Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1851-12-25
4 Western Debating Society.

! Not a great many years ago, traveller,
stop ing over niEht at a Western village,
attended a debating club for amusement
| Tie question for discussion was, Which
conferred the greatest benefit on mankind,
! Mr. Christopher Columbus or Gen. George
Washington ? The following report has
been handed down Of the speeches on the
OCCASION.
Mr. ", the village lawyer, short dapper
looking man, arose, and taking a sup Of
water from the Tin cup which was before
hin, did depose and say
Mr. President and gentlemen and ladies
Il arse to advocate the affirmative of this
question: that is, to affirm that Mr.. Christie.
pher Columbus did greater benefit to man
kind than Gen. Washington. In order
more fully to digest the inerrogatory jus
propoundcd, TO enter fully iuto the merits
Of this case, will give brief, succint and
condensed account Of MIR. Columbus life
and exploits. Sir, who was Christopher
Columbus? Sir, echo answers, the great
est Man Of his time. Sir, Columbus was
the offspring of man Of the same name,
who was an INDECENT basket maker, in a
small town called Rome, situated on the
river Tlgris, stream which takes its ri e
IN the Pyronine Mountains, and flows in a
southeastrrly course into the Gulf of Mex
leo. At an early aye Columbus evinced Il
decided talent for the sea, and occupied the
leisure hours Of his infancy in perusng
books Of travels and works on navigation.
Ii was while engaged in these pursuits that
he inadvertently met with the work of Rob
insvn Crusoe, aud Captain Cook, aud the
definition he made from them was, that far
away ON the lr@cklesS main, hitherto untrod.
den by the foot Of man, was an undiscov.
cred country.
As he approached manhood, he was filled
with a desre to discover that country which
he so offer saw in his youthful dreams ac
tuated by this desire, he pettloncd the great
ponlhca Pope Of Rome, TO give him three
yavIs and a jolly boat to carry ont his de
sign The distinguished man at first refu.
>ed, but his wife, Cleopatra, being pIeqsed
with the promising looks Of Mr.. Columbus,
drtualed with ma1nanlmiIy which is a
carrlcalure Of her sex, prevailed upon him
to grant Cunnbuses request, whereupon,
providing his vessels with stores and men
ont Oh his own pocket. Columbus got ready
and on a certain day Of certain month,
and in a certain year, he set sail from the
HoiY Sea Of Rome, and after a long aud
lempestuons trip he set foot at last on Ply
mouth Rock Ia the island of Juan Fernan-
deH; II was on that occasion that he eX-
caimed-"brealh-s there any man with
soul so perfectly dead, as never to himself
has said, tins is Any own, my native land
Mr. Columbus did not long survive the
h4rdships OF that voyage, and was taken
prisoner by the King OF one OF the Cannon
Ball islands, and with all his crew, cast to
chains and slavery, where he died at an ad.
vanccd age, an laaominious death, with his
Whole crew, leaving no one to tell the tale.
/ Peace To his ashes and their'n.
SIR, the discovery Of this continent was
The greatest discovery of the year 1902
Ferolndez's Island was the stepping stone
to the settlement Of this country, sir.
Look around YOU and behold the populo.
ted world, the United States, North and
South America, Oregon and Asia. Hindos-
ton and BeoIchlstan, England and Turkey.
France and China, aud many Others too nu.
mefoui to mention behold these countries
trayersed 10y steamboats,, railroad cars. and
teegraphs, and ask yourselves, would these
/ things have been done if ii hadnt been for
Columbus! and your reply would certainly
be certainly not, SIR If it hadn't been
for Columbus, Gen. Washington would not
have bren born--but suppose lie had, what
then! what did Washington ever do lhil
was a great benefit 10 his country? Thee
is much SAID about his talents for war. 70
be sure he performed several mastery re-
I eats, but what's that evidence Of sir? it
is that he was coward.
Gen. Washington cowardp screamed
Foster, the Village doctor, in voice Of
thunder. General Washington a coward |!
Who 81 base as to dare to say i'll Look at
him at tie battle ol the Nile look AT him