rms for the sole and generous purpose of vindicating the
national honor. The despondency and apathy of the nation are visible even
in the battles fought by the Spaniards among themselves in their civil
dissensions. They fight from habit, and discharge their muskets at their
countrymen because they can do nothing else, and because every shot from
their guns may bring them a piece of bread. A nation reduced to such a
state is low indeed; the chilliness of death is very near seizing upon its
extremities. What a length of time it will require to heal the wounds of
these populations, so brave and so devoted! How much gold, how much blood
have been lavished during the last seven years without an object, without
any conceived plan!

"What would Charles the Fifth say, if, rising from his grave he saw his
great and glorious Spain struggling thus miserably in dread uncertainty of
her future destinies? 'Where are my colonies? Where are my Batavian
provinces? Where is my gigantic power, and the glory of Spain, which
resounded from one hemisphere to the other? What have you done with my
inheritance, ye cowardly and unskillful men? Where are my treasures; where
the victorious fleets that crossed the ocean to bring back in profusion to
my empire the gold and gems of the New World?' The question naturally
arises, what can be the cause of so many evils? of such utter misery, such
extreme ignorance, such disgusting sloth?

"_Tyranny_, says the politician.

"_Catholicism_, says the Protestant.

"_The Inquisition_, adds the historian.

"But these three replies form but one; they are the three sides of a
prism, which, united, give the entire ray of truth. In truth, Catholicism
is the father, the Inquisition and tyranny the daughters. We are not the
first to pen these words; we only repeat what we have read in the lines we
are now going to submit to the perusal of our readers. It is sufficient
for us to have pointed out the connection of the different causes which
will be assigned by our authorities.

"That Catholicism produced the Inquisition, a tribunal of priests, judging
heretics, it is unnecessary to demonstrate, for the very nature of the
institution renders it evident. The ruling idea of Catholicism, the
principle of authority, was the germ of the Inquisition. It was impossible
that the Romish Church should not extend its principle to its penal code;
it does not doubt in matters of faith, neither does it doubt in criminal
matter