ublishing his book in Spain, Sepulveda sent it to Rome
where the censorship of the press was freer and where, in fact, the
condemned dialogue was printed, together with the author's _Apologia_
addressed to the Bishop of Segovia. An edition of the work was prepared
in Spanish for the benefit of those who did not read Latin, but the
Emperor forbade the entrance of the one and the other into Spain.

Las Casas took but the time necessary to master the propositions of
Sepulveda, before he seized the cudgels in defence of his Indians. From
this moment the controversy took another complexion. Sepulveda had so far
crossed weapons with learned theologians, men of study rather than of
action, who carried on the dispute along purely scholastic lines and
according to the recognised rules governing debates between scholars.

His new adversary, who was the best informed man in the world on the
special subject under dispute, transferred the debate from academic to
practical ground, of every foot of which he was master. Though inferior
in learning to the polished humanist, who affected to regard him as a
furious fanatic whose crude Latin shocked his scholarly sensibilities, Las
Casas was his match in fervid eloquence, overmatched him in the ardour of
his feelings, and ended by pulverising him under the weight of facts he
hurled upon him.

The controversy assumed such proportions that the Emperor, in the fashion
of the times, ordered the India Council to assemble in Valladolid in
conjunction with certain theologians and scholars, to decide whether or no
wars for conquest might be justly waged against the Indians. (71) Before
this learned jury both Las Casas and Sepulveda were summoned to appear in
1550.

In the first session of the assembly, Sepulveda stated his propositions
and expounded his defence of them, presenting, under four heads, his
reasons why it was lawful to make war on the Indians:

1. Because of the gravity of their sins, particularly the practice of
idolatry and other sins against nature.
2. Because of the rudeness of their heathen and barbarous natures,
which oblige them to serve those of more elevated natures, such as
the Spaniards possess.
3. For the spread of the faith; for their subjection renders its
preaching easier and more persuasive.
4. On account of the harm they do to one another, killing men to
sacrifice them and some, in order to eat them.

These reasons