The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-10-15

better time, and that Wall street is not alto
gether in the hands of the merciless.
The Prehistoric Civilization of America.
When we examine the various facts
brought to light by the explorers Of the
Hayden survey in the Western Territories
and also the trophies of their industrious
search after ancient remains, we cannot re-
sist the conviction that, at a period SO re-
mote as to be literally prehistoric, this con-
tinent, and particularly that portion lying
between the fortieth parallels of northern
and southern latitude, was inhabited by
race or by races of men who enjoyed a state
of civilization similar to that of the early
Egyptians. The evidences of this civiliza-
ton are quite numerous in South America,
where, by reason of an earlier settlement by
the white race, more complete knowledge
has been obtained of their character. Within
our own territorial limits such knowledge
is slowly coming into our possession, and we
are gradually establishing connecting link
between the two regions which will enable
us to trace their ancient inhabitants to a COM
mon origin-what we might term the period
of the suspension of development, or, per-
haps, more properly, the deviation of the
Western from the Eastern civiliza-
ton, and the line of progress which,
for obvious reasons, was common to both
up to the time when intercourse ceased,
marks an important feature of the data on
which we base our theory. Perhaps we may
establish it from the fact that all the great
public works of q certain style of construction
which occupied the attention and taxed the
energies of the people of ancient Egypt have
been reproduced in scale, plan and object by
those of South and Central America. Palaces
for the rulers, temples for the deities monu-
ments to the departed great ones, are alike in
character in both countries while the works
of public utility, the canals for irrigation,
the great paved highways for commerce, even
the many Fashioned fortresses for defence,
show co-origination of ideas between these
wonderful peoples that leads to no other
conclusion than that they were of the same
race. We have in the constitution and
peculiarities of the Chinese and Japanese
civilizations instances of what nations COM
pletely isolated from outside influences. will
accomplish in the development of their
social and political conditions Cortes and
Pizarro found order, enlightenment and q
high degree of civilization in Mexico and
Peru. The Montezumas and the Incas ex-
ercised q more benefcent sway over their
respective peoples than the Neros or Cali
gulas did over the Romans or the feudal
chiefs and princes in later days. Where
we find the evidences of civilization
with barbaric surroundings we must
infer that an overwhelming incursion of
savages has blotted out or subjugated the
original occupants of the country. The Van
| dals, the Cloths and tho Scythians
never attempted to decivilize conquered
peoples they destroyed them. The
present Indians of the West are de-
cidedly Of Monaghan origin. They entered
the country via Behring Strait and being
Of fierce and warlike character they finally
drove the original and civilized peoples
further south until they were finally
destroyed by the Spanish invaders The
remains Of ancient pottery and other articles
which have been brought to light in New
Mexico and Arizona by the Hayden survey
show that these Territories were among the
\ last resting places of an expiring race. The
merciless cupidity of the white man as en-
bodied in Cortcs completed the work Of the
| savagcs