The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1859-09-13
DISCUSSION ON THE ORIGIN OF ME-
TALIC COINAGE, ALPHABETIC LET
TIERS AND INDIAN CORN.

two papers to be read before the American Scientific
Association. One mar kkdEo /, was intended to de-
the Eastern World from the Aborignes of this Western
Continent
As neither Alphabetic Letters System of Metal
lie Coinage inventions among any of the Aborgi-
nal nations of America prior to the discoveries of Col
umbus il presumed such conrivances did not accord
with their natural dispositions. While alphabetc
characters represent numbers in Arithmetic and to
spell the sounds of words in the various languages
poyed this Continent wanting, the Inhabitants
possessed another simple of correspondence by
Ineligible natural pictures, or signs tor ideas sys
of Picture writing is generally understood to have
preceded the invention of Alphabetic characters in
the Eastern World.
In the midst of abundant deposits OF the precious
metals, which South American Indians learned
to manufacture with delicate art and to weigh like
other commodities for barter, SYSTEM like general
representative valuation such metallic coinage af
ords has been discovered this Continent although
the natives employed other standard tokens, skins,
shells, wampum beads. 1t is difficult to decide at
what period the use of Alphabetic Letters was not
known in the Eastern world; while the employment OF
the precious metals definite standards of value for
all kinds of property bears title of very high antiqu
ty among several mercantile nations of the East
The economy of labor and of time which coined mon
les produce in trade, has been referred to period
coeva with the discovery of Alphabetc Letters.
Inscriptions, in alphabetic figures the American
continent first noticed by Baron de Humboldt on
granite rocks the head waters of the Oronoco in
Guiana. He regarded them as Punic or Phenecian.
They resemble some described by Mr. Layard among
the ruins of Assyra different form of letters among
certain monuments of Central America, have been
claimed Lyban characters. On small oval tablet:
pebble medal, dsinterred from mound in Western
Virginia, three lines of ancient letters, which NJ.
Jomard of the French Academy, insists resemble
alphabes of Northern Africa: while Mr. Schoolcraft
nclines to believe them Etruscan. Certain soidly
constructed earth-mounds ut the head of the Great
Lakes North America, in the State of Wisconsin,
represent the outlines of letters both in the COptc and
Etruscan alphabets. These letters in Earth writing
are built upon headlands, if to indicate numbers"
for times distances They also nterminged with
the "ancient tOtems' of native tribes, interpreted
among arms, implements and deences of more civilized
Enthusiastically of Oriental origin.
None of these alphabetic remains can be attributed
to any aboriginal people Of this continents indeed,
by certain tribes of natives found inthe vicinity of
these Earth-works There are some other letters of
the primitive Phenecian, from which English
alphabet remotely derived which the aborgines of
America cannot utter at all There also certain
pecularties in ancient arts, that indicate the direct
presence of commercial -faring people, thus def
nitey distinguished from the Americans. Such i'm
pressons variousy calculated by drawings of artis
tic design the outlines of which still remain demon
strate their foreign origin.
The paper "Indan corn" (which distinctly
marked No 2, when given in to the Secretary and thus
inserted in the first printed list for the meeting was
intended by DIR. Gbbon tolIop the alphabetic argu
ment fairly to present the question: including pos
sbility, either of the importation expectation of
maize to or from America
The Professor of Botany ola committee arrange
the papers for the Natural History SectOn-used his
position trampose the order of their subjects He
selected the article Indian corn to precede the
aphabetc argument, and thus precluded the designed
evidence 1t is possible the titles of both papers
anagonzed certain views the Professor had committed
himself upon in public lectures at Cambridge. As his
time limited he determined to have n dash at the
Botany.
The first evening the paper on Indian called
for Dr. Gibbon was obliged to be absent, from indis
position. Some of the committee then proposed to
delay this paper till the end of the session. like the
one on alphabetic writing. kind Baltimore friend
interpOsed his authority to prevent this injustice
Thnn 6ffoan
utes, DIR. GibbOn suddenly interrupted by Prof.
Asa Gray upon plea of incidental matter and that
time was pressing for many other papers.
DR.. Gibbon at expressed a willingness to yield,
having been obliged to ask leave to sit down while he
read portions of his matter But several gentlemen
expressed interest in the subject, and urged him TO
continue. BY decided vote of the section he
thorized TO go lie declined however, in good
humor. The next day paper, presented for the first
time, preferred the list of the day which was
acknowledged by Professor Gray be a Lecture pre-
viOusy delivered, but offered because of his
friends thought it might be of service 1t entitled
"A Theoretical Explanation of the Similarity between
the Flora of Northeastern Asia and of Eastern North
America The time claimed in print for reading Prof
Gray's paper was 40 minutes. The delivery consumed
80 minutes by the watch, and much more in dis |
cussion which followed when the Professors opinions
were freely challenged by several members. The no.
tiOn that American plants solely distributed
this Western World from Northeastern Asia, by Ee
plants crossing the ice otherwise certainly does
not forbid the introduction of Indian by the
vehicle and may be very plausible argument for
BOTANICAL friends But the evidences daily
that at remote period since the employ ment of
alphabetic letters in Asia sca-faring people have
visited this continent IN ships and competent
bring, or to carry away seeds animals and plantsl
Dr. Gibbon observed to listen patiently and
tentvey to Prof Grays argument, merely observing
the close of the discussion that in comparatively old
system of Geology, Blackwell had inserted an account
of a Mammoth, found in North America whose stom-
ach in such good state of that among
the plants it contained recognized some still
known natives of Virginia.
There another subject which may have proved |
unsatisfactory in the paper referring Aphabetic An
tiquites, by Dr. Gibbon. Among the ancient charac-
tiers ON this continent regarded to have |
their origin in Asia, but remotely communicated to
African natives, residing the press Empire of
Morocco. Now, upon the monuments of Central Amer-
in the midst of Asiac Sculptures, Arts and Hero-
glyPhics, miniature portraits of some African Coast
Negroes, male and female, distinguished by their pecu
liar physiognomical traits, if in the condition of
servants very strongly resembling similar kenesses
found among Egyptian Remains ofwhich the Coptc Let
tiers, among the Wisconsin mounds seem to offer ad-
ditional explanation
Besides such African distinctions, there are other
profes which describe bearded in metallic armour
with prominent features resembling certain WELL
known Celtic faces, which may depend upon the Phe-
necian descent, which ancient Irish families have
claimed. There are also men with slight noustache
like Asiac Indians who wear small cloth caps like
our Seamen; while distinct resemblances natives
Of South America are prominently interminged on