The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-02-24

TO The Editors of the ". y Eoening Post
have read with interest the valuable informa-
ton given by Mr.. Washington irving concerning
the several htenesses of the dscoverer OF America,
and concerning the arbitrary change of his name
from Colon to Columbus II is allowed by Mr..
Irving that his signature was Cristopdi Colon " to
the capitulations entered into 18th April, 1892, be-
tween him and Ferdinand and isabella.' III IL the
name he acknow ledged, and desired TO be known
by, in his letters and public acts Colon, in my
view, is the true name by which he desired TO trans-
init his discoveries to postcrity. That he may
have been called by othCs, when in obscurity, Co
lomo-m istaking the m for an nor Colomus-the
Italian--or Latin for Colon (thc only name he
signed, believe, in Spain) should not in his
tory change IL from the one he chose to be recog-
missed by. ] am led to this conclusion, as his son
Ferdinand, in placing slab TO the memory of his
father at the west entrance OF the cathedral in Sc
vile, has this inscription on IL
GA Castillo Leon
Nuevo mundo dio Colon"
Translated To CASTLE and Leon Colon gave n
new world.
As respects an authentic portrait of Colon, you
may rccollect expressed my wish to compare the
picture discovered by MIR. Cnss with the one pre-
scented by his descendant to the Royal Exchange,
London, when that institution was founded by the
govornment-fire- proof--in which 20 deposit bis
correspondence and that Of the several discoveries
and conquerors in South America.
Cristova Colon is painted in large letters at the
bottom of the Seville portrait, and it answers to
the letter tho description given by his son, quoted
by Mr.. Irving, to wit: 'Elis visagc was long, and
neither full nor meagre; the cheek bones rather
high, his aquilino, his eyes light his complex
ION fair and high colorcd [" This is description
of the portrait in Seville, and of n perfect copy,
before which write, executed in Seville in 1916 by
of the fret painters In that city. In this pic
ture the age represented ia about fifty five, with
grey imperial and moustaches The hair is grey or
as white any painter to latter, would put on az
young countcnnncc The face is Italian, thou ght-
ful, with great decision of character.
As to the ruff, to which MIR Irving takes oxcep-
ton, and perhaps with proprety as a fashion, he
believes, introduced into Spain from Flanders, by
Charles y. about ten years after the death OF the
admirni--I would remark that Spain had constant
intercourse with Flanders before Charles arrived in
Spain, and the ruff was in in England, from
whence II may have come, or from Flanders
when the admiral's brother Bartholomew was at
the court of Henry the VII. to get the King to en-
terrain his brothers. "pon Of the world" On the
ruff alone, in my view, the likeness in Seville
should not be questioned.
As an argument In favor Of its originality,
would mention that there only two portraits
introduced into the Royal Exchange-one of The
Discopertr, tho other of the Conquoor of Mexico
The truthinlness of that OF Cortez is proved by
likeness painted in Mexico Of him, and found Their,
by General Scotps army-a copy of which the lat,
Major Kirby, Of Brownville, Jefferson county
brought with him. HE tells me il is like tn,
Seville picture OF Cortez, except being Of a NOR,
full and robust habit II the Cortez picture ia orr
gnal, it 10 an argument in favor of it's companion
Colon.
AZ 20 The likeness presented to our Government
by the late George G., Darrell, our former consu
at Mslaga-the enc, suppose, destroyed by hrt
in the library it is no loss. II did not answer e
the description by his son any better than the IKE