The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1873-04-17
AMERICAN ANTIQUITIES.

AMERICAN ANTIQUITIES.
We derive our knowledge Of the ma
tons that have gone before us In the
mighty march of time, from two sources,
history and antiquities Our principal
reliance has always been on history.
Very much Of the worlds history is un-
known. " hat record have we of those vast
tribes, that peopled Europe before the
dawn of Roman, or even Gyecian civil
cation! The greater part of Africa has
been terra 1ltergR,ta from the earliest
ages, while American history only goes
back to the discovery by Columbus Can
we put implicit faith even on written
history? Our historians of the present
day are not always impartial | will not
cite such notorious specimens as John S.
G. Abbott or Sir Walter Scott Even
! Macanlay, the peer of the world histor-
ians, is sometimes swayed by his preju-
dices If this be true of historians in
this age, when unbiased by powerful
monarchs, where shall we find candor i'm
partiality. truth Did the historians of
ancient times possess it when under the
influence of powerful kings and emper-
ors? Generally, histories like most lit
erature. are written to please the read
ers The histories already published. of
the civil war in America, give or side
the credit make as entirely In the
right; the other side equally in the
wrong. When ever a historian writes OF
events which concern his generation, he
will color his work to satisfy his readers
Ifhe writes Of events which have taken
place in former times, he takes for au-
thority the historians who wrote at or
about the same time. and who colored
thoti writings to please Me,r readers.
Motley writes of events that took place
centuries ago, can he be preiudiced?
We must not forget that he describes q
great religious war: he writes for the
Protestants Of America 1t is almost
impossible for Protestant historian to
be perfectly impartial toward the Catholic,
vice rers0.
Nearly all history is description of
wars. Wars indicate antagonistic par
ties. Each party has its historian. Each
historian writes up his own side, as John
S. c. Abbott wrote his history OF the
great rebellion, or the life of Napoleon
Bonaparte.
Amidst all this darkness and doubt,
there is one light which is not only al.
ways truthful, but illumines some Of the
darkest portions of the worlds history.
The study Of antiquities is fast taking it.
proper place. We cannot place any I'M
plicit confidence in the accounts of the
past, but these remnants of ancient civil
lzation are always truthful Has any
writer left description of the manners
and civilization of the ancient Romans,
so vivid as the silent ruins of Rome and
Pompeii? Antiquities gave us knowl-
edge, which history cannot. They de
scribe to US in language which can not
be colored, the civilization, manners, and
character of ancient peoples. History
comes to US sthrough many different
writers, centuries apart. These writers
are not infalliblee When history, the
accepted link which joins US to the great
past, is faulty, where shall we seek the
truth -? Antiquities are always truthful
The ruins of Babylon and Ninivs, and
remains of Egyptian, Grecian and Ro-
man civilization tell an elegant and beau
tiful story.
Too long has. the study ofAntiquities
been regarded in false light. 1t is re-
garded as help to history, whereas it
supplants history in few important re-
spects.
Our only knowledge OF that vast semi
civilized people, who once inhabited
this country long before American In
dams, comes to Us through the study of
our antiquities. The United States has
been too long scoffed at by Europeans.
because we have no ruins. We shall
not be at all behind them in this respect
ln the four articles which we will write
on the subject Of our antiquities, we will
:" rise 80 explain that there once lived
partially civilized people in this coun
try before the white people.
We fully realize that where there is
the most doubt, there is generally the
most bigotry, yet we believe there is
evidence enough to prove satisfactorily
even to the most skeptical, the existence
OF such people. i. Ii. S.