The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1874-04-09
PRE- HISTORIC AMERICA.

How long had the Indians held
possession of the fairer portions of
the North American continent pre-
vious to the discoveries OF Columbus.
This is q question which is yearly at
tracing deeper attention. Time was
when it was generally believed that
they had always lived here. just as
the African race is supposed to have
always inhabited africa. Gradually
however, new light has dawned upon
the subject, and it Is now universally
conceded by learned men that the
lands we are SO rapidly reducing 20
the sway of civilization were. once
titled and peopled BY race far SUI
perier to Indians in every respect
: race once civilized, industrious,
pre- gressiye, and politically well or
ganized. aed 81 as@ 81
We have termed these people the
Mound Builders, in the absence of
any historical name for them and in
view of the peculiar character of the
relics they lett behind them. Aside.
from these, still other evidence is
being constantly developed tending
to confirm the theory Of thi. nations
existence. One evening last week
Canon Kingsley lectured at Bos on
on this subject, not abiding to any
OF the archaeological discoveries IN
entral America. Of to the vast earth
remains Of the Mississippi valley,
which are suffer ent ct themselves 20
allay all doubts i'll the matter, but
drawing all his deductions from the
more reliable Of the legends of TIE
Mortimer That the Mortimer dis
coVere some portions of America
eight or nine centuries ago has been
frequently asserted, but has not
always been fully believed IN. An old
stone tower on the coast of Rhode
Island, reared IN the past by persons
unknown, was once supposed by
some authorities to have been the
monument Of some visit by these ro-
wing sea kings. A little investiga
ton, however, proved the fallacy of
the supposition. More tangible tes-
timony still remained, and no accep
table history of the country omitted
to mention the much disputed ira
Gitlon.
Canon Klngs'ey IS disposed to cvedif it
dc even fixes the date Of The alleged dis
tovery, PLACED it at 1853 years aoo.
The Nortbmen had colnnlzed Iceland
aad Greenland, and touched Labrador,
Nova Scotia, Newfoundland. and Massa-
chusetts. Beyond Massachusetts, termed
Vlneland" IN the legends, there was
country IN he Esquimaux called VIII. g.
mans land, where the "white people wore
white Clothes, and carried flags on poles.''
These ptop,e, without doubt, were the
Mound Bullgers Ia abiding to the
tories OF the Northmen On this point,
Mr.. Kingsley thinks tbem $50 clear and
80 dramatic that The nteraal evidence OF
their ruth is irresistable FL. mpba-
sizes his views by saying That there can
De no reasonable DOUBT that our own race
landed Oh ard tried 70 settle the shores
Of New England 600 years before their
descendants, tne Pilgrim Fathers"
WAC the Mpuud Builders were, where
they probably came from, and what their
probable fate vas, the la,e Colonel Eos
ter, OF Chicago, clearly and graphically
sketches in work We have several times
hid occasion to aiiude to-. [, Is to be
hoped that Canon !Kingsley's lectures
will create . more general interest ID
this facina.ing suajgc" than has ever yet
been manifested. Certainly The historic
student could find nothing more wor,hy
|
moral. than the scattered facts that have
thus tar been collected concsrnlng the