Christian Abolitionist Movement: Spain

American abolition
Figure 1.--

A Puerto Rican planter, Julio Vizcarrando, became the main figure in the Spanish abolitionist movement. The organized the first meeting of the Sociedad Abolicionista Española in Madrid (1864). Two other Puertoricans were involved (JosñAcosta and Joaquín Sanromá). Spanish liberals (Emilio Castelar, Juan Valera, Segimundo Moret, Nanuel Vecerra, and Nicolás Salmerón). Vizcarrando proved particularly important because he was so knowledgeable, both about slavery and the United States. He was married to Harriet Brewster of Philadelphia, an accomplished agitator for abolition. Vizcarrando has already freed his slaves, spoke publically against slavery, and set up a house of charity in San Juan. He adopted the same emblem for the Spanish abolition movement that had been used in Britain--a chained slave praying for deliverance. He helpestablish branches in Barcelona, León, Saragossa, and Seville. He helped found a socially oriented journal--the Revista Hispano-Americano. The first issue carried an impasioned plea for ending the Cuban slave trade as the first step in colonial reforms. Committees organinized in Spanish began asking basic questions about slavery. [Thomas, p. 781.] This showed how the American abd British abolitionist campaigns had made little impact in the Iberian Peninsula, in part because the very traditional Spanish Catholic Church, unlike Protestant churches had played such a limited role in the abolitionist movement.

Spanish Slavery

Slavery gradually declined in Europe during the Middle Ages, but never entirely sisappeared. In Spain the Moors kept Christian slaves and the Christians Moorizh slaves. They were used as agricultural labor as well as galley slaves. Wars with the Moors resulted in captives and new slaves. Castille was primarily a land power, but Aragon had Mediterranean possessions and galleys continued to be used in the Mediterranean as late as the 16th century. Castille conquered the Canary islands and insladed much of the population (15th century). Spanish land owners also bought captive Africans from the Portuguese who were moving south along the western coast of Africa. As a result, at the time of the Reconquista and Columbus' voyage, there was aell establish slave system, strongly associated with religon (Islam) and race (Black Africans).

Spanish Colonies

The Spanish were the first to implant colonies in the Ameica. First on Hispniols and then Puerto Rico amd Cuba. The slaves were at first Nsative Americans. But a comination of mistreatment and European diseases soon desimated the relatively small Native American populstions of the islands. While the Spanish colonists were decimating Native American populatuions, im Spsin Bartlomew de las Casas was leading a debate over the nature of Native Americans and how they should be treated. As the debate raged, the colonists began importing captive Africans to enslave. The Native American populations on the mainland were much larger. They too were decimated, but not wiped out as on the islands. The Spanish colonists enslaved Native Americans, but over time through the creation of the Encomienda System, Native American people took on the roles of serfs, although the difference between slsves and serfs was not great. Some Afrcans were imported as slaves, but primarily to work in the coastal lowlads of Venezuela, Colombia, Central America, Mexico, ad Ecuador. Except for the Caribbean sugar islands, the role of slavery in Hispano-America was much less imporant than in Luso-America (Brazil). The new republics that achieved independence from Spain abolished slavery (1810s-20s). The Spanish retained possession of their Caribbean islands (Cuba and Puerto) and slavery continued there for decades..

African Slave Trade

The African slave trade is generlly viewed as a European undertaking. In fact both African chiefs and Arabs played major roles. The Arabs were the first to enter the African slave trade. Arabs after their emergence grom the Arabian Peninsula in the 7th century not only moved into Mesopotamia and North Africa, but also dominated the eastern Indin Ocean, Arabs traders gradually established trading posts along the African Indian Ocean ports. Slaves could be sold to the Arab traders operating from Indian Ocean ports. As the powers of the Arabs increased they began raids on villages to seizes blacks that could be sold in Middle Eastern slave markets. A new outlet appeared in the 15th century. Portuguese explorers began voyages south along the Atlantic coast of Africa. The Portuguese were looking for a route to Asia, but as they moved south they began setting up trading posts. First the Portuguese established trading posts along the coast of West Africa, but gradually moved further south along the coast. Other European maritime powers followed suit. This was the beginning of the African slave trade. The Europeans differed from the Arabs in that they did not normally conduct raids themselves, but usually bougth slaves from Arab slave brokers and African chiefs. As the demand for slaves expanded, whole areas of Africa were depopulated.

American Wars for Independence (1800s-20s)

The diplomatic landscape changed during and after the Napoleonic Wars. One after another, the South American countries became independent republics. The Caribbean islands, except for Haiti, remained in European hands. The most important country here was Brazil with a substanti-slave based economy. This complicated the diplomatic effort creating many new jurisdictions thstv hd to be dealt with, The South American countries did not possess many vessels that prticipted in the slave trade, but they cooperated to vay degrees with the slavers--espeially Brazil. The large market for slaves in Brazil and the short run from Africa to Brazilin ports made interdiction difficult. Cuba was also important, but remained in Spanish hands.

Ending the Slave Trade (1835)

Spain lost most of its American Empire in the early 19th century. This reduced, but did not end the Spanish interest in the slave trade. It retained Cuba and Puerto Rico in the Caribbean. And Cuba was a particularly valuable colony as a result of the slave-based sugar industry. Spain finally signed a treaty with Britain abolishing the slave trade, granting Britain the the right to search Spanish-flag vessels suspected of slaving, established a Mixed Commissions, authorising that vessels equipped for the slave trade be condemned and broken up, and declaring that slaves liberated by the Mixed Commission should be delivered to the government whose cruiser made the capture (1835). I am not sure at this time as to what poltical developments in Spain prompted the Spanish Government to make these commitments. It did not end, however, Spanish slavers trying to smuggle slaves to the Caribbean, primarily Cuba.

Cuba and Puerto Rico

While Spain officially ended the slave trade (1835), slavery continued on the two remaining Spanish colonies in the America--Cuuba and Puerto Rico. In fact the slzave trade did not end. Slavers continued delivering captive iszlands to both islands. The relatively small Spanish Navy made no serious effort to stop the slvers. And Spanish officials on the two islands commonly turned a blind eye on the traffic. Cuba is the large Caribbean island and has large flat areas ideal for sugar plantations. Not country is more perfectly suited for growing sugar cane. Cuba was by far the most important with its profuctive sugar plantations. Puerto Rico was amaller islans with less land suitable for plantation agriculture. [Figueroa]

Troubles on Cuba (1854)


Spanish Catholic Church

The failure of Spain to develop an abolitionist movement in the 18th and early-19th century is in part because of the very traditional Spanish Catholic Church, unlike Protestant churches had played such a limited role in the abolitionist movement.

Sociedad Abolicionista Española (1864)

Two Caribbeans played a key role in the Spanish abolitiomist movement. One was Cuban-born Rafael María Lsbra. Second was a Puerto Rican planter, Julio Vizcarrando. They became the main figures in the Spanish abolitionist movement. The organized the first meeting of the Sociedad Abolicionista Española in Madrid (1864). Two other Puertoricans were involved (JosñAcosta and Joaquín Sanromá). Spanish liberals (Emilio Castelar, Juan Valera, Segimundo Moret, Nanuel Vecerra, and Nicolás Salmerón). Vizcarrando proved particularly important because he was so knowledgeable, both about slavery and the United States. He was married to Harriet Brewster of Philadelphia, an accomplished agitator for abolition. Vizcarrando has already freed his slaves, spoke publically against slavery, and set up a house of charity in San Juan. He adopted the same emblem for the Spanish abolition movement that had been used in Britain--a chained slave praying for deliverance. He also helped stablish branches in Barcelona, León, Saragossa, and Seville.

Revista Hispano-Americano

Vizcarrando helped found a socially oriented journal--the Revista Hispano-Americano. The first issue carried an impasioned plea for ending the Cuban slave trade as the first step in colonial reforms.

Supporters

There were Spanish advicates of slavery. This was primarilhy economic. The planters, especially on Cuba, strongly advocated for a continuation of the system. There were also Spainards who has racist attitudes toward blacks, although this current was less pronounced than it had been in Britain and America. A popular journalist , José Ferrer de Couto wrote, " the so-called slave trade is ... the redemtion of slaves and prioners. He and others thought that the slaves were better off working on a Caribbean sugar plantation than in pagan, darkest Africa. [Ferrer de Couto]

National Discussion

Committees organinized in Spanish began asking basic questions about slavery. [Thomas, p. 781.] This showed how the American abd British abolitionist campaigns had made little impact on the Iberian Peninsula.

Cortes Debate (1865)

Abolitionist agitation and the national dicussion which resilted enboldened the linerals in the Cortes. A motion for anolition was presented (May 6, 1865). Diputado Antonio María Fabie seconded the motion and delivered an impassioned oration. "The war in the United states is finished and, it being finished, slavery on the whole American continednt can be taken as finished Is it possible to keep ... this institution in the [Spanish] dominions? I don't think so. .... The Government must comply with its great onligations." Interestingly, Fabie inssisted that Spanish slavery was more benighn than Anglo-Saxon ( British and American) slavery. "In all the history pf slsvery, no country has known how to orgamize it as Spain has, no country has made the situation of the Negro more elevated or, at times, more sweet. .... This explains why we have preserved the institution longer than in other countries." [Thomas, 781-82.] The result was not abolition, but the Cortes passed a strong bill with strong venforcement provisions to end the slave trade (1866). Before the bill could be promulgated, the Seargeant's Revolt broke out which terrified the Queen and in the ensuing disorder, the Cortes was suspended and the Queen turned to General Narváez. br>

Colonial Commission: Puerto Rican/Cuban Split (1866)

A commission of Puerto Rican and Cuban liberals arrived in Madrid after the Spanish Army had restored order. General Narváez allowed them to meet with the Colonies Minister, Alehandro de Castro. The Puerto Rican representaives eventually proposed abolition. The Cubans were shocked. While not defending slavery, the Cubans wanted a more gradual approch aznd adcovated politival power for the criollos as first step. This would be followed by gradual emancipation over 7 years abd compensation to the planters. They discussed an aveage figure of $450 per slave. [Corwin, 189 ff.] The Commission discussed other matters, including Chinese labor. As the slave trade had been outlawed, the planters had begun importing Chinese labot. At the time the Commission met, there were about 100,000 Chinese laborers on Cuba. The Commission afkourned (April 1867). No actual actions followed from the discussions. General Narváez was prepared to allow the duscussions, but not to take any actual steps toward abolition. And stridently pro-slavery Captain General, General Francisco Lersundi was put in place on Cuba. Lersundi was an ex-Caralist and Minister of War who was best known for supressing a 1848 revolt.

First Cuban War of Independence (1868-78)

. The first major armed action was the War of the Ten Years (1868-1878). A poorly equipped army of 8,000 Cubans fought a valiant struggle against aell-armed Spanish army which suffered some 80,000 casualties. The revolutionaries which failed to fight a centrally organized campaign finally had to give up with the Pact of the Trench, although General Antonio Maceo issued the protest of Baraguá.

Spanish Revolution of 1868

Unsuspecing Queen Isabella travelled to Spain to sign an alliance with Emperor Napoleon III (1808-73). Admiral Juan Bautista Topete y Carballo (1821-85) used the occassion to issue a revolutionary proclamation at Cadiz (September 18, 1868). Popular uprisings broke out in Madrid and other major cities. Army oligarchs led by Francisco Serrano y Domínguez led the Evolution of 1868. Queen Isabellammediately returned. So did exiled liberal generals. This included Juan Prim y Prats (1814-70). The two sides massed their forces. Rebel forces led by General Francisco Serrano (1810-85) decisively defeated the Royalists commanded by General Manuel Pavia y Lacy (1814-96)at the Battle of Alcolea, near Cordoba (September 28, 1868). The Queen had no choice but to seek refuge in France. The rebels declared her deposed. Progressive conspirators behind Prim were also involved. Democrats actively organized juntas. Most of the juntas supported the Federal Republicans indluenced by French anarchist Pierre-Joseph Proudhon. They were led by Francisco Pi i Margall. These Democratic intellectuals’ provided a radical democratic ethos to the actions of the military leaders. The rebels formed a provisional government was established which rescinded thd reactionary laws and proceeded to take rake many blong-advivated liberal measures. They abolished the Jesuits and other religious orders, enacted universal suffrage, and proclaimed freedom of the press. The provisional government was led by Serrano and Prim. They called for a constituent assembly (Cortes). The Cortes promulgated a new constitution which continued a monarchical government. The new government was perhaps the most progressive, democratic eras in Spain during the 19th century.

Moret's Anti-Slavery Act

The abolitionist move had an increasing influence on the Spanish public. Mass demonstrations were organized Perhaps 15,000 people demonstrated in Madrid (1873). [Schmidt-Nowara, p. 152] Moret's anti-slavery law was a compromise approach. It instituted a harsh apprenticeship system as the first step toward freedom for the freed slaves. Full freedom was set for 1886.

Emancipation on Puerto Rico

Spain's revolutionary process brought emancipation to Puerto Rico (1873).

Emancipation on Cuba

Slave end in Cuba after the conservative restoration of the Bourbon monarchy (1874-76) and the truce ending the Ten Years War (1878). [Scott, p. 194.]

Sources

Corwin, Arthur F. Spain and the Abolition of Slacery in Cuba.

Ferrer de Couto, José. Los negros en sus diversos estados y condiciones

Figueroa, Luis Antonio. Sugar, Slavery, and Freedom in Nineteenth-century Puerto Rico.

Schmidt-Morwara. Empire and Antislavery (1999).

Scott, Rebecca. Slave Emancipstion

Thomas, Hugh. The Slave Trade: The Story of the Atlantic Slave Trade, 1440-1870.






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Created: 2:38 AM 4/30/2010
Last updated: 2:38 AM 4/30/2010