Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1851-09-26
From the New York Spirit of the Times.
A Wisconsin Debating Society.

1t was good many years ago that horseman might
have been seen alighting from his jaded steed, at
the close of pleasant day in the fall of the year. in
front of substantial looking tavern in the village of
J., and State of Wisconsin. A few moments
later he might have been seen carefully directing
the bostler to give proper attention to his painting
horse; and few moments later still he might have
been seen devouring with avidity the substantial
meal spread before him in the supper-room of his
host All this might have been seen, and more too,
if you, gentle reader. had been there to see.
- Landlord" said the dismounted horSeman, as he
pulled away at Cuba short six, landlord, any
amusements in the village tonight meeting, sing
ing-school, or anything q"
E'Well no, stranger replied the host, mot ex-
actly any amusements if you'd only come little
sooner now for we had Howe & Mabus's Circus here
week ago, and they had first rate clown. But
thars Debatin Club to the school-house to-
night; spos'n you 60 over 2"
Rejoiced to find anything wherewith to while away
the tedious hours of MI ht traveller assented,
and to the &c Debatin' Club" he went. The house
country schoolhouse, and I presume that
you, kind reader, know how it must hare looked for
who is there in this ger-reat and gel-orlous kedn-
try that has not seen one! There, mounted upon
his throne in that temple of knowledge, sat the vii
lage ex-ofcio the President of the So
ciety-the counterfeit presentment Of Dominic Samp-
son, of 'prodigious notoriety In front of the old
dominic sat the Secretary, is usual while near at
hand the debaters for the evening occupied the desks
room crowded-au J. had gathered there,
her beauty and her chivalry.
The house was called to order, the minutes of
the preceding meeting were read and adopted" the
Report of the Committee on 6 Hezekiah Pitcher,
charged with non payment of dues; offered and
laid on the table, when the Chair and said
Is the house ready for the question q
''Aye! e." cried dozen voices.
And the Chair proceeded -
"Gentlemen-the question for this evening is,
oh &ho ind
Mr.. Christopher Columbus, or General George Wash
ngton On the affirmative Messrs. Van Dreezer,
Duzenbury, and Pen1 on the negative, Messrs.
Foster, Millgan, and Sampson. Mr.. Van Dreezer
has the floor
Mr.. ", the village lawyer, a smart, dapper-look-
ing man, arose. and, taking sup of water from the
tin cup which before him, did depose and say
Mr.. President and Gentlemen and LADIES'
arise to advocate the affirmative of this question
that is to say, that ] affirm that Mr.. Christopher
Columbus did greater benefit to mankind than
did General Washington. In order fully to
digest the interrogatory just propounded, to enter
fully into the merits of the case, will give brief,
succinct, and condensed account of Mr.. Columbus's
life and exploits. SIR who Christopher Column
bus Sir, echo answers, the greatest of his
times. Sir. Columbus was the offspring of man of
the name, who was an INDECENT basket-maker
in small town called Rome, situated the river
Tigers, stream which takes its rise in the Pyranine
mountains, and flows in south-easterly course into
evinced decided talent for the sea, and occupied
the leisure hours of his infancy in perusng books of
travel and works navi cation; it was while en-
gagged in these pursuits that he inadvertently met
with the works of Robinson and Crusoe and Captain
Cook and the definition he made from them was
that far away over the trackless main, hitherto
trodden by the foot of man, was undiscovered
country. As he approached manhood, he was filled
with desire to discover that country which he so
often saw in his youthful dreams actuated by this
locS h. Cd khn al &c
Rome to give him three yawls and jolly-boat to
carry out his designs. That distinguished man at
first refused, but his wife Cleopatra being pleased
with the promising looks of Mr.. Columbus, actuated
with magnanimity which is carricature of her
sex, prevailed upon him grant Columbus's request
whereupon, providing his vessels with stores and
men out of his own pocket Columbus got ready, and
certain day of certain month, and in certain
year. he sat sail from the Holy Sea of Rome, and af
ter long and tempestuous trip he set foot, at last,
upon the Plymouth Rock, in the Island of Juan Fer
nandez; it was On that occasion that he exclaimed
= Breathes there with soul so perfectly dead
as never to himself has said, this is my own, my
tive land y
"sir, Mr.. Columbus did not long survive the hard
ships of that voyage and finally taken prisoner
by the King of the Cannon-ball Islands, and, with
all his crew, cast into chains and slavery, where he
died. at an advanced age, ignominious natural
DEATH with his whole crew, leaving not one to tell
the tale. Peace to his ashes and their'n.
discovery OF LnlS comment was the grea-
test invention of the year 1892 Fernandezs Island
was the stepping stone to the settlement of this
country, sir. Look around you, and behold
the populated world, the United States, North
and South America, Oregon and ASIA Hndoostan
and Belorchistan England and Turkey, France and
China, and many others, too numerous to mention
behold these countries traversed by steamboats, rail-
roads and telegraphs and ask yourself would these
things have been if it hadn't been for Columbus :!
and your reply would certainly be, Certainly not,
SIR If it hadn't been for Mr. Columbus, Gen. Wash
ington wouldn't have been born-but suppose he
had, what then What did Washington ever do that
was great benefit to this country? There is much
said about his talsnts for To be sure, he per-
formed several mastery retreats but what's that
evidence of? Sir, it is that he a coward
General Washington a coward !" screamed Fos-
ter, village doctor, in a voice of thunder. s. Cen
eral Washington a coward who so base dare say
it? Look at him at the battle of the Nile look at
him at Waterloo the Cowpens on the plains of Mar
athon. at the Pyramids, at Stlman's Defeat at Bad
Axe; and, sir, look at him at the battle of New Or
leansl'
sGineral Washington at the battle of New Or
| leans !" exclaimed huge backwoodsman, gesticula
ting violently. Mr.. Speaker, is there such an g
noramus in the house Sir, any school-boy know.
that the battle of New Orleans was fit before Gener
al Washington was born. Let the gentleman read
Plutarchs lives, the lives of the Signers of the Dec
laration oflndependence, let him read Arkwright
History of the Black Hawk war. and he'll find tina
General Henry Dodge fit the battle of Nesc Orleans
Here the noise and confusion became so great tina
| our traveller might have been seen vending his wa
| to the inn, wiser man than when he arrived a