ry different characters.

Everyone knows the peculiar circumstances in which the Inquisition was
established in the time of the Catholic sovereigns; yet it is worthy of
remark that the bull of establishment was solicited by Queen Isabella;
that is, by one of the most distinguished sovereigns in our history--by
that Queen who still, after three centuries, preserves the respect and
admiration of all Spaniards. Isabella, far from opposing the will of the
people in this measure, only realized the national wish. The Inquisition
was established chiefly against the Jews. Before the Inquisition
published its first edict, dated Seville, in 1481, the Cortes of Toledo,
in 1480, had adopted severe measures on the subject. To prevent the
injury which the intercourse between Jews and Christians might occasion
to the Catholic faith, the cortes had ordered that unbaptized Israelites
should be obliged to wear a distinctive mark, dwell in separate quarters,
called _juiveries_, and return there before night. Ancient regulations
against them were renewed; the professions of doctor, surgeon,
shopkeeper, barber, and tavern-keeper were forbidden them. Intolerance
was, therefore, popular at that time. If the Inquisition be justified in
the eyes of friends to monarchy, by conformity with the will of kings, it
has an equal claim to be so in the eyes of lovers of democracy.

No doubt the heart is grieved at reading the excessive severities
exercised at that time against the Jews; but must there not have been
very grave causes to provoke such excesses? The danger which the Spanish
monarchy, not yet well established, would have incurred if the Jews, then
very powerful on account of their riches and their alliances with the
most influential families, had been allowed to act without restraint, has
been pointed out as one of the most important of these causes. It was
greatly to be feared that they would league with the Moors against the
Christians. The respective positions of the three nations rendered this
league natural; this is the reason why it was looked upon as necessary to
break a power which was capable of compromising anew the independence of
the Christians. It is necessary also to observe that at the time when the
Inquisition was established the war of eight hundred years against the
Moors was not yet finished. The Inquisition was projected before 1474; it
was established in 1480, and the conquest of Granada did not take place
till 1492. Thu