Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1828-04-24
18th Street, April 10. 1928
From the National Journal
MR.. BLAIR'S REPORT.

.osnt NJ Stat. WAS presented some days ago 10
the House of Representatives, by Mr.. b'a'', "
Tennessee, Chairman of the COMMITTEE on lha'
subject, Commillee consisting, win liz eA.
ception Of Mr.. Letcher, Of partisans oil Genera'
| Jackson. Al proper time we NAV eAahi''e
this singular document with the same minute
ness Of which il furnishes an example; though
we shall seek elsewhere a model Tor canuor anu
impartiality. Meanwhile some features OF II
are so striking as to require and Obtain imme-
diate notice.
The frs, Of these Is an objection TO ",he charg.
es of $3.50 for The portrait OF abingdon,
and $40 for medal and SIS for print of the
Pre- sident Of the United States, which though
Of inconsderable amount, nevertheless involve
principle to as great an extent ss would larg-
err amount If the Head of Department can
consistently with principle) apply the contin
gen, funds appropriated for the current ex-
penses of his Office 10 such objects, the COM
mittee can see no limit to MS discretion, save
that oil the fund at his disposal, which, II sui
ficiently ample, he might apply to the erection
Of monument on the public ground, 10 per-
peluate the memory Of whomsoever'1ie might
think proper"
That the principle of an expenditure is inde-
pendent on It's aplount,is position so obvious,
as scarcely 10 merit formal annunciation Of il
by the Committee. That Mr.. Blair should he
at any loss to find out on what principle those
purchases were made, is, considering his alert
ness at discovery, truly surprising: The Sec
rotary of STATE is authorized TO furnish his Oh
fee and in the selection Of its furniture exer,
cises a soretion, regulated by the usages oil
society, and by his own sense Of what is suita.
Bile. Accordingly, there are in the Department.
as par, Of its furniture, (whethei placed there
altogether BY the prcsen, Secretary, We are un-
able 70 saw engraved portraits OF all the Pre-
siden,s of the United States, except the elder
| Ada ms, and it i, much TO be regretted that no
salisfac DRY likeness Of that iuStrious pateior
of the Revolution has yet been obtained 10
complete the collection. In the same Office
are also to be found cngray ed liknesscs OF some
! Of us incumbents, anterior 10 Mr.. Clay. Can
any species Of iurniture, which is not necessary
! for physical accommodation, be imagined more
| appropriate TO the Department OF State than
re representations of these citizens, eminent tor
their services to The country, and high In her
! confidence? What objects could DC more
proudly exhibited to the distinguished foreign
ers whom business or in, lina,ion so often arinS
to The oflicr? Whst objects are well calcu-
! lated t. Quicken the sense Of national dignity
among ourselves? |, was the oplninn OF a
wise arccnr that the representations OF iilu,,ri
Gus men should be constantly contemplated by
trhirieIluw citizens, s hat principal advantage
of painting aud sta,uary was their capacity TO
I keep living images oi vir,ue and patriotism
before the mind We haur,ir seems, fallen on
! different times, and Mr. Blair is not Cicero.
PORTRAIT OF WA HISGrrN.
As the attC.es Or ieCtrd To hy Mr. Is are
parts of The furniture of the Department q
S,a,e, no analogy exists between the purchase
Of them and the erection Of the imaginary
"monument on the public ground"
Blu, the principal ornament among the furni>
ture cf this Office, is an exquisite painting of
Wa,hinc!on by master artist, an ohJeo, which,
we trust, few Americans would not delight to
contemplate Blu, Mr.. Blair knows not on
wha, "priucipl>" it was purchased. On this
head we have already informed him; and we
would thank HIM in return to inform us, on
what "prnci pIe' he voted in the House OF Re-
personalities last January, TO expend the peo
pies money III having picture OF the Battle
Of New Orleans painted, and placed III the Ro
,undo Of the Capitol? Is there any express
authority in the Constitution CT the U. States
for any stch expenditure on the part Of Con-
gress? We know Of none. And il there be
any. or what "princi pie" Can he cavil al the
purchase by the Secretary, out of fund placed
by Congress at his disposal, of and
faithIU portrait OF washington! Lest Mr.
Blair should decline answering this question,
we will answer it for him. tie is partisan Of
Gen. Jackson, ami prompt 10 honor his idol
by buying, with the money of the PEG lie, a
repre- sentalion OF the battle on which only rest
that idols pretsnsions TO the Presidency: and
he is equally prompt to censure any tribute oil
respec, TO the memory of Washington, whose
character, during his life, was insulued by this
very idol Of Mr., Blair. When the Father oil
his country took his hna', solemn and affecting
leave OF Congress, ANp'w JACKSON refused, by
his vote, any respect tor the patriot hero; and
in the Same spirit which then animated his pre-.
sent leader, Mr.. Blair repeats the insult in an
other form. AMERICANS, FODDER ON THIS!
| The LIBRARY.
On the subject of The Library, in the Depart
rnent Of State, we extract from the Report the
following passage:
The Committee have been induced to examine the
library of the State Department, from having seen
standing annual estimate OF 3, 600 per for the
purchase of books. 1t embraces the statutes, compi
latons and dgests of the laws of the United States