0F ALIERICA—CABOT. 3

garded their invaders as supernatural spirits sent

down by the gods of thunder. Before they discovered the fatal delusion, the criti-

cal period for defending their country had passed away; and they did not ascertain that White men were vulnerable until they became their conquerors.

The cruelty and treachery of the Spaniards, until they completely subjugated the natives, and became ‘ masters of their fine and rich country, admit of no parallel, in the annals of civilized nations, and afford a powerful argument to redeem the savage state of man from being considered more cruel, base, and unprincipled, than that of refined society.

The Spaniards having thus, by priority of dis- covery, and by force, injustice, cruelty, and treachery, possessed themselves of the richest territories, the English, and other European nations, had either to make farther discoveries, or be content with their dominions in the Old World. The ambition and pride of England would not, however, allow her to remain inactive, while the Portuguese succeeded in finding a new way on the ocean to the East Indies, and while Spain made the glorious discovery of a new hemisphere.

Henry VlI., accordingly, in 1496, granted to John Cabot, or Gabotta, a Venetian, a commission to navi- gate all parts of the ocean, for the purpose of dis- covering islands, countries, and provinces, either of Gentiles or infidels, which had been hitherto un— known to all Christian people, with power to set up