The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 6, July 1902 - April, 1903 Page: 255

Book Reviews and Notices.

255

ico under President Juarez," by Clarence Ousley; "Louisiana His-
tory in Government Documents," by William Beer; "How the News
of the Assassination of President Lincoln was Received by the Con-
federate Prisoners on Johnson's Island," by John W. Inzer; "Flor-
ida Historical Documents," by Edwin L. Green; and "The Ross
Family," by Thomas M. Owen. Among the documents printed in
this number is a letter of John C. Calhoun's which escaped Prof.
Jameson's search.
Dos Antiguas Relaciones de la Florida. By Genaro Garcia.
(M6xico: J. Aguilar y Comp. (S. en C.) 1902. Quarto, Pp. CII,
226.)
Under the above title Sefior Garcia publishes for the first time
two valuable documents, namely Vida y Hechos de Pero Menendez
de Aviles, etc., by Bartolom6 Barrientos, and Relacion de los Traba-
jos que la Gente de Una Nao Llamada Nra Se~ora de la Merced
Padecio, etc., by Fray Andr6s de San Miguel.
Sefior Garcia's introduction to the volume, occupying more than
ninety pages, is divided into three chapters. The first is made up
of biographical and bibliographical notes on the authors whose
works he publishes. Chapter II, entitled "La Florida," contains
nine sections, devoted respectively to early explorers, to Juan Ponce
de Le6n, Lucas Vasquez de Ayll6n, Pinfilo de Narvaez, Hernando
de Soto Jean Ribaut, RenB de Laudonniere, Pedro Menendez de
Avil6s, and to the natives. In the third chapter, treating of the
natives of America under Spanish rule, Sefior Garcia writes in a
vein in keeping with his recently published Caricter de la Con-
quista Espaiola en America y en M&xico segin los Textos de los
Historiadores Primitivos (reviewed in THI QUARTERLY, Vol. VI,
No. 1). He exhibits from the Spanish historians themselves the
harsh treatment received by the natives at the hands of the conquis-
tadores. Nor does he spare the Spanish rulers, but charges them
with not taking care to properly regulate the management of the
Indians in the interest of humanity. He disproves of calling Isa-
bella protector of the natives, and accuses Charles V. of neglect to
clothe the local authorities in America with power to proceed against
individuals guilty of ill treatment of the Indians. Although this
chapter is not a constructive study of Spanish colonial institutions,
it throws valuable light on some phases of the question with which it