The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1880-07-08
The Dau We Celebrated.

Louis Hennepin. q franciscan (Recolleot)
missionary, vas born at Ath, Belgium, about
1910, and died in Holland subsequent to
1890. After his entrance to tho Franciscan
order he travelled through Germany and Italy
and was then for q year settled at Hal in Bel
giuu. Then his superiors sent him to Artois,
whence he visited Calais and Dankirk and at
these places acquired o taste for the sea BY
intercourse with sailors. 1t was an age of
adventurous explorers by sea, and sailors
were to be met at almost every port who
knew more of the world than was taught in
tho schools whero Hennepin was edu-
Gated, aud whose narratives of the strange
lands and peoples they had seen were
stranger than the most romantic Of the mar
ratives of the fathers he had read. From
Artois he went to Holland, and for eight
months had charge of hospital at Macs.
tricht. At the battle of Senef, between the
Prince of Conde and William of Orange, in
lC74, ho was present as regimental chap
lain. The next year he was ordered to Can
ada, and embarked at LaRochelle with Bish-
op Laval and the Sieur de IIaSalle. with
whom he became favorite. For some
time he preached at Quebec, and then in
lG7C he was sent to take charge of
the Indian mission at Fort Fontenac, (oom-
manded by La Salle,) where the city of
Kingston, Canada, now stands. While there
he visited the Indians of the Five Nations
and the Dotch settlement at Albany. In
1878, having meantime returned to Quebec,
no was attached to the expedition of La
Sale, designed to find the mouth of the
Mississippi and establish colonies; aud on
August Z, 1879, embarked on Lake Erie with
La Sale, and his command, on board a YES
sci lit for their lake voyage. They sailed
over Lakes Erie, Huron aud Michigan, and
by canoes (and portages) followed the st.
Joseph's, Kankakee aud Illinois rivers, and
built Fort Crevecoenr near the present
present site of Peoria. From here, while
La Sale returned to Fort Frontenac for sup
plies, Father Hennepin was charged with q
voyage OF discovery to tho sources of the
Mississippi, which had not then been OK
plored above the mouth OF the Wisconsin.
Accompanied by Picard du Gay and Michael
Also, he set out IN a canoe February %, 1880,
followed the Illinois to it's mouth, and
assembled the Mississippi, WAS taken captive
by the Sioux, and while a captive with them,
saw the Falls of st. Anthony, and gave them
their name in honor of his patron saint.
Subsequently,, after his return to Europe
and publication of his narrative of
AA0 00AA0 y \ASoJ SAPS>AAhaNAg U0N
his own explorations, with description
of the upper Mississippi country, on account
of disobedience, he was forced to leave the
service of France and is said to have enter
ed tho service of William III. of England.
About 1897 he abandoned the clerical dress
bnt to the end of his life subscribed to his
name "Recollect Missionary and Apostolic
Notary.
Hennepin was one of the many who are
types of that age of discovery, bold, light
hearted explorer, but all enthusiast, q quaint
writer, but so far as his description of the
upper Mississippi country and it's
Indians can he identified with our later
knowledge, a remarkably correct narrator.
But q book, purporting to be second edi-
tion of his narration, which was published
in Utrecht after, or about the time he is said
to have gone into the service of the English
king, contains a manifestly false interpella-
tion-an account of voyage down the Mis-
sissippi to the Gulf of Mexico, which Hen
nepin could not havo made. Because of this
Father Hennepin has been bitterly de-
nounced by variOns historians. Bancroft,
for an extreme instance, says that
Hennepin "is now remembered, not mere
ly az q light hearted, ambitions, daring
discoverer, but also a. boastful liar"
The historical society Of Minnesota, who
have had occasion to verify Hennepin's ORR
ginal narration, and found it substantially
correct, being also in possession Of informs
tion that tho researches of q competent
American historian and antiquarian John
Gilmeray Shea)have cleared away the Utrecht
Interpolation and other matters. 80 that the
first white man in Minnesota may without
doubt be regarded o. worthy example of
the missionary priests of his time, has had
no hesitation in giving to Minnesota as q
day Of festival and oongratulation, the two
hundredth anniversary Of Father Hennepin's
most striking achievement, from which dates
the beginning of the history of our keloved
State.
In celebrating the day, (6xed for conven-
else day on which the Recoliect missionary
in 1850 first saw and named the great falls
of the Mississippi,) our Historical society
celebrated tho birthday OF Minnesota and
the new Northwest OF to-day. In honoring
Hennepiu they honored the class to which
he ebelonged-those brave clergymen of two
centuries ago who came with the first of white
men into the heart of our continent and who
yere at once explorers, historians of diacov-
q and heralds and martyrs Of religion.
Minneapolis.
The young giant city at tho Falls OF St.
Anthony has seconded the purpose Of the
Historical society, With liberality Of expendi-
tpre and heartipess of hospitality, to which
must mainly be attributed the great success
of the celebration. For detaals of the elab
orate preparations for the event and Of the
entertainment OF all attending it from abroad,
the reader Is referred to the particular &C.
counts below of the proceedings Of the day.
It will suffice to say here, and to avoid repe-
tition, that in every respect the public spir-
tied citizens of Minneapolis Won honor for
themselves IN honoring their guests Of the
day.
IN GALA ATTIRE.
The city of Minneapolis never saw such q
day % yesterday. It olmost appeared "a
though the inanimate earth on which the
city is h2ilt-her magnificent blocks Of build
iugs, her immense mills and even the grand
falls themselves, were aware that something
more than ordinary was taking place. The
broad avenues were teeming With life, and
every artery Of the city pulsated with . glad
and gleesome feeling, which developed itself
in the smiling oountenanoes of her citizens,
and With the outward emblems of general
rejoicing. Most OF the business houses and
many private dwellings were decorated With
- A.