Sermon Antonio de Montesinos

extract of sermon, @ bottom of 1982 statute in santo domingo

listing injustices indigenous people suffering @ hands of spanish colonists, montesinos proclaimed spanish on island in mortal sin , live , die in it, because of cruelty , tyranny practice among these innocent peoples. according bartolomé de las casas, witness, montesinos asked in attendance:

tell me right of justice hold these indians in such cruel , horrible servitude? on authority have waged such detestable wars against these people dealt quietly , peacefully on own lands? wars in have destroyed such infinite number of them homicides , slaughters never heard of before. why keep them oppressed , exhausted, without giving them enough eat or curing them of sicknesses incur excessive labor give them, , die, or rather kill them, in order extract , acquire gold every day.

shield of dominican order

the sermon outraged conquistadors, including admiral diego columbus, son of christopher columbus, other representatives of king. montesinos s sermon had formative impact upon las casas, heard firsthand. las casas became known advocacy of rights of indigenous peoples of americas.

statute of antonio de montesinos, santo domingo d.r

the primary policy of preaching friars (dominicans) in new world aid , represent aboriginal american indians under spanish , portuguese rules, which fought on 3 centuries.