The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1860-12-19
5flisteuautous,
Removal Of the BSenMaisas Of Co
BumbNs.

II is stated from Havana that the remains
of Christopher Columbus, the dscoveser of
the New World, ere pgsin TO be removed to
new and splendid cemetery soon to be
opened near that city. They are to be de
posted In silver urn, upon which will be
inscribed in letters Of gold the most remark
able events of his great enterprise. A
bronze statue is to be erected over them, re
presenting the great discoverer in the atti.
tude ofrevealing the grand mission OF his
wonderful life.
Columbus died Ascension day, the 20 b OF
May, 1906, in about the seventeen year o.
his age. His obsequies were celebrated
with great pomp at Valiadoid, and HE body
deposited in the convent of San ncisco.
Thence, nine yours after, in the year 1916,
il ives removed to the CarIhusian monastery
of Seville, where ges likewise deposissd the
body Of bis SOD Diego. Twenty-three years
after, in the year 1888, the bodies Of both
the Admira. end his son we're removed, with
appropriate pomp and ceremonies, to the
New World he had discovered, and inferred
in the principal chapel of the city of San
Domingo, HiSpnnioa. There they remain.
ed uudisturbed for the period OF two hundted
and fty-niDe yeors.
In the year 1906. however, at the close Of
the war between France and Spain, all the
Spanish possessions in the Island of Hispa.
niola were ceded to Fronce, whereupon a
request WIS preferred to the French Gov
erhor TO have the remains of Columbus re-
moved to Cuba. The request was granite /,
ard or The 50,h of December, 1895, the
vault ia the cathedral OF San Domingo was,
for the first time in nearly three hundred
years, opened. "Within," ssys the record
of the event, "were found the fragments Of
a eaden coffio, number of bones and a
quantity of mould, evidently the remains o.
a human body. These were carefully col.
ected and put in case of eilded lead, about
half yard in length and breadth, and third
in height, secured by an iron lock, the key
of which was delivered to the Archbishop.
The case was enclosed in a coffin, covered
with black velvet, and ornamented with lace
and fringe of gold.
After appropriate funeral ceremonies, the
body was token on board the chip San l4o.
renzo and taken to Havana, where it arrived
on the 18th OF January, 1896. 1t was re,
ceived in the most solemn manner with all
the honors given to sovereign. On arriv.
ing at the mole the remains were met by
the Governor OF the Island, accompanied by
his generals and military etsff. The coffin
was then conveyed between lines of soldiery
which lined the streets to the obelisk, in the
Place d'Armes, where it was received in Q
hearse prepared for the purpose. Here the
remains were formally delivered TO the Gov.
ernor and Captain General of the Island, the
key given up to him, the coffin opened and
examined, and the safe transportation of it's
contents authenticated. The ceremony con-
cluded, the solemn rites for the dead were
performed by the Archbishop, and the re-.
mains Of the great dscoverer were again
deposited in the wall, on the right side Of
the great sltar of the cathedral Of Havana,
where they have ever since remained, the
object OF reverence to all visitors of the Is
land.
Nothing can be said against any honors
that may be done, on the occasion of open.
ing q new cemetery 10 Haysns, to the me.
mory Of one 30 ilustrious. The erection Of
. statue would certainly be very sppropr.
ate. But why again disturb the bones Of
the great discoverer !! They now rest in a
consecrated place, . building whose walls
have only become frmer ss they grew gray
with years, and which are proof, 30 far as
any edi6ce can be. proof agains. the ele.
ments, gives every guaranty Of protection
and why should the mortal remains; OF the
great Admiral be not allow ed, then, to res,