Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-10-21

The passage Of four hundred years has but
Increased the fame Of Christopher Columbus.
HI. discovery Of the new world Is reckoned the
creates event Of the great century with which
modern history begins. and If another event in
that teeming period % new light and grand
deeds {. comparable with IL 1t is the invention
aud first use Of movable types. Perhaps the
art OF printing led indirectly 10 the discovery Of
America But 1t Is certain that IL no new henri
sphere had been found the world would have
been deprived Of one-half OF the glory OF
Guttenburg and Faust and their con-
temporsries and civilization would have
fallen short By 80 much Of its nineteenth CEN
fury attainment. To FIX this thought In the
mind consider the state Of the world in the age
of Columbus. Great historians of the period.
writing OF the condition OF society at that time
In the most advanced countries of Europe, have
been moved to call every people barbarous ex-
eept the Italians, with whom literature and the
arts fourished a. they did in the classic ages
before the decay set in which preceded
the coming OF the Cloths and other
northern tribes. With the wealth the
Spanish conquerors wrested from the Aztecs
and the Incas Of Peru the great works and wars
Of the later middle ages and the early modern
period were prosecuted. and il this enormous
wealth bsnkrupted the vigor Of the mighty
Spanish monarchy and was wasted by Charles
IN ceaseless efforts 10 establish his own fame
and promote the selfish interest of his heir 1t
also provided the sinews Of trade to the Italian
republics, to the Netherlanders and to the Han
seattle bankers on the Baltic. But II Is not to
it, wealth a. poured out serviely for the use of
eonquerors and III or well employed that it Is
necessary to revert to show the value of America
An the scale Of civilization IL Is above
everything else TO Americas sons and the Gre
ations OF their minds and hands in the service of
political hberty-it Is to the institutions of
America wherever derived, that the world ac-
kuovledges at last it, deep and abiding graft
tude. Christopher Columbus was the product
OF a noble republic in its state OF decline-the
product Of a land fa-t Fastening from the splen-
dors Of political Independence. the survival of
the ancient Roman spirit, TO a condition of en-
forced dependence on local and foreign despots |
But bis was a lofty soul which nothing not
even medieval iucredulity Of science could |
fetter. The better part Of the land he discov
cred. considering America a whole, mani !
tests in its career this soul of Columbus. There
has been here. with little TRANSMISSION of Italian
blood, tradition Of the grand spirit Of the Ge-
noese navigator. Hence. with all of the material
prosperity to be grateful for today. the work !
OF the pioneer, the african. the planter. the 1
fnancier, the teacher and the thinker, it is the /
peculiar pride and felicity Of Americans TO |
congratulate themselves and the world upon the /
priceless boon to humanity Of personal liberty, !
won BY the sword. guarded by representation |
and popular vigilance and preserved eternally. !
IL preserved. BY the faithful recurrence TO first |
principles, BY love Of home rule, BY respect for
public virtue. by obedience TO Law by mainten-
anee Of the union Of the states in the spirit of |
enlightened patriotism