River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1892-10-27
COLUMBUS AND THE COUNCIL

His Grand Enterprise Carried Through I'm
the Face of Vigorous Opposition-Queen
IsabeIia's Trust In the Navigator.
The great picture, columbus Before
the Council of Salamanca" by Barabi-
no. is in the Orsini palace at Genoa, the
birthplace Of its subject
The scene is one of the most humanity
interesting in the history of the long
struggle which Columbus had to con-
vince those ia authority of his sanity.
While he was following the court of
Ferdinand and Isabella like a mendi-
cant he was introduced TO the notice of
the great Cardinal Pedro Gonzalez de
Mendoza at Salamanca. The cardinal,
who was rather pleased with his idea,
though he said il savored of heterodoxy,
obtained for him an audience with the
king. His majesty referred him to Fer
junta of astronomers and cosmograph-
ers, mostly ecclesiastics.
They met his arguments with Biblical
texts and quotations from the great
theologians, and finally ridiculed him
and walked away rom him, after indi-
eating their BELIEF in no polite way that
he was of unsound mind.
They reported that his project was
foolish, and that it did not become the
king and queen to have anything to do
with it, The junta met him in the
church of San Sebastian at Salamanca.
Their view of the prophet was sus-
tanned by the king, but Isabella, more
gentle. of higher and more devout ma
ture, regretted that she might not give
to the church of God new converts
from new races, which might be Sc
cured in Asia. which land Columbus
was to reach bv sea.
But, as it happened, she had no money
at hand. Her war with Granada, just
concluded, had cost a prodigious sum.
She found herself in debt even to her
were raised by pawning her jewels and
borrowing money, and at last the life
cherished dream of the discoverer was
realized.
His fleet, the Santa Maria, the Nina
and the Pinta, set sail on Friday, Au-
gust 3, 1892. After long and perilous
voyage, not the least danger of which
was the threatened mutiny of his
sailors, as has since become historical,
land was first sighted on the evening
of October IL, 1892.
This date is according TO the old style
calendars; In the new it was the 21st
of October, which latter date was
chosen for the opening of the great ex-
position, to be leld in his honor four
hundred years later.
After bewildering and enchanting
voyage of three months. the great adj
miral, leaving fort on the Bay of Car
racola, sailed January 4, 149S, for
Spain, in the Nina, taking with him a
number of natives and abundant prod :
ucts of the new land which he had
found.
His royal reception in Spain, HIS tri-
umphal march to court when he re-
turned, weather-beaten and almost in
rags. the thanksgiving of the good
queen and the widespread wonder of all
Europe have all become matters of his
tory.
He made three other voyages to
America, but he was doomed to suffer
ing, disappointment, loss of royal favor
ard attacks by the envious.
To the eternal infa.ny of Bobadilla,
n Spanish commissioner, Columbus
was sent home in chains at the close
of his third voyage. The king dis
claimed this outrage and freed him;
but the great navigator was wounded
to the quick, and he preserved the
chains, as he said, "as relics and
memorials of the reward of his serv-
ices" They were in his chamber in
Seville when he died.