Expulsion of the Jesuit Order

The Society of Jesus has played a very active part in the history of our country through the years both as agents of the Counter-Reformation and as facilitators of the colonization and conversion of the Americas. Through the centuries the order has come to wield considerable political power, especially in the colonies, where it has over time grown to become something of a nuisance. Our colonial administrators and landowners complain that the Jesuits protect runaway Indian slaves and that some of their reductions take up valuable land that would serve much better as a direct part of our country. The Order has also used its influence more than once to deflect or prevent our political goals and many suspect they support autonomy for our colonial possessions. The defenders of the Jesuits, however, claim that they bring many indirect benefits to our colonies and that we will see far from beneficial long term effects from expelling the order.