New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-10-16
COLUMBUS.

made to feel at least the indignation OF every
honest man.
COLUHBUS.
II was on the 10th of October, 1902, say the
chronicles, that Columbus first looked upon the
shores of the New World. Why the memory OF
the Admiral should be revived now with the
reve1beration of cannon, the faded pomp of
modern professions, and the eoquence of ora
tory. does not appear. Perhaps we are growing
more reyerential of the worlds heroes as their
forms disappear down the lOng-drawn aisles OF
the past. At any rate, we have had ample tlInc
TO consider the virtues, exploits and sorrowS
of Christopher Columbus in the hundreds OF
wears that have elapsed since he died-the
broken hearted discOvcrer of new world, the
homeless pioneer in the way to a hemisphere.
| To salute his memory now seems almost lu-
dcrous mockery of sentiment.
Nevertheless. Sunday was observed IN an
humble manner by the Americanized descend
ants of the race that gave Columbus to The
world. Italy has many sons whose memory
may be fifty hOnOred IN many foreign lands;
not one of these can be 40 appropriately re-
| membered with reverence upon tins continent
as the adventurous mariner who showed the
way hither. Speaking after the manner OF
men, the discovery of America is very old ;
vet when we consider the multitude OF events
memorable in the history of the race, and the
vast accumulation of power that now covers the
continent of America, both of which are crowded
into the few centuries elapsed since then, it is
but little time. The tumultuOus haste OF
modern civilization has ebowed the exploits of
/ 1, iy,tn -
tory. while it has obliterated the last traces of
their conquests. The continent grOans beneath
the burden of vast cities where the virgin
forest rustled in the times that now seem so
far off; and, though the land is peopled with
swarming nations, born but yesterday, there
remains no remnant, save in history, OF the
simple race which timidly welcomed Columbus
and his companions to the shores OF His
PAMELA. No wonder that, in the fast-follow-
ing events of these later days, we forget to
honor the memory of the DiscOyerer of tho
Continent.
Some of our fellow-citizens who claim de-
scent from the Mortimer propose to set no a
monument to that hardy viking, Left, son of
Eric the Red, who, it is said, discovered the
shores of New England, Newfoundland, and
Labrador in the year 1000. If their patriotic
apprehension has been n thing of slow
growth, it may be said for them that the
slender materials from which they weave their
historic claim are of comparatively recent dis
coyery. Certainly, if the Scandinayians feel
bOnored in thus perpetuating the name and ex-
nloits of the wild sea-royer who accidentally saw
and lost again the secrets of this hidden land,
Io ho al aat tbpm-
selves to the work of reviving in the hearts
of Americans the memory of the discOverer OF
the New World. How mighty an influence
mon the character, fortunes, and destiny of
tbe human race the opening of this continent
70 civilized occupation has been, no man can
ever estimate. How large q factor in
the problems of humanity this newly
found hemisphere has become, no philosopher
NAV ever declare. We know that sorrow, sin,
and suffering have numbered the land that
the Spaniards found so peaceful the expiring
aoonies of the hapless natives OF Darien and
the West Indies must have cried out to God
for vengeance; these races, like the Aztecs
and Toltecs of the mainland, have vanished
unite away, and the story of their wrongs is
one of the most woful chapters of the worlds
history. Following tHtlI utCdy Ndo 1hdb VI
tbe naughty empire whose ocean chvalry filled
This land with medieval pomp, cruel oppres-
sion, and rapacious adventure. The knights
are dust, their good swords rust, but the
rancor of their quarrels, the bigotry of their
rule. and the greedy sefishness of most of
their enterprises, will be remembered forever.
The great sum Of injustice and wrong which
these inflicted has been scarcely paralleled by
the later crimes which disfgured the CONT
nent. Nevertheless, we must believe that
blessing to the human family shall be wrought
ont of all this violence, by the hands of One
who makes the wrath of man to praise Him.
II is not necessary now to assert that CO.
lumbus was the first practical discOverer of
America, whatever others may have seen be-
fore him. Nor does it at all enter into the
case that he died without experimenting the
magnitude of his discovery. He set sail TO
find a western route to the Indies and Far
Cathay. He bore letters to the great Khan
he thought to convert that potentate to
Christianity; to find Prester John, ard To
plant the shining cross on the tabled island of
Zipangu, the wonders of which had been
dimly told by Marco Polo. His pathetic
story is Illuminated by the example of his
steadfast religious faith, sometimes vergiug
upon superstition. But all this has little TO do
with the great fact that he, though feeling
his way only, did lead ~ the New World 1t