The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1869-09-14


Alexander Won oo's
Our German fellow-citizcns and in'teu
guests will meet at Carroll Hall this evening
- .,.,..,. a.. hrndredtb anniversary Of
70 eeieu,a'. 'ne III. ii,,.,s,ar. oorn,rymap.
the pirth OIL thelI hu.'.ous so iii
Alexander Won HUMBOLDT Inc same W"
be done in all the principal cities OF the UNI
ted States. and In The fatherland the day Is
- ~ rn,vs,.., HOLIDAY. In Boston the
We 80. /. N be the
trst oil living savants, hgas'M'
eulogist Of the greatest OF those tnat nave
pas.ed avav. In all civilized countries
II, =. ,,.,s IN bIs genius and learn.
no'hase "ii W P-N 4, ,,,h,,.h., 49,.
Ing. The programme nv,
where In to-day paPe, p'Vpe. snas
brief sketch OF tnS nie oi mn nius.rlous
man should pc puois M,s on sais oeca sn,
Baron hieaanae, n ,.ao WAY, W. oo a,s u.
Berlin, sep w II, wv. WI" s, aa eiue,
orother, Whnsm, ony ess uIs'n guisneu
than himself, though In different neld, he
received MS early education 10 ihe Guy Of Ms
birth, having the special advantage OF Prl-
yate Instruction In mathematics rom FISCHER,
In philosophy from Engel, aud In politics
from Dohm. "
The years l7sI, IT'S and l!s9 were LOT the
most part passed by the prothers IN the uni
yersities at Frankfort and Gottingen, where
they enjoyed the Instructions ana society OF
heyne, Blumenoach, beehman, Licnsenoerg'
Link and Muller. .-.
In lies tneir PatnWayssePsraseo. Winihni
won't 70 faris on the preAking OUT OF tne
French revolution, while Alexander remained
two years longer a. the university o. Gottln-
gen-a part OF the time, however, being oG-
cupled In journey through Belgium, Hol.
land and other neighboring countries. inns
journey seems 70 have given special impress
to his character, or rather nrst developed inc
native desire TO explore tho various regions
Baron William was appointed, In loVo,
Prussian Minister to the Papal Court. In
1908 be was made Chancellor OF state, and
assigned to the Department OF Education.
The efficient school system Of Prussia was
due especially to his efforts, and he was par
ticularly active In founding and organizing
tho University Of Berlin, In 1919:
In 1910 he was appointed Minister 70
Vienna, and shared In all the great and din
cult diplomatic Transactions o. me next -FOUR
ycars-at frague, NJ the conferences OF
Chatillon, where he signed the capitulation
OF Paris, at the Congress OF Vienna, and at
Aix-la-ChaPeue.
hc retired 70 private lie 10 lols, ana ater-
ward devoted himself asslduously 70 ms
iavorite pursuits In pniioiogy. MS chiel
literary lame rests on MS researches into
the Basono, sanscrit, American, Indian and
Malay languages.
To him properly ascfioed the honor OF
clevating the study OF philology TO science.
Among his intimate friends were 1oethe
and Schiller, who, with his brilliant vile, were
largely Instrumental In directing his studies
specially to phllology.
He died In 1885, leaving to the royal IL
brary Of Berlin q large collection Of books
and manuscripts. His various works were
published In 1871, BY his brother Alexander,
making four octave volumes.
Talleyrsnd so highly esteemed the talents
Oh baron Wunam, tnat ne SAID OF MIN tnere
were not three men in Europe OF his ability.
Inc early education Oh baron Alefaneer
ence to employment In the direction Of Gov
crnment mines, and At tho early age Of
twenty-three he was appointed assayer to
the mining board, and two years later direc-
tor Of the works at Baireuth.
In 1875 he resigned his Office to devote him
A bare enumeration Of the places visited
by Humboldt In his various journeys would
exceed the proper limits Of this article. His
frst great tour was begun June, l709, and
ended August, 1904, visiting and exploring
| Teneriffe, Venezuela, Orinoco river, Havana
Panama, Bogota, Quito, Chimborazo &c
| Is, 800 feet, LoIa, Caxamarca, Peru, Mex
| leo, United States, thence homeward. His
stay Of two months In our country was made
pleasant by Q reception In his honor by
President Jefferson at Washington. He Sc.
lected Paris a. the most suitable place for
the publication of tho vast materials col
lected for his treatise on natural history,
and devoted twelve years to this work. In
1878 he visited Italy In company with Lus-
sac, and visited England again In 1926, and
in 1927 resumed his residence In Berlin.
In 1899 he made . Journey to Siberia and
the Caspian sea, at the special request Of the
Gar, In company with Gustav Rose and
EhrenberE.
The contributions of Humboldt TO science
were of the most important kind.
With a mind specially gifted for high gen.
GRADUATION, he carefully collected MS own
aud the observations OF all his predecessors
and from the complex details OF special phe'
uomena evolved tho simple workings OF gen
eral law.
He corrected many previous errors in geo
graphical descriptions, and added more posi-
tive knowledge OF the physical character o.
the earth than any OF his Predecessors; he
stndied the relations OF soil and climate to
tho character and development oil nations
thus proving the interesting connection De
tween physical science and human history
He carefully observed and explained 50 iuli
and satisfactorily tins various Phenomena O
| principles OF geology, that no Is properly re-
! rlal. ha Has NJ ha n W