Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1870-03-16

Was Columbus the hrst discoverw
Of America, or did he only re discover
that Continent aficr u had, IN remote
ages. been found, peoplcd and forgot.
ten By the Old Worldi II is curious
that this question has not been moFe
generally raised, for IL is very clear
that one Of two things must be true
either the people whom Columbus
found 10 America must have been
descended from cmigrnis of the Old
World, and, therefore, America was
known 70 the Old World before Col.
umbus's time, or else the aborigincs of
the western hemisphere wcro the
result of spontaneous human genera.
ton, the development IT man from Il
lower species of animal, or descended
from second Adm aud Eve, whose
origin would be equally puzzling I'm
less we are prepared 10 cast aside the
Holy Writ, and all our genera notions
Of the origin Of the human race, we
must believe that there was at one
time Communication between the Old
Moflu ana the New.
Probably this communication took
place on the opposite side OF the world
TO ours, between the eastern coast OF
Asia and the side of America most re-
mote from Europe; and believe IL is
quite possible that the inhabitants Of
Eastern Asia may have been aware Of
the existence of America and kept up
an intercourse with ii. while our part
of the Old World never dreamed of
its existence. The impcnvtable bur
rier the Chinese were always anxious
to preserve between themselves and
the rest of the nations of the Old
World, renders it quite possible that
they should have kept their knowl-
edge Of America TO themselves, or, at
any rate, from Europe The objection
that the art of navigation in such re.
mote times was not sufficiently ad-
vanced to enable the Chinese TO cross
the Pacific and land on the western
shore Of America is not conclusive. as
we have now found that arts and sci
ences which were once generally sup
posed to be of quite modern origin,
existed in China ages and ages before
their discovery 10 Europe. The art
of paper making and printing, among
others, had been practiced in China
long before Europeans had any idea Of
them. Why then should not the
Chinese have been equally or more in
advance of us in navigatong The
stately ruins of Baalbec, with gigantic
arches across the streets, whose cree
lion would puzzle our modern engi-
neers; the pyramids and other such
remains of stnpendous works point TO
a state of civilization and the existence
of arts and sciences in times of which
European historians gives no account.
There is, moreover, remarkable
resemblance between the religion of
he Aztecs and the Buddhism CT tho
Chinese, as well us between the man
ners and customs of the Aztecs aud
hose Of the people of China. There
IS, also, great similarity between the
features of the Indian tribes Of Middle
and South America aud those of the
Chinese, and us Haulay, Chinese
Interpreter, states, between the accent
and most of the monosyllablc words of
The Chinese and Indian Rnguages.
Indeed, this writer gives list Of
words which point TO close relation
ship; and inlers thereirom that there
must have been emigration from
20. q In aftf at
most early period indeed, as tho
official accounts of Buddhist priests
fourteen hundred years ago notice
these things as existing already. Per.
laps now old records may be rccov.
cred in China which may furnish full
OF this question. 1t is. at
my rate, remarkable and conirmntive
)f the idea OF emigration from China
10 America at some remote period,
hat ut the time of the discovery of
America by the Spaniards the Indian
.ribcs on the coast of the Pacific,
opposite to China. for the most part,
enjoyed n state of culture of ancient
growth, while the inhabitants of tho
Atlantic shore were found by Europe.
ms in state of original barbarism.
If the idea of America having been
discovered before the time OF COlum-
)us be correct, it only goes TO prove
hat there is nothing new under the
un and that Shelley was right in
iis bold but beautiful lines "Thou
,anst not find one spot whereon no
,ity stood" Admitting this, who can
ell whether civilization did not exist
n America when we were plunged
nto barbarismy and strange still,
the endless march of ages in
'olling over our present cultivation
nay not oblterate it, and sever the
.wo hemispheres once again from each
,thers recognizance Possibly, man
8 destined, in striving after eiviliza-
ion, to be like Sisypbus, always en-
gagged in rolling up stone which
,ver falls down. GeAtlemdn'S Mdgd.
"a.