Carácter de la Conquista Española en América y in México segun los textos de los Historiadores Primitivos . Por Genaro García . (México: Oficina Tipográfica de la Secretaría de Fomento. 1901. Pp. 456.)

It would scarcely be extravagant to say that the industry, the conscientious and critical use of documents, and the boldness of thought apparent in this work make it highly creditable to the historical scholarship of Mexico.

The aim of the author is to give a true conception of the nature of the conquest, first by correcting the point of view, and second by carefully examining the sources. As to the point of view, he begins his introduction with the statement that `from far back it was believed in Spain that there was nothing more meritorious before the people and before God than the slaughter of infidels,' and asserts that `these ideas could not be extirpated by the scythe of civilization.' Then, touching briefly on the way in which they worked themselves out in the persecution of heretics, and especially of Jews and Moors, he concludes that `given such antecedents, without entering into other considerations, it was to be predicted at the time of the discovery of America that the conduct of the Spanish conquerors, whenever they encountered face to face an idolatrous population, would be inhuman.' While it cannot be said that this is by any means a new suggestion, Señor Garcia's use of it is distinguished by a peculiarly high degree of logical consistency.

As to the documents, Señor Garcia claims that most of those sent to Spain by the conquistadores themselves were falsified by the senders in their own interest; and that, while some truthful representations of the facts did reach the Peninsula, they were rigorously kept secret for fear of decreasing the Spanish prestige, of rousing passion, and of sowing discord between the Spaniards in the two worlds. The Spanish chroniclers, he avers, generally wrote in the same spirit and with the same suppression of the truth, the one prominent reliable witness being Las Casas. So `the history of the conquest, grossly falsified, remained a series of laudatory panegyrics for the conquerors and severe diatribes against the natives.' Since, however, the principal Spanish-American colonies have become independent, the publication of the documents in their possession has been going on, though slowly; but in spite of this, modern historians, under the influence of the past, `have continued making, perhaps unconsciously, of the conquest a deceptive picture in which the figures of the Spanish adventurers, although in some degree lessened, appear colossal still;' while the natives `are seen so little and insignificant that they almost pass unnoticed.' `It is necessary, then, that some voice, even if it be at the end of the Nineteenth Century, render due tribute to truth and justice, and at the same time to the outraged memory of the unfortunate natives of America.'

This will suffice to show Señor Garcia's conception of the task he has set himself. How faithfully he addresses himself to it, the pitiful story that he has put together from the sources—in large measure quoted literally—will testify abundantly. On this it is not worth while to dwell, but the reader will find in the footnotes abundant references by which the accuracy of the author can be tested.

One of the most valuable features of the work is an intelligently annotated bibliography, which students of Southwestern history will find very useful.

It is only natural that such a work, written in the spirit of advanced Liberalism, should incur sharp criticism in a country where there is still so much influence wielded by the Clericals. This criticism has found a voice especially in Señor Francisco Sosa, who accuses Señor Garcia of defaming the Spanish race and of abasing the Spanish conquistadores in order to exalt the North Americans. The result has been a considerable output of controversial literature. With all this, however, the reviewer has nothing to do at present. He has only to say that those who do not wish to ignore any standpoint in seeking for the true significance of Spanish-American history cannot afford to neglect this book.

How to cite:
"Carácter de la Conquista Española en América y in México segun los textos de los Historiadores Primitivos", Volume 005, Number 4, Southwestern Historical Quarterly Online, Page 353 - 354. http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/publications/journals/shq/online/v005/n4/review_16.html
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