534
THE NEW LAWS.
earnest solicitation of the indefatigable Las Casas. Mendoza peremptorily forbade them to discuss the question, as it was a matter of state and not of the church. Subsequently, however, a meeting of ecclesiastics, not of the bishops, was held in the Dominican convent, presided over by Las Casas, in which it was finally decided that the enslaving of Indians was unlawful. The decision was translated into the native languages and published throughout New Spain. Bat this action was without significance, except as giving the thrice worthy apostle, for himself and his order, the opportunity of publicly washing his hands of the foul sin of human slavery.
