The Weekly comet. [volume] (Baton Rouge, La.) 1853-1855, 1855-04-01
EtootpNcr.--1t tas been said that

the bfeathings of Genius ave not
breathings; but tangeable realities
something more than mere air-''thin
air, That will live and haze being
III undieipg echoes There il much
more truth than poetry in this express
sion Of a poetic sentiment The fact
of the matter is, that the only real
wealth Of d nation Is it's genius; it is
something that survives the wreck Of
palaces, and pontflcal establishments
it Is more endurable than the mon
ument OF bronze or marble, and is not
affected by changes Of the weather
and the gnawing tooth Of time. The
Pyrimids may crumble and the
"Splinxes" head wear off and become
Observation-Disclosures may be wreck
Of matter and crasll=of worlds, such
MS Mr.. Plato, has spoken genius.
will nevertheless and notwithstanding
survive and ascend The skies from the
smoke and ashes Of an extingtished
world. The following gem Of a speech
attracts our attention in m old num-
Der of "Spirit' and az it is too good
TO perish, we drag it out for public
admiration once again. It was made
before o debating society out Vest,
but it is altogether worthy Of the East
"the place Of light The question
was (which conferred the greatest ben
eft on mankind Mr.. Christopher
Columbus, or Gen. Geo. Washington. :"
10 be prepared for The speech the
reader must admit that "the discovery
Of America, was The greatest inyen-
ton of the age, and his confinement
and death oil the Cannon ball Is
land. the blackest stain on the history
of mankind. The speaker rose and
said
Mr.. President and Gentleman and
Ladies' arise to advocate The affir.
native of this question that is to say
that / affirm that Mr.. Columbus did
greater benefit to mankind than Gen
Washington. In order more fully to
digest the interrogatcry just propoun-
ded, to enter fully into The merits Of
the case. will give brief, suecinct,
and condensed account Of Mr.. Colum-
bus life and exploits Sir. who was
Christopher Columbus Sir, echo
answers, the greatest man Of his times.
Sir, Columbus was the offspring Of a
man Of the slime mime, who was an
indignant basket maker in a small
town called Rome, situated ON the riv-
er Tigers, n stteam which takes its
rise in the PY,anine Mountains, and
flows in a sontli-easterly course into
the Gulf Of Mexico. At an early age
Columbus evineed decided talent for
the sea, and occupied the leisure hours
Of his infancy in pursuing books Of
travel and works on navigation: il
was, while engaged in these pursuits
that lie inadvertently met with the
works Of Robinson md Crnsos, and
Cook, and the definition he made from
them was that far away over tho track
less main, hitherto untrcd1en by the
foot Of man, WINS an undiscovered
country. As he arproaehrd manhood.
he was filed with desire to discover
that country which he so often saw in
his youthful dreams; ac'rated by this
desire, he petitioned the great Pontif-
.cai Pope Of Rome to give him three
yawls aud u jolly-boat to carry ont his
design. That distinguished man ut
first refused, but bis wife Cleopatra,
being pleased with the promising
looks Of Mr.. Columbus, actaated with
a magnanimity which is a caricature
Of her sex, prevailed upon him to grant
Columbus request, whereupon, prosi-
ding his vessel with stores and men
out Of his own pocket, Columbus got
ready, aud on certain day of GER
tain month. and in q certain year, he |
set sail from The Holy Sea of Rome,
and after o long and tempestuous trip,
he set foot, at last, Upon the Plymouth
Rock, in tbe Island of Juan Fernan-
dez it was on that occasion that he
exelaimed-"Breatbes there any man
Eli, 4A LII -. .4...e.4-.I.. - -