The Placer herald., 1872-04-13
Written for the HERALD
TIIEc UNITED STATES.
CIVIL AND POLITICAL REVIEW.
CHAPTER |.
BY A. L. CHER.

four hundred years ago, that part of the land
surface of the Globe there represented, con-
stitutcd all the world as far as known to civ
ilized nations. In contemplating this fact,
it is no wonder that we feel curious to know,
and desire to enquire, what were the sons
Of Adam doing for the five and one half thous-
and years which elapsed prior to this time,
that they did not discover the New World,
as it is now called, sooner ? You say, "they
did" True, sometime between the Creation
and the discovery by Columbus, one great
division of the human family did find their
way to this continent; but as neither they
nor the vast country they inhabited were
known to the civilized nations of the world
if we may believe the records, as handed
down to us-for all the good they or their
country was, to any but themselves, it were
as well if they had not existed. So COM
plete was the ignorance Of the people of the
Old World in reference to a continent other
than those grand divisions bordering on the
"Great Sea''-as they were then pleased to
term the Mediterranean, for at the time it
constituted the principal field for naval and
maritime adventure-that when Columbus
advanced the theory-tor at the time it was
nothing more-that the world was round,
and that there must be vast continent on
the opposite side to balance the one they in
habited, they laughed him to scorn; and the
wise council at the court of Spain would have
pronounced him unsound Of mind, and had
him assigned to the Asylum for lunatics, in all
probability, had it been in 0eir line Of bus
mess.
hat f,-1 al tol ,h,,a -t
be-" people said. So they said of Calico,
when he told them the world turned round
and that half the time they were walking
with their heads down; Notwithstanding the
smiles of derison, the groans Of disgust, the
epithets of ridicule that were heaped upon
this old Philosopher, the low contempt i'll
which he was held and the abuse, insult and
scorn he had to endure, the world did turn
round and does to day.
So in the case of Columbus, he had to sub
NIT to being ridiculed for his opinion. But
when God intends man to accomplish any
great undertaking, he raises up an individual
for the purpose; one not batfled by trifles nor
easily discouraged. Columbus was one of
this class; his patience, fortitude and perse-
vcrance were equal to any and every emer-
gency. From court to court he Travelled; on
meeting with disappointment at one place, or
with one government he went to another,
until finally he succeeded in convincing Isabella,
Queen of Spain, that his theory was at least
WORTH for its proof, a trial.
The required aid was at last furnished;
and, after much difficulty in procuring men
for such stupendous undertaking, with three
small ships he set out from the port of Palos,
on the 3rd of August, 1892. After long
and what seemed to the sailors to be a per-
ilous voyage, land unknown forever before TO
them, was reached Oh, the joy! Oh, how
that great mans heart must have swelled
with emotions of pride, inconceivable to an
ordinary mind when he found that his theory
was correct; and that the pain, poverty, dis
appointment, suffering, hardships and toll he
had undergone, to accomplish this grand OBJ
ject had not been in vain. No wonder that
when he stepped on shore, he bent his knee
to the newly discovered land and thanked
God fervently for the reward thus given to
his labors and energy.
Though l fain would dwell longer with
this great man, and tell of his return to Spain,
how the people hailed him rs Superior Be
ing, how they met him with music, dancing
and shouts Of joy, how they decked him in
robes of state and bore him in triumph before
the majesty of their country; and how there
he was loaded with honors, and declared
Viceroy of all the lands he should discover;
also of his three subsequent voyages, what
he discovered each voyage, and what finally
became of him, but must hasten on with
nv narrative to more modern times. Enough
to say here, a new world was discovered,
the news of which was not long in spreading
throughout the length and breadth of every
civilized nation of Europe. With this dis
covery began the greatest epoch in the worlds
history; everywhere mankind were filled with
new life; the spirit of enterprise revived, as
it were, from the lethargy in which 1t had
Gozed for hundreds Of years. Exploration
and adventure became the ruling passion;
everywhere nations were sending out compa-
nies for adventure in the new world. A new
impetus was also given to inventions; about
this time gun powder was invented; the art
of printing was devised, and simultaneously
with the discovery of America passage was
discovered by way of Cape of Good Hope to
the East Indies.
If it were in accordance with our purpose,
we would gladly give you an account OF the
many adventurers who distinguished them
selves about this time; Of Balboa who dis
covered the Pacific ocean; of Cortez who con-
ouered the great city of the Aztec, as Mexi-
co was then called; of Pizarro who conquered
Peru; of Magellen who first sailed round the
world; of Americus Vesputius, who early
wrote an account of the new world, and con-
trived to have it named after him (America);
of DeSoto and his travels through what now
constitute the Southern States; OF Narveaz,
and his conouests in Florida of Cabra who
discovered Brazil, and took possession Of u