Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-04-19
PREHISTORIC AMERICA.
Ex-Secretary Boutwell, Suggests That
This Continent Was the Ancient Ophir.

| The Columbian University hall was well filed
with students at 4:30 yesterday afternoon to
hear the lecture by Hon. Geo. 8. Boutwell, on
America previous to the discovery by Colum-
bus" The speaker began his remarks with
reference to the exposition Of '92 and read an
extract from article he had published in a
Boston paper canvassing the question Of an
orator for that occasion. He could discover no
American possessed of oratorical powers COM
bned with the necessary historical spirit nor
did he think any American possessed of the
required materials He looked upon ex-Presi-
dent CASTELAR, Of Spain the man pre-emi.
nently fitted for the great effort, and argued
that to bring him here would be to greatly
honor our country. He then reviewed
briefly the condition of the ancient world to
show that even if the existence of this cont.
nent were known to the Ph9nicians or other
peoples OF that time all record of the fact
might now be lost as the language, literature
and art of Phencia have disappeared. The
fail of Carthage destroyed the link that might
have connected ancient Tyre and Sidon with
the modern world.
Ethnology WIS dwelt upon to show the SINH
larlty of the. Asiatic and Aboriginal American
races. Dividing mankind into three families
black, red and te-it was found that the
hair of the red race is cylindrical, of the white
oval, and of the black eccentrcally elliptical,
which explains the tendency of the black mans
hair to curl and of the red mans to conform to
straight line. The habits and characteristics
OF many Asatic tribes were found to conform
closely to those of our now almost-departed
red men.
To show the identity Of the American and
Aslatic races proofs Of three kinds were pre-
sented First, the internal evidence which
America presents of its early, intimate and
long continued connection with Asia. Second,
the evidence which the Asiatic world furnishes
of an early but interrupted acquaintance with
this continent previous to the discovery by
Columbus. And third, the necessary, natural
and probable means by which communication
was introduced and continued. Mound build
ing was shown to be common to both countries,
the weapons Of warfare we're the same, their
color was alike and the custom of scalping
belonged to both continents The art Of
welding and hardening copper was known
to the ancient Egyptians and dis
coveries of implements in Michigan
have given convincing evidence that the art
now lost was once known here. The architect
ural remains in Mexico and Central America
bear evidence of a civilization equal to that of
ancient Aslatic peoples. In lS49 California gold
hunters discovered ancient mint Near
Petersteld Cal, quartz mill has been dis
covered five feet below the surface and there
Is evidence that the North Carolina gold mines
were worked at some remote period. The SINH
larlty OF language and hieroglyphice between
the two continents was pointed out. The spheri-
cal figure OF the earth and the mariners COM
pass were known to the ancients. The Pheni-
clans were skillful mariners, could travel $50
miles a day, and as they were some
times two or three years on a voyage they
must have gone beyond the old world The
Biblical statement that Solomon received at
one time $50 talents of gold or SlO2, lO2, 900 of
our money from Ophir, that David had pre-
pared for the house of the Lord 100, 900 talents
OF gold and 1000 talents Of silver, or S4 3l0,-
OOU,OOO OF our money, and that Solomon had
5000 talents OF surplus gold $500 000, 000). and
1000 talents of silver to overlay the walls of
the house, showed there must be vast mines
somewhere, and the speaker believed Ophir
was part or all of this continent.
In the tenth century the Scandinavian naviga-
tors landed in this country, and in zoos Gudrda
the wife OF Thortinn, gave birth to a son called
Sorre, the first child of known European
parentage born in this country. Thorfnn re-
turned to Iceland with his son, from whom are
descended Prof. Finn Magnusson of Copen-
hagen, Thorvalsden, the great sculptor, and
other distinguished persons. There are ancient
traditions and poetical illusions that can be ex-
planned only by admitting knowledge of this
full tribute to the future of this country and
was greeted with round of applause.
"Move On" When the Police Saw So.
when an officer tells man to move on,n
said Judge Miller in the Police Court this morn
ing, sit is better to move than to stand and
hold court there on the pavement. 1t invari-
ably leads to trouble, which should always be
avoided" The judge made the remarks in the
case of a colored man who was charged with
obstructing the sidewalk on Pennsylvania ave-
nue., refusing to move on" when a number of
them were obstructing the pavement and the
police tried to dispense them. In this case the
defendant, after being given good advice. was
discharged.