15.4. 4. Another Origin of the Right of Slavery.
I would as soon say that
religion gives its professors a right to enslave those who dissent from
it, in order to render its propagation more easy.
This was the notion that encouraged the ravagers of America in their
iniquity.
[5]
Under the influence of this idea they founded their right
of enslaving so many nations; for these robbers, who would absolutely be
both robbers and Christians, were superlatively devout.
Louis XII
[6]
was extremely uneasy at a law by which all the negroes
of his colonies were to be made slaves; but it being strongly urged to
him as the readiest means for their conversion, he acquiesced without
further scruple.
Footnotes
[5]
See Solis, "History of the Conquest of Mexico," and Garcilasso de
la Vega, History of the Conquest of Peru.
[6]
Labat, "New Voyage to the Isles of America," vol. iv, p. 114, 1728,
12mo.
