Monmouth weekly herald. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1854-1860, 1857-12-10
Original skett9es,
For the Monmouth Weekly Herald.
AMERICA.

Wild are thy plains Columbia,
Thy plains of evergreen;
And neer before upon thy shore,
Were foreign footprints seen;
But thro' thy groves thessavage rov'd,
Where mountain streamlets flow,
When brave Columbia crossed the seas.
Four hundred years agop'
Four hundred years ago Let us cast
glance back at that period. Away in
the sunny lands of Italy there lived a
poor wool-comber, Domenico Colombo by
name. This wool comber had son
Christofero he was called. He possessed
all those energies of character which led
to ambitious thoughts, and high achieve
ments. At an early age, the boy evinced
a strong passion for geographical knowl
edge; and an irresistible inclination for
the sea. We will not follow him through
his life, but as he advanced in years, a
desire came over him to sail far over the
unknown ocean in search of new land
1t was stupendous undertaking for the
times. He was without means, and had
to contend with the ridicule of ignorance
and the prejudices of superstition. For
eighteen years he sought for encourage
ment and means: and, he might never
have accomplished his enterprise, had not
Isabella queen Of Spain, looked with ia
vor upon the persevering petitioner. She
furnished him with the necessary means
and on Friday, August 3, 1892 the adven,
turer set sail from the Old World. His
success is known.
This fair land was made known to the
inhabitants of the Eastern Hemisphere
What has been its rising progress? The
spark that the Italian adventurer lit on
it's shores, glowed and increased, until it
is now as pyramid of flaming fire. firm
and mistaken. Look at the country at
that remote AEGEAN unbroken forest
threw its leafy canopy over the land, and
in it the wild beasts found their lairs.-
Mighty herds of Bufaloes, and wild
horses, roved over the broad plains, and
the Deer, and the Elk, and other noble
game were found in abundance. 1t was
the hunters paradise. The same sun that
now rises and sets before our gaze, then
shown upon another race Of beings. The
red man then held undisputed possession
Of this fair land. The smoke of their
council fires arese In graceful columns
through the trees; and their cone like
cabins dotted every hill and valley. The
slender arrow whizzed through the air:
and the shout Of the red hunter was borne
upon the breeze. All this has disappear
ed before the broad march Of civilization.
Behold! look again at the present time.
How great the change? Cultivated acres
mark the spot, where, once the forest
monarchs reared their heads; and the
humble wigwam has disappeared, and on
its site, towers the imposing structures OF
the white man (Cities) and (towns) loom
up to meet the gaze; and their business
hum rings cheerfully upon the ear. The
breath of the iron horse rolls in heavy
volumes over our (cities) and (towns9 and
his iron track extends from the north tc
the south, and from the east unto the far
west. The electric fluid flashes along its
thread-like path, which extends to the
utmost limits of our country. The sun.
light is reflected back from the surface
of many canals; and vessels that vie with
palaces, more like things of life upon the
bosoms of our rivers. The ocean is whit.
ened with the sails of American com
merce; and her ships crowd the ports Of
every nation.
On many a crag our starry flag
Waves DER the brave and free,
And our nayies ride in all their pride
On every sounding sea-"
/ American scenery! Who will say thai
the scenery of America will not compare
with any in the Old World? Have wt
not Switzerland IN the State of New
Hampshire? and where is the scenery tina
will compare with that Of the Hudson?-
The valleys and plains Of her Mexico, fol
their natural beauties, are unparalleled!
Her mighty rivers! The Amazon, and tht
Mississippi, which for length and breadth
kcan find no parallel. Her CULTS and lakes.
Has Mexico rival? And does not tht
Superior sway her queenly sceptre ovel
all other inland waters? 1t is true, sht
can boast of no crumbling ruins, Will
their tottering battlements, the relies OIL
departed ages; but she has o Mammoth
Gaze. Natural Bridge, and a Niagara
Falls, which for stupendous grandeur anc
magnifcence, can find no equal. Her IN
d broken chains Of mountains, and her EN-
erald yesture of forests, cap the climax o.
her beauty. What nation can produce
her heroes and statesmen, that will vie
with ours? Benjamin Franklin, DAME
Webster, and host Of others, and Wash
tlington; the immortal Washington: frs
in peace, and first in the hearts Of his
countrymen."
h Has America no kingly equipage, anc
l.royal purple and magnihcence?-n trair