Bartolome’ de las casas wrote an in-depth view on the destruction of the Indians. He spoke of the Spaniards leaving Spain and arriving in San Salvador, which was surrounded by little islands. Being there the Spanish came across a multitude of people. Bartolome describes them as “craft, subtlety, malice, and most obedient loyal subjects to their native sovereigns; and behave very patiently, submissively and quietly towards the Spaniards to whom they are subject, so that finally they live without the least thirst after revenge laying aside all litigiousness (quarrelsomeness) and hatred”. He sees them as a beautiful people with characteristics of pure innocence. The Spaniards did unspeakable cruelty’s to the Indians so completely opposite of how Bartolome felt of them.
He argues that the Spaniards acted out like cruel animals and I agree, because the way he describes the Spaniards reaction to the Indians is both horrific and tear jerking. For example: “they snatched young babes from the mothers breast, and then dashed out the brains of those innocent against the rocks; others they cast into rivers scoffing and jeering them, and called upon their bodies when falling with derision, the true testimony of their cruelty, to come to them, and inhumanely exposing others to their merciless swords, together with the mothers that gave them life”. Although I don’t know what would drive such hatred in the Spaniards towards the Indians, maybe they believed that what they were doing was the right thing for mankind in that time. I don’t know what they were thinking or what they were feeling, but I do know that Bartolome’s passage did open a door of what he thought, of what he saw, and what he believed was right and wrong. I am persuaded to agree with him for the simple fact that I feel the sincerity of Bartolomes response against the Indians destruction and until someone else provides a convincing case that conveys otherwise I am holding fast to what I know.
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