The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-10-22
THE COLUMBIAN GRAFTON
Delivered at the ~Dedicatory Exer-
cises in Chicago by Chaun-
eey M. Depew.
a Day That Belongs Not to
America, but to the
World.
Tho Spectacle an Eloquent Witness to
Peace and Progress-A Brilliant Trib-
ute to Columbus

CHICAGO, Oct. 2l.-The following is a
synopsis Of the mastery Grafton delivered
at the dedication of tho Worlds fair build
ings to-day by Hon. Chauncey M. Depow.
The distinguished orator was crested with
nm ovation when he arose TO speak:
This day belongs not to America. but to
the world. Tho results Of the day IL COM
memorates are the heritage of the peoples
of every race and CLINE. We celebrate the
emancipation of man. The preparation was
the work of almost countless centu les, tho
realization was the revelation OF one. Tho
cross on Calvary was hope; the .oss raised
on San Salvadof was olpo tunity. But for
the first, Columbus would never have sailed.
but for the second. there would have been
no place for the planting. tbs nature and
tho expansion OF civil and lsligious liberty.
Force was the factor in the COVE nment OF
the world whom Christ was born, and force
was the sole source and ex-
erciss OF authority both bv church
and state when Columbus sailed
from Palos. The wise men Travelled from
the east towards the west ander the guild
anoe of the star Of Bethlehem. The spirit
Oh bA6 oQudllLy " dA . . 49, es~
the law, moved westward from @ wary
with it's revolutionary influence ii on old
institutions, to the Atlantic ocean. Colum-
bus carried it westward 30 oss the seas.
The emigrants from England, Ireland.
Scotland and Wales, from Germany and
Holland, from Sweden and Denmark,
from Fl ance and Italy, have. unde Its
guidance and inspi alton, moved west, and
s1a;p ,,au% hrjl1iuu GtQfAo and fGnnd1np
cities until the Pacific limited their march.
The exhibition of arts and sciences. of in
dustries and Inventions, Of education and
civilization. which the republic OF the
United States will here PRESENT, and to
which, through its chief magistrate. it in
yites all nations. condenses and displays
the flower and fruitage of this transcendert
miracle.
Neither realism or romance. furnishes a
more striking and picturesque figure than
that of Christopher Columbus. The mys-
terry nbous his origin ~heightens the cham
of his story. That he came from among the
foilers of his time 10 in hRrmony with the
struggles of our period. Fotty-four au-
thentic portraits of him have descended to
us, and no two of them are the oounttrfeits
OF tho same person. Each represents q char
acter as distinct m its canvas. Strength
md weakness, intellectually and stupidity,
high moral purpose and bratal f%erocity.
pu ity and licentiousness, the dreamer and
the mise. the irats and the puritan, are
the types from which we may select
our hero. We dismiss the painter, and
piercing with the clarified vision of the
dawn of the twelfth century, the veil o!
fou hundred yesrs, we construct our Col
umbus.
TO secure the means to test the truth of
his sreculations. this poor and unknown
dreamer must win the support of kings and
overcome the hostility of the church. He
al t.I IA n aIrlitu IN ln hath fhNnrh
he knew OF no man living who WAS 30 great
in power, OF Lineage, or learning, that he
could accomplish either. His unshakable
faith, that Christopher Columbus was COM
missioned from heaven, both bv his name
and by divine command to carry "Christ
across the sea- to new continents and
pagan peopses. lifted him so far above the
Acknowledgements of an empty purse and a
tempt court that no was proof
against the rebuffs of fortune, or OF friends.
1t WAS n ha py omen of the position
which was to hold in America, that the only
person who com prehena tho majestic scope
of his plans, ard the invincibie quality of
his genius, was tho able and g!aelous
queen of CASTLE. Isabella alone OF all tn
dignitaries of that age, shares with Column
bus the honoTs of his great achievement.
She a rayed her kingdom and private for
tune behind the entbuslasm of this mystic
mariner. and posterity pays homage to her
wisdom and faith.
The rulers Of the old world began with
partitioning the now. TO them the discover
was expansion of empire, and grandt ur to
the throne. But individual intelligence
and independent conscience found here
haven and refuge. They were tho passen-
gers upon the caravels Of Columbus, and he
was unconsciously making for the port of
civil und religious liberty. 1t required 800
years, for tho people thus happily situated,
to understand their own powers and re-
- A. L.~nE N---l, r-itab ----n
still rsveranced, or loved, no matter how
deeply they wounded. or how hard they
CALLED.
Edmund Burke, speaking in the British
parliament with prophetic voice, said: "A
great revolution has happened-a revolution
made, not by chopping and changing of
power in any of the existing states, but by
the appearance of a new state, of a new
species, in a new part Of the globe. 1t has
made as great a change in all the elutions
and balances and gravitations of power IA
the appearance of a new planet would in
the system of the solar world" Thus was
the humiliation OF oar successful revolt,
tempered to the motherland by pride in the
state created by her children.
The grandeur and beauty of this speota-
Gle are the eloquent witnesses of peace and
progress. The ParthSnon and the cathe-
dral exhausted the genius OF the ancient
and $50 skill of the medieval architects in
housing me statue or spirit of deity. In
their fuins or their antiquity they
are mute protests against the mar
CHESS enmity of nations, which forced
art to fee to the altar for protection.
The United States welcome the sister re-
publics of the southern and northern con-
~tinents, and the nations and peoples OF
Europe and Asia, of Africa anu Australia.
with the products of their lands, of their
skill and of their industry to this city OF
yesterday, yet clothed with royal splendor
az the queen of the great lakes. The ar
tists and architects of the country have
been hidden TO design and erect the build
inRs which shall fifty illustrate the heigh,
of cur civilization and the breadth of ou,
hospitality. The pence of the world per-
mits and projects their efforts ia utilizing
their powers for mans temporal welfare.
The result 10 this park of PALACES. The
originality and boldness of their sonoep.
tions, and the magnitude and harmony OF
their creations are the contributions OF
America to the oldest of the arts and the
cordial bidding of America to the peoples
of the earth to come and bring the f~rnitage
of their age to the boundless opportunltiea
of this unparalleled exhibition.
All hail, Columbus. discovsrsr, dreamer,
hero and apostle. We here. of every race
and country, recognize the horizon which
bounded his vision and the infinite scope OF
his genius. The voice Of gratitude and