The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-03-28
Remarkable Discovery &C Rome.

THE PALACE or THE CEsARs AN EvIDENou a.
RARLY CHRISTI ANITY.
me Detroit Adrr,.r o. the 24'h al March publishes
private iestes, written by Lewis Cass Jr., to Rev. NJ
DoMeid OF Detroit From this letter mako the foiis9
ing xracts:-
,ne progress OF the excavations the Pastn where
STOOD tnc HOUSE Of Colo Of Cnsars fagmesi OF a
arch, covered with inscription and denesiions. W.
brought 70 view. Further exn,osa,,ons in Ina s.ne
dhecton reeued In tho exposure Of = room on The 49,
q wnch a, was found sketch out engraved VIII
sharp pointed Instrument. q cruchx together with iho
bguFe OF man Ia tho attitude Of prayer sssndnr mar
H. The announcement Of this discovery created great
moved from It's position, happily withcas iajury,
and conAded 10 the Of MopAgnore Aaochi vne
%s Cow % % be = ana y
ed IL Ia needless 70 gay that tos event has eloited ea
boraae specustsons. Notwithstanding general dincrs-
psnoy the picsng views concur with scarcely
oeption in the conclusion tho Of the skstch wss
to cast dicuie the worship Of tho CnrissiAns Il pro-
sen,s me outlines o. cross o. which human figure
and the and legs partially covered with baa
dages TO tie ett with hand raised in the posture
the form Of man while bclow ID folio wing H.
tcripuon, "Alexender sdotes Cod" the exccutioa az
which the scss Is ssiicr than that Of ,ne c
gna indicates an entire ignorance Of art being s and
hAro, without ease or grace whatever Satisfactory evil
There Christians in his court ono
OF whom Il 10 supposed, Of the name Of Alexander
thus xp0sed to dicuIe by hs Pagan associate CON-
paniop.
Familiar you are with the early history Of our reH-
goD ID unnecessary 70 recall 70 your recolsct the
existence Of the Legend current throughout the Roman
dominion In the days VI the empire has ChrisAas
worshipped Divinity whose bead differed In respect
splendid cites this was the popuIsr belief II was iacs
csxd ia The Magan school Of Asia. from the sands II
Partha 70 the Plsioan forests and leveed q the
vsfts to The sraDge faith tho sire s Of NxrheoFdea
Amda and Msrdip on the Hill The later Gnost,cs il
particular, especially the sects Of BArdesanes
omtted disse inmate this caumny accom-
III AM
At 0rta it proclaimed from the the bouuds
Of frrmpets, followed by decree prohibiting the u
AIMS ana The ARABIC language 10 the worshippers
Of the God Of Nazareth, requiring them thence
forth TO wear girdes OF leather token Of their OBJ
Of Tsctus, bitter and relentless enemy 70
the Christians, whom he styles casts a
the human race is also alluded to 10 the pages Of the
conte mpoTary fathers ny whom It was repeet with
bensnt and rrers ssible ndgpaton The origin OF ts
nons,rous Invention ia lost to us There be Little
doubt however that had its foundation in the hatred
With which the disciples Of the pure and spiritual doc
time we're Invariably regarded by the icolAseoas
snlorg whom they iveo But Whatever the source the
fIs' INCEPTION Of tbs cslnmny in the rela
Ing 10 the period intervening between the years 100 and
$50 Of our era subsequent 70 which epoch all trace n
disappears Precisely during the period the room
in which tbs cessgn found constructed The "a
lace Of be Caesars the Psaun you are aware vss
Tie growth OF soccs ssive Teeps That part OF which
tee chan Der in question built BY Hadrtsn
as the bricks Of Which IL chiefly composed Attest thew
sse Wn Ds names sno tes OK the consuis
rslence OF the legend in the years already MENTIONED
and curing that period only, and the erection
within the same time 0 tho wal on which the drawcr b
taceo-establshes satisfactorily the purpose Of The
sketch az well as the date Of is execution. still more
conclusive perhaps, Is the In which the figure
upon the croes presented view 1t il deoeated With
dspery while the invsrsbe practice in executions
Of this nature, mode Of punishment very common
among the Romans, TO expose the victim critpal IN
sse Of nakeonees This discrepancy finds it's sole var
rant In the tradition that Lord put 10 death VIII
garment about bis !ons and its admission in work
emapsng from the hands OF Pagan whom We cannot
suppose 70 have been Influenced BY any sentlmens az
ave or respect and whose expet would never have
suggested such departure from the uniform custom n.
dcates clearly carcature Of which the first requisite Il
Conformity to its prototype Finally, the words tAlexsa-
Ger adores God, admit Of NO other rnterpretstieu
no'hiDg in history, legendary monumental tending q
the idea that the symbol Of cruced being was ever re-
earoed % an object OF veneraoa by any other scot than
the followers OF Chr istianity