Evening star., 1908-01-11
Work of an American
Crowned by French Academy

Work of an American
Crowned by French Academy
Special Correspondence Of The Star.
PARIS. January 1. 1903.
TENRY vIGNAUD. the venerable
first secretary Of the United States
embassy at Paris. is now putting
the finishing touches to the second series
of his monumental work, Critical Stud
les of the Life OF Columbus" His first
series has just been crowned" by the
academy. This is the highest form of
appreciation that France can bestow, and
no other recognition elsewhere is held in
such high esteem, as the men who confer
1t are all savants of the specialist order.
1t Is distinction rarely given to foreign
ers. and Mr.. vignaud Is the first Ameri-
can to receive 1t.
During the thirty-two years that he has
resided in Paris Mr.. vignaud has devoted
all his leisure time to historical studies,
and for the most part with reference to
Columbus. In hunting up information
about him from all sorts of musty records
he has displayed infinite pains and pa
uence. He verif1eS everything. His hrst
series, as Is generally known, showed that
the real Columbus bore little resemblance
to the heroic figure Of legend and tradi-
tfon who has been enShrined for centu
ries in the popular imagination. In fact.
he has proved to be a good deal OF a
humbug and charlatan. The seconu se-
nes, judging from the conversation have
just had with Mr.. Vignaud, will be still
more destructive Of the halo with which
historians, who have devoted little origi-
nal research to the subject. have sur
rounded him.
I'm my first series of critical studies"
said Mr.. Vlgnaud. II left Columbus when
he settled in Portugal and married. In
the new series take him from the COM
mencement of his life in Portugal until
his departure for the discovery Of Amer
lea. In other words. my second series Is
continuation of the first. My critical
studies. however. conclude with Colum-
bus starting on his voyage. because after
that his life Is fully recorded and there
are no disputed points about him to be
cleared up. Columbus was man Of mys-
terry and a most cOnsummate liar. He
lied continually about himself. He lied
whenever he thought 1t served his per-
sonal interests. / prove him to be con-
f1rmed liar
I'm my coming work take up the sup
posed discussion of his plan OF voyage
with the learned men OF the University
Of Salamanca and Of Spain generally. Co
lumbus was more of sailor than OF a
savant, but he wished to give the impress
sion that he was constantly in communi-
cation with the learned men OF his day.
He was not.
There Is also curious point about
Beatrice Henriquez. mother OF his second
son. It Is a debated question whether he
was married or not. I prove beyond dis
Yn1pfo hof he yx,Qn mi m q y-rio RI
This Is something that will have to be
taken into account in considering his fit-
ness for canonization. His eldest son.
however. Is legitimate. for Columbus was
married in Portugal. II is from this son
that the Duke de Veragua. who raises
bulls for the fights in Spain. and who Wis
tied America during the Chicago expo
sition, Is descended.
'It Is often said that am too severe
upon Columbus. have sought only to
truth about him that proves him to have
been a consummate liar. The results Of
my Investigations set forth in my first Sc
rieS OF studies are now accepted as IN
the discovery of America. Filson Young,
for instance, in his life OF Columbus,
accepts my contentious throughout.
\
81 may mention also that the discovery
of the true date of Columbus birth is
mine. Since made that known a docu-
ment has been brought to light showing
that Columbus was born in 1451. as
maintained. Formerly all histories Of the
navigator were based largely upon tradi-
tion, but the facts that have brought to
light concerning him show that he was
far from being the sort Of man who is
worthy of hero worship"
"Will Columbus ever be made saint,
Mr.. Vignaud?' / asked.
Never. believe" Mr.. Vignaud replied.
you might look upon me as a kind OF
lay devils advocate You know that the
cardinal who rs appointed to oppose the
canonization Of a saint and who raises
all the objections he can Is called the
DEVILS advocate. The question OF the
canonization of Columbus is full. OF in
terest for Americans. believe the
knights Of Columbus. a powerful orr
the canonization. Americans contributed
toward the expense OF the investiga-
tion. The movement originated In
France, Plus TX favored it. Leo XIII
frowned upon it. and Plus x has taken
no action in the matter. Recently it
was said that the question was being
taken up again at the instigation Of the
Knights of Columbus. I have communi-
Gated with Rome on the matter. and the
reply is that nothing iss being done
about it.
Columbus cannot be canonized be-
cause, according to the canons Of the
Catholic Church. that honor is reserved
only for those who were possessed Of
heroic virtues and by whom. or at least
through whom, not less than three mira
cles have been wrought. Now. no mira
cles are attributed to Columbus. and he
cannot have been heroically virtuous be-
cause he was a most accomplished liar
and he lived in concubinage with Beatrice