New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-03-23

accurafafx- ~,
y % Wen established that he ala No, -,
u'' uilder certain circumstances. hon -
0eIldin ne did 50 under oth.rs7 n -
-. 81 any o'ner motive he concealed or 81
torted the truth. why should he NOT 49, -
done so when urged by consi5s-,,,..-- HASs
greater Importance to himself? '~r
The discovery that Columns
ful man affects not only his moral - IN
showing he was capable OF STOPPING "a ~
IL also takes away all trust IN his WORD. !, =,
credits every statement that he has -. =
FORCES us 10 ask whether similar inarc,,~,.s- :
not vitiate his evidence IN a nur,ba- :, -,
circumstances. known 70 US only through b,,., Il,
which II may have been to his advantar. >, -
the truth? 70 o'ds
haVing stated this. would now ask - c-,,,
elsth mas moi the right to subject 70 a ssvo-.
anu rigorous scrutiny that assertion which ~ al
those made by Columbus has for "a tha - 80.
iilpo''ahce-tnat assertion on which rests o,,-
conception Of the origin and charac,.- :, s .'
Undertaking which resulted in the dlscor.-,. -
the New World? I ask II It be NOT m. -, -
duty Of the critic to see whether the ,,..--
ton obtainable from other than colu..,,'
sources. or which may be deduced g. .a
facts themselves. confirms the formal - "'
lions Of Columbus cited above thai NJ, -
was based theoretical reasoninzs g.
object was to reach the Indies by a nav, -
that this was what he proposed 70 m. c,o.sa,,'
Kings. and that this was what thew co-,ra,-
stoned him to dor
This critical examination II noe sr,1o,,,s,
Although most Of the documents aeaI,,, -
this great event come 20 US through col1-,h,,..
Channels. fortunately some exist ~ an ,,A.
pendent nature. and they suffice IN show 49,.
here again II Is unsafe 70 trust IN N. ..s+,,.-.
OF Columbus
Just as we were enlightened BY the aizcovs--,
Of private deeds and documents "a N ~. 49,.
condition OF the Columbus family a. cA,o.
which he has shown to US under var ,,1,.
aspect, so are We made acquainted with the rsaI
character OF his enterprises by the sxistsnc. -
the official minutes Of the contracts negotiated
between him and the Catholic Kings. Turn over
the pages Of those precious documents draw,
up with the greatest care. under the eyes and
with the assistance Of Columbus himself. and
you viii find nothing which should be found
therein II what he said were true There "a NOT
a word about finding a new route rom the West
TO the East. about going to the Indies; there is
not even mention Of the Indies. that word never
occurring once throughout these documents; ths
only reference Is to lands and new Islands to bs
islands the discOversr is to have the govern
ment.
Nor are these the only documents bearing on
the subject wherein we find no references to
what was. according 70 Columbus and his FIRST
biogrsPhsrs. the object Of the expedition. In
order TO assure the execution OF the contract to-
which they had set their hand and seal the
Catholic Kings issued Ordinances. gave instruc-
lions. prescribed measures the texts OF an
which have come down 70 US. These texts Hks
the Capitulations. are silent about that route to
the Indies. which he afterward said 10 was ths
end Of the undertaking 20 discover and traverse
for the first time In order 20 At out his ships
for the voyage Columbus had negotiations with
numerous persons az Palos and It's neighbor-
hood. 70 whom he must necessarily have
planned what Il was he proposed doing. Yet
when, later on. they we're summoned 70 dsposs
respecting this expedition. not one OF all these
persons who had been Informed Of these prepa~
rations or who had actually taken part IN them,
said a word about the Indies. or about It's having
any other purport than the discovery Of new
lands.
one may pursue this critical examination as
far as one chooses. may follow every step taken
by Columbus 20 further his schsms. may con-
suit all tbs documents. all the writings OF ths
period which are neither directly from his hand
nor from persons inspired BY him. and nowhsrs
viii there be found any confirmation OF his as
sertion. But II this examination shows nothing
Of the kind. on the other hand It does unvei a
very curious fact, namely. that this references TO
the Indies. which ought to have appeared in all
the documents drawn up between Columbus and
the Catholic Kings bearing on the object Of his
undertaking. and which can be found IN nons
OF them crops I'd for the first time after the re-
turn OF Columbus IN 1893. and Is never omitted
IN snv Of the official documents drafted after
the great discovery.
This IS surely a collection OF significant facts
and the critic who notes them IS obliged 20 con-
fess that II they do not explicitly contradict tn'
testimony OF Columbus they certainly DO not
confirm IL. and that so far as the end ana na'ui'
OF the great event Of 1892 is concerned We t.
main face to face With the statement OF Coiuhi-
hrs alone. unsupported by a shred OF connTHs-
tory evidence. -.
T. "a sxactlv the same With the allegation NAV
the FI9rentine astronomer. Toscanell' mann.
tanned a scientific correspondents, nTst wiz
king Alfonso a-d afterward with Columbus. Is-
s,ertfne this new route 70 the Indies. BE MS
corraspondence apocryphal. as have sousH' "
demonstrate. or he il genuine. as Is genera.
supposed our belief IN It's existence mus
solely on statements coming from CoiI.i1i
sources and traCeable to Columbus himself -
his son Ferdinand and Bishop Las CasS''
OF whom admit that they quote either HO-- -.
man whose life they wrote or from hs E 100
Columbus alone knew that Toscaneh iu'--- 49,.
the King OF Portugal with informau0n % !,
route TO the Indies; Columbus al0ns ~ NJ.
this correspondence; Columbus alone wa. ~,
IN obtain a copy Of Il: no other copy 80 :,
his and the original has never been Hs'-
let alone produced -,...,,. IN
There IS neither hypothesis nor c0IJ'' s,.,,.
what I have here set down. Ihey 60.
facts which may indeed be dileFs"eS %