the settlement of America, in the discovery of the mariner's

compass, the invention of gun-powder, and the

the reformation in art ofprinting,

Europe under John

rise

of

Wickliffe, and the

and shewn how God caused

this

coincidence

of events, to promote his great designs in the settlement of the United States of America. In executing this plan,

I

have commenced the work with

the discovery of North America, and the settlement of

New-England, and carried forward the States,

ume, down

to the

peace of 1763, because

became more immediately involved French and Indians, I

five

New-England

both individually and collectively, in the

in

first

vol-

this cofifederacy

in the

wars with the

Canada and Nova-Scotia.

have commenced the second volume, with the discov-

ery and settlement of the States south of the Hudson River,

and carried them forward, both individually and collect-

down to the peace of 17G3, because they became more immediately involved in the wars of the west and ively,

south.

have commenced the third volume with the causes that led to the revolutionary war, and the declaration of I

independence, from which eventful epoch, the United States are carried forward collectively, in their national character,

down

are considered

to the present time.

in their place,

as

The western

States

they became incorpora-

ted with the nation, with a general sketch of their rise and progress.

With

a steady eye to the special designs of God in laying

the foundation of a great nation, in the wilds of America,

and

in bringing

forward the United States to that elevated

rank they now possess amongst the free and enlightened nations of the earth, so

these designs

country,

1

;

f;ii

as well as to

as

I

have been able

to

trace

promote the best good of

my

have entered upon the arduous labours before

PREFACE'.

V.'

me; and have prosecuted my purpose with an unbiassed enquiry after truth, and a faithful narrative of facts, without

regarding the sentiments of any civil or ecclesiastical

or set of men, either

but with the profoundest deference

j

to the opinions of the

man

wise and good of whatever

name

or

station.

Those principles of

civil

and religious

liberty,

which

formed the basis of the wise and virtuous institutions of our fathers, and

laid the foundation of the

America, originated

known

to

United States of

Puritan Church, and were un-

in the

any former age of the world, and have never

been enjoyed by any other people, either before or and probably never

be

will

since,

until the great millennial day.

Driven into exile by the persecutions of their own country, our fathers planted the pure principles of the Gospel in the wilds of America, in their civil and religious, and rary institutions, and these combined,

um

became

of the church in the wilderoess, and have

lite-

the palladi-

now become

the palladium of the nation.

The

almost perpetual wars that harrassed and distressed

the early settlements in America, led the colonies to feel their mutual dependence, and cultivate that mutual inter-

course with each other, that became necessary for mutual

support and defence

this

;

led to

a general diffusion of

these principles of civil and religious liberty, until they be-

came incorporated with and thus

all

the other colonial governments,

which the United States now enjoy tion of ages,

;

which

is

the perfec-

and the admiration of the world.

In treating of the causes that led es that

national government

laid the foundation of that

promoted the settlement

their incipient stages,

I

of,

have shewn

to, as

well as the caus-

the United States, in in

minute

detail,

who

were the enemies of these

civil

that form the basis of the

American character and go-

and religious principles

vernment, and how by their cruel and unrelenting per-

,

PREFACE.

vi.

them in their infancy, and them out from the world also how God caused this wrath of man to praise him, and overruled the whole for the secutions they strove to destroy blot

;

best good of his church, and the best interest of this nation. Infidelity,' also,

during the French revolution, raised the

standard of persecution, and with her thousand wiles sought to overtiirow the wise

thers,

and thus destroy the churcli

even the government

even it

and virtuous

this refuge

of

itself,

lies,

God

;

but

has swept away, and caused strength and support to

government she had plotted

that very

and

in the wilderness,

that glory of the nation

become the instrument of

to

institutions of our fa-

to destroy.

have rolled on

In tracing those successive events, that

the United States of America, to their national union, inde-

pendence, and glory, roes, statesmen,

I

have noticed that succession of he-

and divines, whose joint co-operations,

under God, have rendered them the instruments of carrying forward the work.

Those

illustrious

characters have

acted well their parts in this glorious drama, and most of

them have passed

off the stage

:

but their illustrious deeds

are recorded in the temple of immortal fame, and their

names can never

die.

Religion, patriotism, and valour, supported by industry

and economy, joined

to resolution, perseverance, and enter-

marked the characters of our fathers. These virtues combined, made this wilderness blossom like the rose, and

prise,

this

God

savage desert become vocal with the praises of our :

led

them

to resolve, that as the Bible

was the stand-

ard of their faith and practice, they would take the Bible for the standard of their civil

government,

until

they could

IJnd a better.

Under gious,

this standard,

and literary

perfect ever before

they planted a system of

institutions, the

known

;

most

free,

civil, reli-

pure, and

protected by a system of mili-

tary discipline, the most independent in that all important

PREFACE.

vii,

military principle, true merit, ever before witnessed

the

:

whole supported by that balance of power in the three deDartmcnts of government,

im/ino2/;« to all former republics

a balance of

power which originated

tarchy, in the

fifth

century

;

in the

was greatly improved by Albeen com-

fred the Great, in the ninth century, and has

Upon

pleted in America.

illustrious republic of

:

Saxton Hep-

this in

estimable basis stands the

United America.

these systems stands unrivalled

in the

The

success of

annals of time, and so

long as they are preserved in their purity, will continue to stand unrivalled until they shall be eclipsed by the glories of the great miilenial day.

All the literature of the ancients,.together with the ex-

tensive improvements of the moderns, in the arts and

ences, have flourished in America, and equalled,

if

sci-

not sur-

passed the learning of Europe.

The manufactures

of America are yet in their infancy

although her improvements have been

never excel, so long

as

;

flattering, she

can

an unbounded forest invites to

dis-

tant enterprise, and promises a rich

reward

to the

hardy

sons of labour.

The

improvements

eral

ous

agriculture of America, has kept pace with her gen-

;

;

her inventive genius shines conspicu-

and her enterprise on the ocean, has rendered her

the second commercial nation in the world.

Her naval

glory stands unrivalled, and the late

war with

England, has evinced to the world, that America has

ped the

laurel from the

The most ter,

brow

strip-

of the mistress of the seas.

distinguished features in the

American charac-

are displayed in that unshaken virtue, which formed

her national republican compact

:

a

compact which has so

balanced, the independent sovereignties of the several states, as. to give the

may be

most

tr^ultiplied to

flattering assurances that states

any extent, even

to o^verspread the

whple northern continent, and yet our free elective gov-

PREFACE.

viii.

ernment be supported, and the free and independent republics

be preserved.

Let every American bherish the rehgion and virtues of our forefathers ners,

;

cultivate and preserve their habits,

man-

and customs, together with their wise and virtuous

institutions

;

remembering

that these are the basis of all

our boasted acquirements and enjoyments

;

when we

that

abandon these, we abandon the God of our

fathers, the

vine which he has planted, and desert the standard of the

church

in the wilderness.

We may then take up our lamen-

tation, with an eternal adieu to all our greatness, to all

peace, to

all

our boasted enjoyments.

one more example

to the

We shall

many already gone before

republican liberty, without virtue,

is

death.

our

then add us, that

We shall then

have a master, and that master must be a despot.

N. B.

I

shall insert at the

the numerous authorities this

I

end of the third volume a

have consulted,

work.

Wethersfield, (Conn.) Oct. 24, 182.0.

in

list

of

compiling

mVROBUCTORr BEMAKKS.

CHAPTER As

the return of the family of

{heir fathers,

I.

Abraham

to the land of

from the bondage of Egypt, forms one of the

most interesting and important events of antiquity the

same point of view, the emigrations of the

first

;

so, in

settlers

of the United States, from the land of their fathers, to plant the

Church

in

the v/ilds

of America, forms one of the

most interesting and important events amongst the modThe first, to open the way for the knowledge of the erns. true God, as displayed in the formation, and government of

the Jewish

Church

;

and

advent of Jesus Christ.

to prepare the

The second

to

way

for the first

open the way

the true knowledge of Jesus Christ, as displayed

for

in his

Gospel, by planting a pure Church, which might prepare the way for his second advent.

Had Moses attempted to detail the occurrences, and. events of the Jewish Church, minutely, in their journeyings in the wilderness, or in their possessing the promised

would have destroyed the beauty of one of the most interesting, and important narratives that has ever land,

it

appeared.

Should

I

attempt to

detail, minutely, the

occur-

rences and events, that awaited the Pilgrims of America, in possessing this

modern Canaan,

it

would mar the beau-

ty of one of the most interesting and important subjects in

modern

story.

ing his church

The wisdom

of the Divine plan in select-

from the persecutions of modern Egypt,

together with the most prominent characters, and events.

Vol.

L

2

hNTRODUCTORY REMARKS.

10 that shall

became the immediate instruments of be

mj

vast field tothe minds,

come necassary

his purpose,

To open

only guide in this Narrative,

and hearts of my readers,

to trace the historic page,

this

will be-

it

and unfold the

causes that led to the discovery, and promoted the settle-

ment of America

but particularly New-England, and

;

th

set sail

from the Bay of Ca-

on the 25th of Sept. and on the 26th of Nov. he made

e of the Caribbe islands

;

from thence he touched at the

several Islands that lay in his

Hispaniola. prise,

— But

way

to his little

what must have been

Colony

his grief,

when he found nothing remaining

at

and sur-

of the Colony

;

but their tattered clothes, broken arms, and demolished fort

and those natives who had been so cordial on his former

now fled, and shunned his approach, with guilt and fear. The Chief, Guacanahari, who had been formerly so cordial in his friendship now did not appear and all was voyage,

;

;

mystery, and gloom

;

but in the midst of this

gloom, a

brother of Guacanahari appeared, and disclosed the facts that lay concealed in mystery.

These

facts laid

open scenes too black

to

be recorded,

scenes on which the avarice, and debaucheries of the Spaniards hud

been so

gross, and oppressive that the Natives

were

constrained to rise in defence of rights they held most dear, aiid

revenge themselves on their enemies, and extermin-

ate the readily,

Colony.

— Columbus

credited the reports, very

from the knowledge he had of their characters

passed over the

and found a

affair in silence,

city,

which he called

illustrious patroness.

To

;

and proceeded to lay out, Isabella, in

honor of

recount the labours of

this

his

un-

dertaking, or the several adventures of this perilous voyage, will not coiV.e within the limits of this it

to say, that after having

iola,

work

;

suffice

subdued the Island of Hispan-

by force of arms, and collected vast treasures from

the Natives, he appointed his brother Bartholomew, Lieut.

Gen. and Francis Roldan, Chief Justice, and amidst a jealous

;

INTRODUCTORY REMARKS. persecuting faction, once more set

year 1496.

— Columbus

sail

15

for Spain,

in the

experiencing

arrived safe (after

the privations, and distresses of a three month's voyage

and presented himself

his sovereigns, with all that honor,

character, and his services

and respect due to his

to the inexpressible joy of his

;

and the inexpressible mortification of

friends,

;)

where he was received by

at Court,

his

enemies.

Delighted with the treasures of gold, and other valuables,

which Columbus displayed

Spain with tion

its

riches,

by their power

;

and flushed with

at Court,

the idea of opening the bowels of a

new

world, and

filling

and bringing the natives into subjecthey hastened to prepare another ex-

pedition for

Columbus, that might forward the accomplish-

ment of

their wishes

ly,

all

;

—but

this

expedition was slow, arts

wrought secret-

— Thus

two years were

enemies were malicious, and their

his

and plotted mischief, and

wasted sail

ruin.

in preparing the third expedition,

and

with six small vessels, and steering a

at last

he set

more southern

course than before, he discovered the Island of Trinidad,

on the coast of Guiana,

in

mouth of the

river Oronoco.

this majestic

stream, he

South America

;

near the

— When Columbus discovered

knew

at once, that

an island could

not support such a river, and justly concluded that he had

found the long sought for Continent.

He

landed,

and

found the natives, resembled the natives of Hispaniola, in their

appearance, and manners, as well as in their orna-

ments of gold

;

and

this led

him

quest of the precious metals.

to explore the country in

The more he

explored the

more he was delighted with its riches, and more anxious he was to continue in it but the impatience of his crew hurried him away to Hispaniola, where he found his Colony in a state of wretch-

country, the

beauties, and the

edness,

and

confusion.

Their indolence

had

almost

brought them to ruin, and a mutiny against their Governor,

had thrown them into great

distress,

and their oppre«-

;

INTRODUCTORY REMARKS.

16

of the natives, had converted their friendship into

sion

hatred

and

;

in the midst of all

this

distress,

Columbus

found work of importance, to restore order, and save his

Colony from

This he effected by his good

ruin.

total

a ship to Spain with an ac-

management, and -lispatched

new

count of his

discoveries, as well as the perilous situ-

some of the leaders in This commenced open war, they in their the conspiracy. all which led turn accused each other, and accused him

ation of the Colony, and accused

;

consequences.

to serious

The Bishop head of

him

enemies,

his

who had

of Badajos,

now

hitherto been at the

appeared openly, and accused

Queen, and obtained a commission

to the

for Francis

Bovadilla, a Knight af Calatrava, to repair to Hispaniola.

with

powers

full

lumbus

and

•,

if

to enquire into the administration of

Here was a bounty on knavery

and take possession. although

absence

was quiet

all

Bovadilla -,

Co-

he should find him guilty, to supercede him,

in the

government, on the arrival of

yet he seized on the Governor's house, in his ; and next ordered Columbus to be seized, loaded

and sent

wit!) irons,

To

to Spain.

pursue

scene of

this

the blackest ingratitude, and disclose the sufferings of the

body, and tortures of the mind, through which Columbus passed, on his way to Spain, or in his treatment after his return,

exceed the

limits of

my

pen.

He

repaired to court,

by the invitation, and assistance of his soverigns his pathetic,

and

and by

;

and dignified defence, supported his innocence^ and procured the removal, and disgrace of

his integrity,

Bovadilla

;

yet he saw another (Nicholas Avando, a Knignt

of the military order of Alcantara) appointed to succeed

him

in his

Stung with the keenest

he determined to recover

ities,

sible

government.

;

his misfortunes,

accordingly he availed himself of

voyage of Vasco de

sensibilif

pos.

the successful

Gama to the East Indies,* andperswad^

* This took place at

this time, 1499.

;

INTRODUCTORY REMARKS.

^17

cd Ferdinand and Isabella, that an ocean lay between his new continent, and the East Indies and that a passage ;

might be found across, whcie the Isthmus of Darien now is and that if they would furnish him with ships, he (old as

They

he was) would undertake the voyage.

listened to

his proposal, furnished four small vessels of 60 or 70 tons,

and he son

:

set sail, with

and on

his brother,

his passage,

Bartholomew, and

at his old

touched

government,

leaky vessel

Hispaniola, to repair, or exchange his

his

;

at

but

here he was refused entrance, by the new Governor and the fleet which brought out the new Governor, was now ;

ready to

sail for

Spain, with Bovadilla, and others of his

enemies, and accusers

;

and notwithstanding he admonish-

ed them of an approaching hurricane, yet they disregarded

;

set sail,

and were

all lost.

Columbus prosecuted

made several imCape Gracios a Dios, and

his voyage, and

portant discoveries, particularly

the coast, to the beautiful port, or harbour upon the

all

Isthmus of Darien, which he called Porto Bello. He attempted to leave his brother, with a Colony, here, and return to Spain

;

but the mutiny of his

hostility of the natives,

prevented

;

own

people, and the

and he

set sail

on his

return he was overtaken by a storm, lost all his vessels, and was cast on shore upon an island, remote from his former settlement, where he gave up all as lost ever ;

*"

;

fruitful in expedients,

noes, and sail

he procured of the natives two ca-

Mendiz and Fieschi, two of

his trusty friends, set

for Hispaniola, (an adventure that perhaps no other

men would

liave

dared

to

attempt,)

and

in

two days

they traversed the ocean, more than thirty leagues, and arrived safe at Hispaniola

bus were again renewed

;

treatment, due to him as an *

Vol.

I.

here the sulferings of Colum-

instead of that kind, hospitable

:

unfortunate stranger, (not to

Jamaica

INTRODUCTORY REMARKS.

10

say friend, and countryman, in the service of

much more,

king; but

and

sanu.

planter of the Colony of that island) Ovando, the

first

Governor,denied him the to set his foot tlie

tiie

the discoverer of the Nevv^ World,

friends of

upon the

Columbus,

do kept him and

rights of hospiality, forbade

for

people

his

Deaf

island.

more than in a

him

to the intreaties o^

eight

months Ovan-

remote and

solitary island,

amongst the savages, vrhere danger, and distress, were their only companions.

such barbarity, thor of

Stung with remorse, and impatient, at

their suiFe rings

all

charged him with being the au-

his sailors ;

rose in mutiny

seized his ca-

;

noes, whichhehad bought of the natives and abandoning

removed

to his fate,

the

left to

to a

remote part of the island.

mercy of the savages, with the few

him

Thus

friends that re-

mained, he soon found the friendly aid of these savages begin to

abate, and discovered their impatience for his

departure, by the sparing supplies of food they brought

and the increased coldness for

his safety,

in their

Columbus resorted

recover the affections, and aid of

Alarmed

deportment. to a

new

expedient, to

the natives

an eclipse of the moon, upon a certain day

in,

;

;

he foretold

and when the

event took place, he took advantage of their surprise, and astonishment, and told them, that the Great

shewed in

his anger, at their

withholding their necessary support

clTcct,

and restored him to This

kindness.

bles sprang up,

The

tude.

marched their

evil

Spirit thus

unkind treatment of his children,

all

;

this

had the desired

their former expressions of

being removed, a

which summoned

all his

new scene

of trou-

address, and forti-

mutineers, pressed with hunger, and

in a

body

commander

they descried a

to satiate their ;

sail,

and

as they

vengeance,

approached

in the

want,

blood of

his habitation,

standing over towards the island.

The

rage of the mutineers, and despair of Columbus, and his friends,

were turned

shore, the

captain

into joy.

landed,

The

sail

approached the

and brought a letter from

INTRODUCTORY REMARKS.

Ifi

OvaiiJo, Governor of Hispariiola, informing liim, that hi? friends,

Mendez, and Fieschi had arrived

safe in their ca-

noes, after a severe and distressing passage,

and express-

ing his condolence for his misfortunes, &c.

The

returned to his vessel, set fate.

To

captain

and abandoned him

sail,

to his

express the astonishment, and mortification of

Columbus,

at this

unprecedented act of barbarity, would

exceed the powers of tortures of his mind,

my pen

but

;

when both

how

shall

his friends

and

I

express the

his

enemies,

rose in the violence of their passions, and threatened

him

with instant death, as the author of

and

Ever

calamities.

this flagrant insult

fruitful in

why

their troubles,

expedients,

Ovando

of

stated, that the reason

all

Columbus turned

own advantage.

to his

He

the vessel departed so sudden-

was, because she could not carry off ail the company.

ly,

and he would not depart, and removed

;

until

every

man was provided

for.

but that the captain would soon return,

with more help, and take them

all

down

to Hispaniola.

This changed the scene, and their rage was turned into peace, gratitude, and friendship.

At

this eventful

moment, the mutineers began the atbut were repulsed,

tack upon Columbus, and his friends

and driven their leader for their

off,

;

after a short, but sharp conflict, in

was wounded, and taken prisoner.

own

safety,

and for the

which

Alarmed

fate of their leader, they

were stung with remorse, laid down their arms, submitted to their old commander, and bound themselves, by the solemnity of their oaths, to be quiet, submissive, and obedient to his

At

commands.

this eventful

moment

and conveyed them

all

the ships arrived from

to

Ovando,

Hispaniola, where they were

hospitably treated, and promised a speedy return to Spain.

On

Columbus and

the 12th of 'November, 1504,

ple, with

two

ships, set

sail

for Spain

overtaken with a violent storm

:

;

his

peo-

again they were

one vessel was driven

"

INTRODUCTORY REMARK^.

20

back

to St.

Domingo, and the

which he himseU*

other, in

was dismasted, driven more than seven hundred

sailed,

leagues, under jury masts, and at length

Lucar

St.

;

v^^here

he learnt,

made

the port of

to his inexpressible grief, tiiat

«jueen Isabella, his friend, and patroness, had died on the

9th of

November; and

doned

to the

mercy of

thus he saw himself again, abanhis

enemies.

As soon

as

he had

recovered from the fatigues of the voyage, Columbus with despair on his countenance, and despair in his heart, re-

paired to court lost in

;

but here

the

powers of language are

the magnitude of the subject: deaf to the princi-

of gratitude, of benevolence, and

ples

even humanity

;

Ferdinand received him coolly, amused him with promises, neither administered to his necessities, nor cheered

that his

drooping

spirits

despair, which

;

but fixed on his distressed soul, that

had wasted

his

and now began to

spirits,

waste his health; and under the pressure of all these combined, he sank a victim of persecution, into the arms of death,

aged

ii*

the city of Valadolid, on the 12th of

fifty-nine.

are the ways

Dark and mysterious

of

God

but wisdom, and might, and strength arc his

mercy, and truth are the habitations of

he teth

May, 1506,

will

he

down

;

and

up,

setteth

none can stay

unto him, What doest thou

whom

;

his throne.

he

will

his hand, neither

men

to

;

and justice,

Whom he

may any

put-

say

?

AiMERlGO VESPUCCI.

The fame

of Columbus, and the riches of the

New World,

together with the treasures of the east, which Vasco de

Gama

had disclosed

venture,

unkown

to

;

all

conspired to kindle a spirit of ad-

any former age of the world.

Ameri-

2K

INTRODUCTORY REMARKS.

go Vespucci, commonly known by the name of Amcricus Vespucius, or Vespucius Americanus, a native of Florence and acin Italy, under the patronage of Ojida, a gallant

(who had accompanied Columbus

tive officer,

for-

in his

the patronage of the merchants-

mer voyage,) and under

of the city of Seville, (in Spain.) caught the spirit of the age, and set sail for the new world, in quest of foreign adthe track of Columbus, touched

They pursued

venture.

upon the continent, and traded with the

Cape de Vela, or

coast, as far as

natives, along the

further

;

they steered for

Amerigo pub-

and thus returned to Spain.

Hispatiiola,

lished a splendid account of his voyage and discoveries, with interesting remarks upon the countries, which caught

the public attention, gratified his countrymen, and gave

him

that popularity, that fixed his

and thus

filled

up the measure of

destined to suffer this day,

to

and

name

and posterity have

;

will probably,

to the continent,

injustice,

Columbus was

ratified

the fraud,

continue to ratify

it

dow«

to the latest generation.

DON DIEGO COLON, OK COLUMBUS. Justice, though she halt, and yet she

is

is

often tardy in her pace,

sure in her course, and seldom

fails

in the

dis-

Although envy and malice, had

tribution of her rewards.

stripped Christopher Colon, orColumbus, of his highly meritted honors,

ferred the

and rewards

name

different rival his

son

Don

;

of his

robbed him of his

World,

to the

life,

and trans-

name

of an in-

and posterity have sealed the fraud

Diego,

ferings, in his last

ors of that

;

New

who had been

the

;

companion of his

yet suf-

voyage, petitioned the king for the hon-

government, which belonged of right to him, by

the original capitulation of his father, and which had been

INTRODUCTORY REMARKS.

22

Ferdinand, was deal to

so unjustly, vvTesteil from

him.

the application of Diego,

and caused him

years in his solicitations

with resentment, at injustice,

;

Deaf

who

renewed

this

act of ingratitude, and

law against

a suit at

af-

honor,) decided in his favour.

to the decision of the court,

his cause,

Stung

Council, that managed Indian

(to their eternal

the claims ofjustice

two

to waste

finally rejected.

Don Diego commenced

his sovereign^ before the fairs,

who was

Ferdinand

still

withheld

but Diego, true to himself, and firm to

;

contracted an alliance, with one of the

first

fam-

Donna Maria, daughter of Don Ferdinand de Toledo, great commcndator of Leon, and brotheu to the duke of Alva. The inilies in

Spain, by concluding a marriage with

fluence of this family, secured to Diego his claims.

Fer-

recalled

dinand yielded to the decision of the council,

Ovando, and conferred the government of Hispaniola upAll Spain rejoiced at the event

on Diego.

now governor

of the

ter of vice qiieen, associates,

in splendour, the

and which

and a numerous retinue of

from the

and entered upon

it

new

Don

;

first

his

friends,

and

families, repaired to Hispaniola,

new government, where he enjoyed

kingdom which

became

Diego,

world, with his wife, in charac-

his father

had planted,

the object of his future

life,

to im-

prove, and cultivate, and render happy.—Diego settled the

small island of Cabagua, (discovered by his father in his third voyage.)

which soon became famous

for

pearl fishery, as well as fatal to the natives,

ployed

The

its

extensive

who were em-

in it. last

discoveries of Columbus, had

ed, about ten years.

now been

neglect-

Ferdinand now encouraged Alonzo dc

Ojida, and Diego de Nicuessa, two bold adventurers, to

explore the country, and

commence

former, he granted the countrybf

settlements.

Cape Vela,

To

the

to the gulf of

Darien, and to the other, from the gulf of Darien, to Cape Graicos a Dios. These adventurers, sailed from Hispaniola.

«

INTRODUCTORY REMARKS. about the same time, to enter upon the

23

new governments

•,

and the powers by which they were to claim, and hold the countries, were by authority of the Pope, as vicegerent of the earth, and

kingdoms

in

having supreme jurisdiction over

the world, and as the

spiritual

all

the

head of the

them the doctrines of the Christian rehgion, and if they embraced, them and submitted to their authority, then to govern them in peace,

They were

church.

and justice fire

;

but

if

to unfold to

not, then to lay waste their country, by

and sword, and reduce them, their wives, and their

children, to

and compel them to

a state of subjection,

acknowledge the jurisdiction of the Pope, and the authority

of the monarch of Spain.

Thus armed, with

spiritual,

and temporal power, the

adventurers attempted to enter upon their

ments

new govern-

but to their astonishment, and mortification, they

;

found a race of men, differing

in

the gentle race of Hispaniola. continent, were

unmoved by

these Spanish adventurers

;

These

fierce sons of the

the address, and intrigues of

attacked them with poisoned

arrows, which rendered every

them from

war, and in manners, from

wound

fatal

;

their borders, and in less than

they hunted

one year, the

whole of the two expeditions were ruined, and destroyed, excepting a remnant that ria cl

made

a settlement at Santo

Antigua, on the Gulf of Darien, under the

of Vasco

Nagnez de Bilboa,

Ma-

command

a bold and desperate adven-

turer, together with Francisco Pizarro, whose misfortunes in this

adventure, taught him

ly in his

of future conquests. in this

how

to

subsequent adventures, and

manage more rise to the

Herman Cortes was

adroit-

enjoyment engaged

also

adventure, but was detained by sickness at Hispan-

iola, as

the hero of future scenes of adventure, enterprise,

and conquest.

The

restless avaricious spirit of the Spaniards,

the enterprising spirit of the age. prompted

added

them

to

to

new

INTRODUCTORY REMARKS.

24

new

adventures, and

and dominion,

but

conquests, not only to obtain wealth to

obtain

more

slaves, to

work

their

mines, and plantations in Hispaniola, where their allies had nearly extirpated the vast population, that covered the

The

1492.*

island in

evils arising

from

this

slavery of

the natives, occasioned a general uneasiness, and opened a

way

for relief through a

Las Casas, a Catholic

priest,

new

channel.

Bartholomew

and adventurer with Colum-

bus, in his second voyage, proposed to liberate the natives,

and import the blacks from the Portuguese possessions in Africa; to effect this, he made a voyage to Spain, and opened the subject

to

Ferdinand, then in declining health, who

hstened to the plan

hands of

;

but died soon

his successor,

C

Iiarles

after,

and

left it in

the

V.

Cardinal Ximenes, as regent, undertook to decide the question, before the king

government.

Las Casas question

ment,

He

arrived,

and entered upon

his

accordingly sent out those agents, with

at their head, as superintendents, to decide the

in

set all

Hispaniola.

They

repaired to their govern-

the natives free, and threw the colony into

the utmost confusion, which raged with violence for a time, but w^as finally quelled, after Charles came to the throne,

by carrying forward the plan of liberating the natives, and introducing the blacks, which spread throughout the islands, and into Europe, and America, where it continues to this In 1303, the first negroes had been imported into day.

—

the

new

world, they being more hardy and patient under

labour than the natives, induced Ferdinand to consent in but Las 1511, to an importation of additional numbers ;

Casas induced Charles V.

to grant permission to a

Flem-

Columbus, as Governor, had the disposal of tlie natives, and them as slave?, amongGt the planters and their diminution of numbers, caused them to cmolain to Ferdinand, who sent lloderigo Aibu*

Don

Diesjo

distributed

;

querciue, a relative of hi^ aio-t confidential mii^is'er, Vv'ith tuil powers to \i')nque- que found, resiulate the services of ;he natives of Hispaniol.i. upon numbering the natives, that they had been reduced from jixty-tfiou-

sand, to fourteen thousand.

INTRODUCTORY REMARKS. ssh

25

The

merchant, to import 4000 blacks at one time.

merchant sold his patent to in this

some Genoese merchants, who.

way, became the instruments of liberating those na-

tives of the

slaved,

New

and thus

World,

whom

race of men, where

it still

their

countrymen had en-

yoke onto another innocent

shifting the

remains.*

In the year 1511, Diego Velasquez conquered the island

of Cuba, and held the government of it.

—

In the year 1517,

several veterans from Darien, united with

dova, a rich spirit, to

Hernandez Cor-

and of a bold and daring

planter in Cuba,

With

upon an enterprise of discovery.

enter

the consent of Velasquez, they fitted out three small vessels,

embarked 110 men, and

ba, in February, 1517,

sailed from St.

upon a western

Jago de Cu-

advcntui-c.

In

twenty days they discovered the peninsula of Yucatan, and as they

approached the shore, they discovered the natives,

clad in cotton garments, coming off in their canoes.

Struck

unexpected adventure, they con-

with astonishment, at

this

ciliated their favour,

by presents, landed upon the

coast,

and advanced into the country, where they, with equal surprise, soon discovered houses, regularly built with stone,

and the reception of the natives appeared cordial but they were soon undeceived, th^ Cazique, or Prince, had ;

drawn them menced an

into

an ambush, and upon a sudden, he comviolence, as drove off the

attack, with such

Spaniards, and they fled to their ships, and departed from the coast, carrying off two prisoners, and

one of their temples.

—

In a

few days,

some booty from

as they steered to-

wards the west, they discovered Campeachy, where they descried a river,

and landed, to obtain water

;

but here

again they were attacked by the natives, and driven

with the

loss

of 47

men

killed,

off,

and one only escaped.

* When I come to treat of Virginia, I shall notice particularly, the remarks of Mr. Jefferson upon African slavery, in his Notes upon Vircinia.

page 221 and 222.

Vol.

I.

4

;

INTRODUCTORY REMARKS.

t(i

Cordova, their leader, conducted the retreat with

coohics:?,

under twelve different wounds, and when the remnant

had embarked, thej

set sail for

Cuba, where Cordova died

of his wounds, and the others had suffered

the severest

on their passage.

This discovery inflamed the cu-

pidity of the Spaniards,

more than any adventure they had

trials

ever yet achieved, and opened the way, through a succession of adventures, to the discovery and conquest of ico,

by Cortes, which

I

shall give a sketch of,

Mex-

without noti-

cing the other adventures of minor importance.

CONQUEST OF MEXICO, BY FERNANDO CORTES, tSld.

The

spirit of

adventure, had

now grown up

with the

Spaniards, at Hispaniola, to a high pitch of enthusiasm

and Velasquez the governor had caught the

fire,

;

and pre-

pared a formidable force, for a foreign adventure, and looked with anxious solicitude for a commander, who was

By

the advice of his chief

his choice

upon Fernando Cortes,

adequate to the undertaking. oflicers of state,

he fixed

a native of Estramadura, in Spain, of noble descent but of a moUerate fortune.— Full of youthful fire, and the zeal of the age, he

embarked

such adventures as might

to the

fall in his

new

world, to seek

way, under the patron-

age of his kinsman Ovando, then governor of Hispaniola, Under the patronage of Ovando, he accompanied 1504. Velasquez, in the conquest of Cuba, and his distinguished intrepidity and zeal, in this enterprise, procured

him the

favour of Velasquez, and obtained for him this present important

command.

Cortes received his

new commission

J518, and erected his military standard, beat up for voluateers, and entered with spirit and resolution, into the

measures of Velasquez, to promote and hasten the enter-

INTRODUCTORY REMARKS. All things

prise.

November, he

27

were soon ready, and upon the 18th of

set sail from St.

Jago de Cuba, and launch-

ed into the regions of the west, in quest of some object of enterprise, worthy of himself, and his brave compan-

Cortes touched at Trinadad, where the

ions in arms.

jealousy of the Governor Velasquez, overtook him, by the

means of Verdugo, an cede him

;

and proceeded on

dismissed Verdugo,

he

he had dispatched to super-

ofticer

but the address of Cortes defeated the attempt,

From Trinadad Cortes touched

Here Velasquez gave orders

his force.

rested,

Havannah,

at

and sent prisoner

this order, recruited his

number of eleven

to St.

Jago

;

to

his

course.

to

augment

have him

but Cortes eluded

army, and augmented hisfleet

from 60

vessels, of

to

ar-

to the.

100 tons burthen,

and carrying about 600 soldiers and seamen. Thirteen ojily of this army had muskets, and the rest were armed with swords, spears and cross-bows.

— Cortes had sixteen

horse, and ten small field pieces, and four falconets.

With

this force

he

set sail

from Havannah, February 10,

1518, to conquer the great monarch of the west. passage, he J;puchcd

at

the island of Cosumel,

On his

where he

who had been taken

took on board a Spanish prisoner,

in

a former adventure, and detained a prisoner eight years, learnt the language of the natives of Yucatan,

who had

and was useful as an interpreter he next touched at the river Tobasco, where the natives were hostile ; but he sub;

and obtained supplies of provisions and clothes, together with twenty female slaves. Cortes proceeded on his course, and next touched at St. Jean

dued them by

de Ulua

;

force,

here he was met

in the

harbour by an embassy

not understood by his

him welcome, in a language Yucatan interpreter but expressed

by

Cortes

in a

large canoe, that bid

intelligent

ter, with this s]ave