Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1819-02-18


uoos",ki dollars 10 pay Col TrnInbull for a
painting of The Declaration OF independence
eNec"fed forihe UnitedStates under contract
III pnrsuanee OF AN act of Congress, being un-
Ter consideration:
An esquirywns made by Mr.. Spencer. of the
CHAIRMAN Of the committee Of WAYS and means
respecting the par tcnlars of the contract with
bm &, Pa"
he MAS answered by Mr.. SMITH, of Md. tba,
5000 had heeu paid TO Col. Trumbuli an the
upie OF excepting the contract with the Secre
s.y OF state. and that the further sum of
ooVuU was 10 ne paidt0 him for each of the faur
paintings authorised b. the act on their deIiv-
cry, respectively. The present uppropria,ion
was 10 pay for tie first picture, tho Declara
uon ei independence, whlchit was understood
va. now-ready Tor delivery.
Mr. SPENCER proceeded then to epouire nv
~h"t authority Col. Tiuihhuli had been peram
ph,ating the couary with this painting wh,cj,
lie mad executed for Congress, & exhibiting II
ioF the trifilns sam of % cents "A head2 .Ihts
proceeding on tie part of Col Trumbnll Mrs
night h,approved; IL was apeing tie ind cent
custom OF The English who, i'm am avaricious
SPIRIT. exhibited the celebrated Swift in his
t ty 'or QUO billing Il head, and exposed The
bodN OF Nelson Tor The same sordIi object Mr.
y. ldmenied that the representation Of The De
ciarstioBof Independence, a subject so disni.
ned, So sacred 20 american feelings. Should
iIrve been thus bawked about the country. and
treated SO unwor,Iiiy. II Col Trumbuii was
not allowed cnon.h for his labor. give him
more, said Mr.. S. and do mol leave him pre-
fX' f0s seeking remuneration IN this Improper
'nanner. To Indicate his feelings on this
subject, Mr.. y. moved In strike ont of the bill
III. proposed app opriation.
-, mir PIrKIN said, IN explanation that he nm
o'rStood That whea tins painting was nearly
Completed, as ii was known TO contain many
ikenesses OF the yenerated Congress which
sciarfd Independence, there was very great
tesire III differen; parts of the country 10 view
me painting ard application had in couse.
quence. been mai 10 the President for per
missior 10 carry 1t to some OF The large cities
10 gra'ity pnpnc curiosity, and his consent had
been sbtained. Col. Trumbuii " ould moi rrust
the painting IN any Otker hands THAI, his own
and he had therefore carried il himself and
sXhIb,fed 1t under his own snperintendence
,n ms NIT thought that Colon rrumbul
mad done nothing improper, &c. Col. T. had
MIR. H. further remarked, appropriated part
Of the proceeds of the exhibition TO public
charities OF the cities which he had visited
mr.. SPENcxR replied that he had under
STOOD tile President gave his permission that
the pic'Sre should be shown for the pnrpose
OF asceriairtng whether the likenesses we're
{ deemed correct; but not that it .honld be
carried about and exposed for money. The
exhibiiIon, MIR. ). SAID he had heard had nro
duced 1000 dollars in Boston, and he suona<hd
more than 5000 ir Philadelphia, and a pronor.
tionaoie sum III Baltimore, where il was now
eNhibting. At any rate, as the payment for
the painting was moi to be made before deIive.
ry, he should oppose the appropriation a, his
time. IL would in his opinion be perfectly
proper for the House 70 express its feelings hyy
deier'ing the appropriation until the next
year.
Mr. SMITH, of MARYLAND, observed tba, ,be
picture reached Baltimore some DAYS ago. ON
Its way here; and he knew that Col TrnmbuIl
had been making preparations for transport
ing IL hither-lf might, indeed, have already
arrived and, u not paid for on delivery. il
would be violation of the contract II was
certainly proper to provide the means oil nav
ing for il now, Though payment wonid moi be
n0de before delivery.
Mr.. IowSDEs confessed that he copcprred
very much in opinion with Mr.. Spencer. AZ TO
tie exhibition OF the painting. lie resretIed
extremely that il should hav5 been fins useb
by Col. Frunbull. But, Mr.. L. said. If tLe
oiheF PARTY had acted incorrectly, il was no
reason that the government should not con,niv
wfhits contract. Whether Col Tfnmbull had
nn'e wrong, or not, the painting, il was stiou
lated, should be pain for when delivered. and
ths ooula not be done unless the money shonld
he ~ vionsly appropriated. While the oLli-
CATION existed, the House mnst comuiv withi,.
sid Whatever Iiis feelings might be r,sbertin,r
the proceeding adveried to, he eon,d not con
femt 10 wlthfold the appropriation.
fir. HARRISON said, lie approved nF Tho
Comsse pursued by Col. Trmbni, in gratifying
as iat as he vas able The public Curiosity: AMI
regretted That the painting could not be exhibit.
ted IN eveSy part Of the country, that all Jriyht
view ~. ~ was, he thought, very proper use
,nn for withholding The appropriation. that II
bad been exhibited for public inspection II,s
President certainly would not have saDctiontd
an improper eXhilntioD OF the painting, and il
was reasonable 10 conclude. as 10 was with hi,
consent. that il had been exhibited in an unob,
5sctnnajie manner &c
Mr.. Mills cOucnFred in opinion with MIR
Hafri on. Tho object Of the p1uting Was 10
commemorate one OF The greatest events IN all
history --nn event, above all, dear to the peo
pie OF this country. And was this represe ia
zion OF II executed for the b u fit or gratifica.
ton OF this House, or Of Congress alone Had
tie pubic no rightto be gTatiied with view
OF whdi tie National Legislature had thoueIit
Il worthy to eXpemd the public money for 1 {
t0, could It ae expected that the people could
all come here to see il Ii was a subiert in
winch all we're interested, y IN ShiclI alifad an
equal TIsht. In giving, az far as he could an
opportunity TO dis ant citiZers TO view this
Interesting work, Colonel Trunibull ceuld NOT
nseitdSe 10 90 50 at his own expeuce hut
was obliged 10 resort TO some mode OF defray.
,ng The exPence. Mr. VI. denied tliat any
harm Would ensue from what Colonel T. had
dOhe The painting was not Injured none OF
rs be3dties impaired aud, indeed " ,at he
had j0te vas iniiSeIf laudtbie. Mr.. NJ said bo
was not 20 selfish as 10 regret the exabiti0u.
81 to consider the painting OF less Value he
cause 10 bad bssB locked I'll by his felIn,y citi
Gems 80 other parts OF Tie county The an.
Precipitation wag necessary nov even. IL III,
picture sb0sld not he Delivered m sis months
WITHHELD.
@r.bIyEsMoRE said, the House vas called
~ To i1ihl acoHtIaci entered into by tie Unit.
81 States. and there was no discrefion in the
fase, even th0nedthe contract wAqan extrsor
slinarg one, aud certainly that was an extraor
duiary mtract which bargaiHed for pic,ure
Dy ihe yafd or ~ the acre. Mr.. l.. said Il
&ssts were rDt y matter OF contract ne shnuld h,
very slo@ in making suclI an appropriation. 4
had becp said tbai te President lad II ven hi
per'nission Tor TIE exhibition ofihe painting
bn, thaiappeared 10 be mere heafsay VIVA
he found fanIt with, alr. 4. said, was tiiis--tha
Nne eeN''~'t Was made by the public for thu