National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-06-12
Columbus and the Exposition.

NOtumbuh ana tne ENpOslttons
The committee OF arrangements for the
Permanent Exposition to be iuaugurated in
the capital In 1892 is, we are glad to say,
meeting with marked success. Leading
merchants and other citizens Of Baltimore
are in hearty cooperation with the move
ment, and different cities are falling into
line.
1t seems only fitting that, as the date fixed
upon has been selected TO commemorate the
discovery OF this continent by Columbus,
some monument should be erected to that
great man TO mark our appreciation OF his
noble character, and at the same time to
symbolic some fundamental differences be-
tween the new world and the old.
In our columns to-day will be found q
print Of the handsome monument erected
by Genoa to the memory of her most illus.
trious son. 1t is situated in a large open
space near the center Of the city OF Genoa
Completed on July Ia, 1862 the anniversary
OF the great SAILORS return TO his home, It
stands on u pedestal adorned with ships
prows. At the feet OF the statue, which
rests on an anchor, kneels the figure OF
America. The entire structure is Of white
marble, and is surrounded by allegorlcal
| figures in q sitting posture, representing
Religion, Geography, Force, and Wisdom.
| Between those figures are rellefs OF scenes
from the history of Columbus, with The In
scriptlon of the dedication.
The figure at the summit Is, OF course,
that OF Columbus, aud, as far as It goes, Is
very like him, but, on such small scale,
Notwithstanding all the glamour cast around
the picture by the REPUBLICANS special
artist, those who had not known Chris
topher personally might experience some
difficulty in recognizing him from our draw
ing.
1t may be interesting, then, to recall the
description of the navigator, which is ac-
cepted by the best authorities. In person
Columbus was tall and shapely, long. faced
and aquiline, white-eyed and authenticated,
and Of beautiful complexion. At 30 his
hair was quite gray. lie was temperate in
eating, drinking, and dress, and $50
strict I'm religious matters thai for fasting
and saying all the divine office he might be
thought professed In some religious order.
His piety, as his son has noted was earnest
and unwavering; 1t entered into aud colOred
alike his action and his speech; he tries his
pen in Latin distlch of prayer; his sigma
ture is a mystical pletistic device"
II is not proposed just rs present by the
Senate, or by any authorized committee, to
duplicate the Genoese statue In this city.
We present picture Of that fine monument
10 Our readers just as We should offer pic
ture Of any great work of art. America is
old enough and strong enough and, we
hope, original enough now to design her
great monuments for herself We are in.
clined TO think that this great city enjoys
quite an cmbUTds dc richCSsc In the matter
Of pedestrian and equestrian statues. I'm
derany circumstances, G.. Columbus was moi
great walker or a great horseman, at least
so far as his biographers have been able tc
discover. 1t has been proposed, and wisely
in our opinion, that Washington should
erect, in memory of Columbus, great tri
umphal arch Of peace. We have been re
peatiDg long enough that "peace hath hel
triumphs no less renowned than war;" and
II would well symbolic the new departure
of America In the great procession of the
nations II, in the capital Of our country, We
should erect, to the aspirations Of our PEG
pie for peace, that triumphal arch whicl
previous civilizations have devoted to per.
petuatlng the ruthless glories of war.