Delaware gazette and peninsula advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1814-1820, 1818-11-11

prn Of the Painter.
Mr.. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS his thanks to
). De,ector,' the signature Of the
carper1 for having given him an OPP
Of laying before the public
some account OF the origin and pro-
gress OF the Painting Of the ncclara-
,ioa vi Independence, which he could
noi otherwise have done, wi,huat be-
Ing liahio so ccnsupe for ssctisn.
After the termination oil the war OF
The Revolution, Mr.. L. Determined toi
STUDY live art OF Painting. Tor TIC pur-
pose Of recording the great events
aud great men oil that period. In the
year 1886, the painting OF the Battle
OF Bunker's hill, and the attack on
Quebec, were finished, Were seen BY
and received the most Hattering APP
probation Of, the first artists and con
hoisseurs in England. France. Ger
many and Prussia. Considering the
success of his general plan thus scout
ed. he proceeded to determine .Le
other subjects which should farm his
series: ANA among these the Drcia'
ra,icn OF Independence WAS considered
as the most Important.
Al this time, MIR. TrumbGN en.loy.
cd The friendship and hospitality 81
Mr.. jefferson. then Minister OF the
United States Paris; and il was under
his rooi, and witt, the aid OF his ad
y!yc that the arrangement. and con'po-
sitioa of this pluture WAS settled. Ia
the iulowin. stm.icg Of 1887. the
Tie head Of Mr.. John Adams. then
Nliaister ct the United States 10 Aon
':oa, "as painted. lew days rrey:ou.
to his retu:n fron his mission and
s..ort'y after the hcad of Mr.. JeEtsr'
son WAS painted in Paris.
The question immediately occurred
wti!ct UtsGctor has so slrew;ily dis
lowered, who were TIE men actual,
present or the it!i ofJuiy3 The jour
mails OF Cengtess are ilent.-ii wonl'
i'e dangerous 70 trust the memory o
any o..r--e. The .Diy pru'iett result
nas To take as a cnerui guide, 'h,
iis:atGrcs TO the orisiaal Instrument
Ialt"uu5h il WAS AS We'll known Il
iir. .3t.i,ti son AM! Mr.. i. ti.rn, as il
IS uow /. t,.c sagaeiJus Sticci0r. t..;s;
tiltic "eTe un that instrument iitt
names 6. scvcra! gentlemen who we're
Int actually present On The 18th Of Jul,
and also. that several gentlemen were
then prcsunt who never subscribed
iiier names.
i The Record WIS therefore taken a
a general guide: and with regard Il
The NEST important characters repre-
scented in tAe painting, there was, ans
i l;~egias my sasacious friends par
('ionJ there is, TO doubt.
iu 1889. Nlr. 4. arrived in this tow
fyom :.uroUc, and passed! the wi"te
here. congress being then in session
: Here thu portraits Of Richard E:n'.
Lee. Roger Sherman, Lewis Morris
FRANCIS Lewis, nc. were painted. an'
at this time he WAS iu'orned tha
: George Chntons then governor, ha'
been member present in congress o.
Tue 4,il Of July, although his nam
:, was not amOni, those subscribed ioih
'!nstru;Hent. lie therefore waited o
governor Clinton to ascertain 81!
. fact, and 10as by him assured that Ii
lzcas present on that memorable Occa
, sion. The governor consented wit
I, pleasure 10 sit Tor his portraii--an
!, ON this testimony the portrait wa
. painted.
: ihi, session Of congress was pecu
:, liariy Important, and had collected j
this city many eminent men, militar
{ as well as civil; and MIR. II. thus ha
;. "a fair opportunity, not only ofadvan
cling the picture in question, but q
{ collecting the materials for othc
: subjects. lie was Of course we
:" known to President Washington AN
' TO the distinguished characters OF lib
" day. lis made i, his duty and bi
,i'usiness, Co ask the advice and crit
:, Irisln of all those VINO did him tti
" aoaor 80 sit for their portraits an
: not oaly the Declaration Of Indeper
l!enee. but the Battles u Trenton an
a Princeton. and the surrender OF Yor
; tovn, were very much advanced us
. uer the eye, with the criticism, an
with Tie approximation. OF the men vii
:. had been the great actors in the SCI
= rrai srcDcs.
nj In May 1870, Nir. II. went TO Phi
ID a,.cil.. id. where dur;n.; three mcDli
!, lie aided considerably 10 bis stock
n. ,..ate. iAls. Here he was iniurnit