nd the members of the Council were
brought by it to a milder disposition than that disclosed by the testy
reply of their President to Fray Miguel's opening discourse. Garcia
Padilla undertook the apology of the Council, protesting that many
excellent Provisions in favour of the Indians had emanated from that body,
whose intentions were good; he offered to submit these proofs of an
equitable disposition to the theologians, though he observed that their
presumption did not merit such courtesy. The tone of the discussion
softened considerably and it was decided that the various enactments of
the Council already in vigour and those it proposed to put in operation
should be presented to the theologians, who would later make known their
opinion of them. These comprised the Laws of Burgos published in 1512 and
the several amendments of Cardinal Ximenez. After hearing them read, the
theologians withdrew, saying they would present their opinion at another
sitting.

Fray Miguel was deputed to draw up in writing their conclusions, which he
did in the somewhat lengthy form common at that time, the substance of the
decision being that repartimientos and encomiendas were condemned
absolutely, as the principal and direct cause of the destruction of the
Indians; and second, that the only means for correcting the existing
abuses and to civilise and convert the Indians was to form towns of at
most twelve hundred householders. Las Casas was opposed to the remedy,
which he perceived to be not only without efficacy, but positively hurtful
to the Indians, who would only deteriorate under such unfamiliar
conditions. This divergence of opinion between Las Casas and the preachers
introduced disunion where unity was the sole source of strength, and the
inability to fix upon a remedy for the evils, which all were agreed cried
out for one, destroyed the force of the representations in favour of the
Indians. All were agreed that the actual state of things was intolerable,
but they could not agree upon the remedy to be adopted. In reality no
laws could cope with the situation. A weak, retrograde race of ignorant
people was suddenly brought into contact with the strong, active
Spaniards, who carried with them a civilisation to which the former were
inertly refractory. There was but the one possible outcome, which has
repeated itself throughout the world's history--the weaker race had to go
under. Neither the Utopia of Las Casas nor the laws pro