Liberty advocate., 1837-12-19
LIBERTY, (sI) TUESDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1897

anliquity--the Pyramids and Temples
the Symbols Of Egypt and Persia-thc
broken coIumn--the Triglyphs and Ne
topes-the ancient military roads and mill
tary starions-but their history remains
yet to be written--the hands that reared
them, the nations that inhabited them, and
the period OF their erection are yot to be
discovered by our countrymen, and we
cannot doubt in reference TO the spirit and
enterprise, the geniusand perseverance, OF
Americans, that We shall yet have amongst
us our Bruces, Neiburns, BursardS, Cham
pollions, &c.
1t is now several years since our otten-
tion was drectedto this subject, from read
ing correspondence which had taken
1pace between DR.. Cory Of Tobasco. .anc
DR.. Mitchell Of this city, which wasl sur AZ
sequently kept up by DR. Ackerly, .nl'
prepared and read very interesting Pa
per Of America Antiquitued before theLy'
ceum Of Natural History, in 1888.
DR.. Cory has been engaged Tor many
years in making researches among the
ruins of that famous city OF Palenque, IN
collecting materials for history, and lorm-
ing museum of idols, symboiicsculPJare,
papyrua, &c. &c, del Rio, in sretor ring 70
the antiquities called by the Spdniards
"Casas Piedras," or stone. hoascs,. speak
of an extraordinary ruin in Iucatan,twen-
ty leagues south of the city of Merida.
Gone of these, Essays Del Rio, large
building, has withstood the ravages OF
time, and still exists in good preservation.
The natives give it the name of 'Okmuta.
Ii stands on an eminence Of twenty yards
height, and measures two hundred yards
on each facade.-The apartment, the OK
terror corridor, the pillars with tGures IN
medic relieve, and decorated with serPen's,
! lizards, &c. formed in stucco. Besides
these there are statues of men with palms
| in their hands, in the act OF beating drums,
and dancing, resembling in every respect
those observable in the building at IA
lenoue." Del Rio was Spanish Captain
of Artillery, who, as far back as 1886,
visited Central America, and made the
most interesting discoveries OF ancient
temples, aqueducts, statues, hIeroglyphics'
&c. &c, drawings of all which, togeth-
er with his report to the Spanish govern
ment, from Jealous and suspicious mollVes'
were concealed from the world until the
Mexican revolution, when Signor Cabrera
discovered the papers and perused the IN
quiries.
1t is Cabrcru's opinion, and there seems
to be no doubt of its accuracy, mat these
extraordinary temples md r"'"oo' nav
their origin from the Carthaglnlans-tha'
they visited America before the Christian
Era. and that the first colony sent tt
America by them was previous to the hrs
Punic war, which commenced IN the 49oii
wear of Rome, and the 255th year oeiof'
Christ. and that they established the king
dom Of Anahuac some period during the
first Punic war. Professor Ratfnesque has
lone been engaged ii pursuing this en-
ouirv. and in his work contends that there
we're NEGROES in America before the dis
, coverv bv Columbus. His researches, 10
oether with Waldeck, Dr. Cory, an(
others, promise the most interesting re
suits. Our object at present is to eau th'
attention Of the Library Committee OF Coi,
. gress to the fact that Lord Llngsboroug
has published splendid work on the rum
! or Central America, Mexico and Peru, an
, particularly the ruins known as Tultocon
principally pyramids, Aqueducts, wa
fnrts. and Temples. The cost Of thu
> Great work is little beyond the ordInar
. means Of private individuals--apout>a
!, hundred dollars, but it is Of the first m
! portance that Congress should have cop
\ In the Library, and, indeed, i possible,
! authorise a proper commission to nstfu'
d inquiries into the extraordinary reliqu'
! Of antiquity, found in a country suppose
! ~ have been discovered few hund r'
I wears. 1t will not be long betofe Mexl'
q and Central America will be ylslleo. Is !
" t-rov,Ilers - with as much avidity as Egyl
4 Turkey and Greece.