The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-02-21
WAS A FRUITFUL TOPIC
In the World n Hundred Years Ago.
When the Century Bcgins-Gcneral
Scbuylcr's calculation. --.

Katharine Schuyler Baxter, OF Oswe-
70, y. y, is the possessor OF the follow
ing interesting letter written by her
srca,-srandfather. General Philip
Schuyler. OF historic fame. to his eldest
laughter. Mrs. Church. and is a most
unique disquIsltIon OF that much moot
ed question: when does the century
begln?"
ALBANY. Feb. II, 1890.
MY BELOVED ANGELICA:-Since
my letter to you on the controversy rel
a,ye to the termination OF the present
century 1t has occurred to me that an
Investigation of the subject from mere
abstract deductions would not be COM
,rehcnded with so much facility as
when clucldated by diagram, In which
the sense OF sight might be brought to
aid the mental reasoning. have pro-
tsc,ed the inclosed which, with such OBJ
saryatlons thereon and such conclus-
ions as shall adduce thefefrom. have
the presumption to believe, will deter
nine the question and bring the con-
tending parties to coincide In opinion.
Whether Christ was born at the be-
ginning of the first moment Of the first
tay Of q month now by us called Janu-
airy, or at the beginning OF the first
moment OF the first day or any other
day OF any other month. is perfectly
immaterial In the solution of the ques-
lion under consideration. 1t Is agreed
on all hands that the Christian era
commenced with the birth of Him.
| shall therefore premise the following
rOstulata:
|. That the birth of Christ was In the
beginning of the first moment OF the
first day OF the month Of January.
.. That the Christian era is made up
O, n continued series OF time called
years.
5. That o year commences with the
nrS, particle Of time Of the first day OF
January and terminates with the end
Of the las, day of the then following
December, and that year consists OF
twelve calendar months as they are
named in our Companion Almanac
t. That 100 such years constitute
century.
s. That between the last particle of
time of the last day Of any December
anu Inc VI tflS 81 par tlClc Ol
time OF the first day Of then succeeding
January no lime intervenes. but that
both are In contact. the one beginning
where the other ends. and that this
holds With respect to continued series
O: sHace as well as time,
The truth of these five postulata I
suppose will not be contested, and. hav-
3 i'm promised this, proceed to observe:
Tha; with respect 10 Christ Qf we
! mas on this occasion be permitted to
consider Hin as one Of the human race)
4 time as 10 Him was not before, but
commenced with Ills birth: that the
moment of His birth was therefore the
first moment of the Christian era. from
whence the computation of years and
centuries Is to commence, and that
hence il follows the Christian era is a
series of years IN arithmetcal progress
sion. the first term whereof Gas, begin
ming with the beginning OF the f:st
particle OF t!me-to wit: with the birth
Of Christi. Is cipher. or 0. and each
/ Interval o. Tie series or common differ
cace Is one year. rs 10 the end OF the
last moTer: of the year 90. which by
ids;u!ate the fifth is the beginning of
the first moment of the year 100. the
number OF intervals or years interviewed
VII 40 lN', " u CeIluIs anu,
ergo, L the series had been continued to
the end OF the last moment OF 1899,
which by pO5tulate the fifth is The be-
ginning Of the first moment of the
year 1900. complete $500 years will have
Interviewed or eighteen complete cea-
iuFses eHied, and that every particle OF
time subsequent TO the end of the last
moment of 1859 marks the beginning of
January |, 1900, must necessarily be in
century next following the eigh-
tccath. consequently the nineteenth
century.
But men Of sound sense. and Of such
candar as to be incapable OF the sub.
tcrtuge which .cavillinG atout words af-
t0:ds. have held. and some do still,
mold. that the present century does not
terminate until the last moment OF the
last day of December of the next year
that is, Il the year 1900 IS past. and that
The nineteenth century does not COM
mence until the first moment OF the
year 1901.
They have probably reasoned thus:
From the year ! OF the Christian era
to the end OF the year 1900. or begin
i ming OF 1901. pnly 1900 years. OF eigh-
tten centuries. have interviewed, and
i therefore the nineteenth century does
January. 1901, So far they are right.
4 BIT here ,heS evidently commence
d t!ieif computation not from the birth OF
ia Sht'At--as the beginning OF time-but
n from period when He was already one
Il year OLD Thus in computation OF time
Z we say from the frs; day of January to
ID ue last DAY of December. inclusive. Is
q uae year, or 800 days, but the fact is
mat there are In that period only 1854
4 days.
but Il we say from the first day of
Il January to the last day OF December,
nO'n inclusive. is one year, or 365 days,
tAeA We are correct. Or, In other words.
4 rem The beginning Of the first parti-
Gle Of time OF the first day OF January.
70 me end OF the last particle of time
Vi the last dag OF December Is one
yeSr. or 3S5 days.
suppose a surveyor was directed TO
ossa az The northwest corner OF the
t''S nan at New York and to measure
on une north course 1900 miles. and
az me end OF eighty chains, or n mile.
l" sci UP stone to indicate how far
iait stone vas from the northwest COR
!ieF OF the city hall, what mark would
ne place upon Il? Surely he would
marx II with the number /. If he should
Proceed eighty chains. or one mile far
lhet, ana set up another stone this he
MpnIi mark with the number .. and
LsIcecHihS thus to set up 4 stone at the
.i OF every eighty chains. or one mile,
""tR ne had run 1880 times eighty
,h"'nS ne would set up n stone and
lining ms face 10 the south he would
sa!' am nov $500 miles from the
NW'fthwest corner Of the city hall of
New York"
hnt IL he had put the stone numbered
al The northwest corner OF The city
nniI' then the stone to be placed Mt
e.4h'y Chains. or one mile, from the
sn'H corner would have been marked ..
and the gtonr rnorl,oI enn ii, , -nn