The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1865-02-25

DAY MORNING, FEBT
lar appreciation of "the worlds own
Washington" But patent has been
obtained by our old Boston ,contempo-
rary with whom we had IN occasional
courteous joust in former times on the
novel subject Of slavery, Mr.. Charles
Francis Adams, at present Minister At
the Court of Victoria, whereby no one
out of the United States is permitted so
much as to admire George Washington.
In 22d of February Grafton in London,
some years ago, Mr.. Adams declared that
Washington, though born in Virginia,
belonged to New England, and that
henceforth mono but New Englanders
have any right to admire him. Itis pro-
,bably from a conscientious reluctance
to infringe this patent of Mr.. Adams
that no salute was fired here on the 22d
of February, nor any indication given
that such man as George Washington
ever lived. We should like to know the
substance ofMr. Charles Francis Adams's
last 22d oration. Perhaps he undertook
to prove that the Blue Ridge is composed
of alternate layers of pork and beans
and Goldfish and potatoes, and that Bene-
dict Arnold and Aaron Burr were born
in Virginia.
Deprived of all right and title even to
admire George Washington, we suggest
that the Confederacy fall back upon
Christopher Columbus. What does Mr..
Adams say to that as comparison p
Apropos, We have before us at this mo-
rnent the report Of a discussion in de-
batting society Of the comparative merits
of the two men, and if Mr.. Adams will
make the proper allowances for some
slight historical and chronological mac
curacies, traceable to well-known de-
fscts in the education of barbarians out
side of New England, he will discover
that we are not so unanimous, by any
means, in the admiration of George
Washington as he may suppose.
The question for discussion was:
(Which conferred the greatest benefit
on mankind, Mr.. Christopher Columbus
or General George Washington" The
following is q sketch of the remarks Of
the leading speaker in the affirmative:
"Mr. President,-I rise to advocate the
affirmative Of this question that is to
say, affirm that Mr.. Columbus did
greater benefit to mankind than General
Washington. In order more fully to d.
gest the interrogatory just propounded,
to enter fully into the merits of the case,
I>wiil give brief, succinct and condensed
account of Mr.. Columbus's life and ex
ploits. Sir who was Christopher CO.
lumbus? Sir, echo answers, the greatest
man of his times. Sir, Columbus was
the offspring of a man of the same
name, who was an indignant basket
maker in small! town called Rome, stu
atcd on the river of Tigers, a stream
which takes it's rise in the Pyranine
mountains, and flows in a southeasterly
course into the Gulf of Mexico. At an
early age, Columbus evinced decided
talent for the sea, and occupied the lei
sure hours of his infancy in pe1using
books of travel and works on navigation.
1t was while engaged in these pursuits
that he incidentally met with the works
of Robinson and Crusoe, and Captain
Cook, and the definition he made from
them was, that far away over the track
less main, hitherto untrodden by the
foot of man, was an undiscovered coun-
try.
Gas he approached to manhood, he
was filled with desire to discover that
country which he so often saw in his
youthful dreams; actuatcd by this de-
sire, he petitioned the great Pontilicial
Pope of Rome to give him three yawls
and jolly boat to carry out his design.
That distinguished man at first refused,
but bis wife, Cleopatra, being pleased
with the promising looks Of Mr.. C0lum-