The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-10-22
THE VICTORY OF PEACE.

Address of Chief Justice Henry N. Blake
to the Children.
Chief Justice Blake was the last speaker
and delivered the following address for the
G. A. r.: 1.-THE revelation of q new world
by Christopher Columbus, is the most re-
nownsd Of the victories of peace, and the
recitations of its familiar history are heard
to-day v the races OF the hemispheres.
We are enchanted with this narrative of
events, al marvellous as any creation Of'the
boundlesH Imagination of the orient. The
resplsndent pages portray his life OF hon
orable poverty. jealous study, earnest pur-
pose, exalted faith. sublime patience and
maritime genius. Thousands of volumes
upon this inspiring theme have been COM
posed in every tongue in the past four CEN
turtles. The celebration of this nniver-
sary ia not limited by the horizon of any
cline. snd it is not possible to mold origi-
nal thoughts upon the consequences of that
potent deed which changed the destiny of
mankind.
1.-THE presence of the pupils of the schools
upon this occasion, and their conspicuous
part in similar exercises throughout the
union. suggest oDe text for these remarks.
Columbus, during long. long years of on
| treaty and persuasion, maintained that the
| earth was globular in form. and that the
most direct route to the Indies OF Asia was
westward from Europe over the waves of
the Atlantic. These thories were rejected
by the masses of the ignorant, as we'll as
the learned. Columbus, single handed, but
with the gigantic power of the enthusiast,
attacked the geographical errors and tradi-
tons of the age, which were the formidable
barriers in his path. In his search for the
fountain Of knowledge, he sailed upon the
seas navigated in that epoch, and read the
works of travellers. philosophers, historians
and poets. Facts resting now upon the
sure foundation of mathematical demon
s~tration, were then ignored. Like many
controversies regarding An hypothesis
which must be- tested by expert
ment. the whole truth did not
and persons who were convinced. of the
r%otundity of this planet, did not know OF
realize its magnitude, and the vast extent
of its waters; and the estimate of the dis
tance of the new course from Spain to the
indian ocean was too low. Greater and
more terrible than the actual were the
legendary dangers which arose in the dark
ness of the times. 1t was a popular super
stition that monsters of every spscies
whlch fancy could invent, devoured the
bold sailors who passed beyond the lines OF
the coast. In this remote realm of Nep.
tune there were
'Gorgons, and Hydras. and Chineras dire"
This vessels bearing mortals to this dread
full fate. were destl Dyed by fires which
ragged upon the bosom of the deep. We arc
4 ~ ~ 4o NotA sAos Al aAlAbk
dwellers of Palos wept as the carayels o.
Columbus departed from their gaze for the
great unknown country. No terrori
could fill with dismay the hear
of the grim and bravo admiral
and no shadow of failure was cast by
his rudder of hope. His courage and intel
ligence triumphed over ali. When a you'll
he attended the Unive sity of Pavia, ant
Latin was embraced in his course Of in
struction. Can the children of this genera
ton, looking backward. think of any &C
quiremeut seemingly of less value t,
Columbus than the mastery CT this deas
language? Utility wonld declare that hi
precious time was lost in the translation o
the verse of the poets OF Rome. Seneca
In the chorus of Medea, uttered, upward
of 300 years ago, these remarkable sen.
uenoes: / select this rendition from tn
notes to Baoon's Essay on Prophecies
After the lapse of years age
relax his chains around the world
and a vast continent shall appear, anc
Tiphys shall explore new regions, ant
Thule shall be no longer the utmost verg
of EARTH This ia the commentary o
Bacon. "a prophecy of the discovery o.
America Charles Sumner in his Pro
phetic Voices Concerning America quote
these verses, and says: Four, if not more
copies are extant in the undoubted hand
writing of neutrality-suspicious. autograph
to tempt collectors; two in his work on th
Prophecies. another in a letter to Quee
Isabella, and still another entered anon
his observations of lunar eclipses at Hayt
and Jamaica. BY these the great admire
sailed Thus. this man, whose life oea'
with facts III the rough, was strengthened