The daily gazette., 1875-02-23
The Icesanders..
HOW THEY LIVED AND PROGRESSED
1000 YEARS AGO.

HOW THEY LIVED AND PROGRESSED
1000 YEARS AGO. .,
Before the Historical Society, last
evening, Dr.sH. F. Askew presiding
DR.. L. p Bush delivered an inter
esting address on "The Icelanders
l 900 years ago; their History, Litera-
ture and Voyages to North America" "
Prefacing his address with a few
remarks relating 10 Iceland's geo.,
graphical position and topography,
and referring to its subterranean fires,
boiling springs aud mountains OF ice
and snow, the Doctor proceeded to say
that a number of proud, wealthy and
intelligent Norwcgians, about the
year S74 emlgrated TO Iceland. They
were led to this doubtful step by the
the cruel oppression of their then
reigning King. 10,
They ascertained, upon their arri-
| val, that Iceland for about 100 years
previous had been held by Irish
monks, or Culdees, who, however,
soon after left and gave the Island In
to the possession of the enigrants.
| Here the Norwegians remained un-l
der the government Of their chiefs for
u period OF thirty years, when they
radically changed their form OF gov
ernment into one OF more democratic
tendencies. 1t provided for Presi-
dent and Legislature, and the latter
body, after its organization, arranged
a code of jurisprudence, establish
ed trial by jury, and, in later years,
after the introduction and progress of
the christian religion, defined the pow
ers of the clergy. This form Of gov
ernment, continued until the 18th cen
tury, and was marked by the progress
of Christianity, and rapid improve
ment of the people in literature and
learning. During this time the first
school was established, and new
alphabet substituted for and adopted
instead of the Runics. During this
time, also, Are Teode, their first histor-
ian, worked upon the Landama, or
; National Record, which he complete
about the year 1884. All this time
! nearly all Europe was in a state OF
barbarism, ignorance and superstition
yet the enlightened people of Iceland
improved and progressed, erected
printing presses, and issued their OWE
and other works for the benefit and
improvement of the people.
This reign of intelligence and free
dom continued until the death Of
Snorro Sturleson, the great historion
? orator and statesman, of the Island
l which occurred at the close of the 1911
century. He was leader of the peo
pie, and when his councils no longel
t were heard, internecine strifes arose,
which exposed their country to thu
: invasion of foreign foes. Norway
e advanced and seized Iceland in its
e governmental grasp; but it seemed al
though the hand of the invader haC
: stayed the march of progress, for from
/ that time the literature Of the people
:, declined, and was succeeded by ro
! nance and history. Many of the ole
manuscripts were collected in the 17tl
century, and published by Sweder
U and Norway.
0 In his review OF their history ant
0 national character, the Doctor gav'
5 the Icelanders high praise for intelli
5 gence, virtue and enterprise in dis
o coveries for commerce.
0 Passing to the history of their voy
0 ges, he related their colonization o
8 Greenland first discovered by Fri,
0 the Red, in 982) and their voyage
8 from this colony to the mainland O
North America, reading from well au
2 thenticated 'Sagas," of great antiqui
0 ty and claiming on their authority
8 that the Atlantic coast of our CONT
o nent, at various points. from Labrado
0 as far south as tho Island of Martha
9 Vineyard, and this between the year
s 970 and 1880.
% AT the conclusion of the address
= which was interesting and instructive
- vote of thanks was rendered DI
a Bush, and a copy of the paper request
= ed for the Society.
X Tho Snciatv fhen odiournad