The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1873-08-14

An Address Commemorative or
the Two Hundredth Anniver-
sary or the Discovery or
Iowa by Marquette
and Joliet, June
93, A. ID. l673.
Delivered before the state historical
Society Of Iowa, June -, 1873.

Delivered before the state HistOFica
Society Of Iowa, June -, 1873.
BY REV. WILLIAM SALTER, ID. d.
Gentlemen of the Historical Society
We are assembled to commemorate
the two hundredth anniversary Of the
discovery Of Iowa. It is wholly ar
event of authentic history, and entire
lifted above the haze of myth or un.
certain legend.
Viewed geologically, our State, per-
chance, may be as old as any portion
of the earth's surface that Ia lifted uI
above the primitive seas and may have
risen as early from the realms of chaos
and old night, when the edict first
went forth. LET the dry land appear
The hoary cliffs and bluffs that over.
hang our rivers and streams bear the
marks Of venerable age. Let science
trace the epochs, and the periods OF
glaciers and drifts, through which
Iowa has passed, aud explain the or
der and conditions of ancient life upon
our soil. We also occasionally stun
BILE upon ruins and remains of human
life in our borders-mounds, she'll
heaps, and stone imple;nents-of mys-
terions and obscure date. They tell
no tale Of the races that once dwelt
here-whence they came, when they
lived, whittier they disappeared
Fuller search, closer observation, po-s-
IDLY, may yet reveal something more
of their habits and states of life. But
authentic history cannot pierce the
veil or claim them as in her pro-
vince.
The veritable story OF Iowa has the
definite bound Of just two hundred
years, when the land we call our
home first emerged from ancient 90.
scurity into the light of history and
We know for sure the
very day and the very place where
and when the light Of modern civili-
zation greeted our shores, and the
eyes OF men of European origin first
beheld them. Let u. recall the sunny
June of two hundred years ago, see
what was then seen and known, and
observe the progress Of discovery and
to the present time.
The half century Immediately fol-
lowing Coiumbus' discovery of the
new world was marked ty many bold
aud daring adventures. At once
came In quick succession the explora.
ton of the whole Atlantic coast, the
discovery Of the Pacific ocean, the
conquest of Mexico and Peru, the dis
covery of the Amazon in its entire
the discovery OF the st. Law
renee, and the wanderings Of De Vaca
and the expedition of De Soto.in which
those adventurers stood upon the
banks of the lower Mississippi. No
other equal period Of time has brought
so many lands TO the knowledge Of
Little further, howevery was learned
Of the northern part of the continent
in the next half century. Bitter jesl-
ousies, struggles, and wars, mainly
growing cut Of questions touching the
of the church, occupied
the nations of Europe. No perma-
nent settlements were made the
north Atlantic coast until the early
part of the seventeenth century, when
the English founded jamestown, in
1907, and the French founded Quebec,
on the st. Lawrence, in zoos. The
of various colonies soon
and hardy French advent
lrers early penetrated into the interior
IF the continent by way of the At.
Lawrence and the great lakes.
Meanwhile the discovery of the
by the Spaniards seems to
have passed out Of the worlds mind,
and been forgotten. Nothing what
ever WAS known of the relations of
he river to the continent. Spanish
maps Of that period indicate by petty
ines various rivers rs pouring their
waters into the Mexican gulf. One
Inc, distinguishable from the others
,nly in name. Rio del 'Espiritu San
%, has been taken to designate our
great river. 1t was one hundred and
years after De Soto, before
another European explorer recovered
he lost knowledge.
The discovery Of the Upper Missis.
,ippi, and Of the course of the entire
river, was reserved for the genius Of
France. Missionaries of the society
If Jesus, from that country, arrived
lpon the banks Of the st. Lawrence
n 1923, and in forty years extended
heir missions to the farthest shores of
Lake Superior. 1t was by those mis-
,ions, and by fhe ambition and enter
prise Of the French Governor and In
at Quebec (Frontenac and
Talon that the valley of the Missis-
,ippi was brought to the knowledge
Of the civilized world. The discovery
was in this wise, anu these are the
heroes of it:
James Marquette was born in Laon.
France, seventy -four miles north. east
of Paris, in 1887, of an ancient aud
family, Entering the So
,iety Of Jesus in his 18th year, he pur-
sued full course of study and discip-
line, and embarked in 1866 for New
France, to labor fo8 the conversion Of
tue Indians. In 1868 he left Quebec
for the country about Lake Superior,
commenced o mission at Sault st.
Mary's, and spent the winter Of 1869
10 at La Pointe. near the western ex-
lremity of the lake. From Indians of
different tribes, particularly from
hose bearing the name of Illinois,
who came to this station, which was
not more than fifty miles from the
head waters Of the st. Croix and Chip
pewa rivers, important tributaries of
he Mississippi, he heard of the great
river Of all the waters, was invited to
yn thithQr and wne HroA xuith a