Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1832-02-21
CON e r E S S.

The House, on Saturday, proceeded to the
consideration Of the following resolution, report
ed by Mr. Jarvis, from the Committee on the
Public Buildings, on the 14tlrinst.:
RESOLVED, That the President Of the United
States be authorized to employ lIoratio Greenough
oil Massachusetts, to execute, in MAJ bic, iui'
length pedestrian statue Of Washington, to De
placed in the centre Of the Rntundo of the Capt.
toll; the head to be a copy Ut Houdon's Wash
ington fin the Capitol at Redmond, and the
accessories to be left to the Judgment OF the
artist.
Mr.. Whit,lesey moved to lay the resolution on
the table; but the motion was neg atived without
a count.
Mr.. Jarvis said, that at the close of the Revo-
lutionary war, the Congress OF the United States,
ten States being present by their Representa-
tives, had unanimously voted statue of Gen.
Washington as testimony Of their esteem Tor
his virtues, and the services he had rendered to
his country A resolution had passed .unani'
mously IN 1899, for a monument instead OF a
statue. In 1900 the monument had been ex-
changed for a mausuleum. This last resolution,
had. in effect, proved as fruitess as those which
had preceded it, Several of the States had. III
the meanwhile, Showed their sense Of Washing.
toms virtues and services, by erecting statues To
his memory. The United States had done no
thing but pass resolutions. When we looked
round for the statue, the monument. The ufaus0-
leum they had ordered, IL was no; t" be seen.-
These things existed nowhere bnt in the Journals
of Congress. Ii was time that something more
effectual should be done. He remembered a pro-
verb he had often heard. that Brag Is good
doe. but Holdfast is a bet,cr:" and it was al
WAYS recalled TO his recollection, when he thought
upon the statue of Washington. He hoped this
national reproach would at length be done away:
and that this Congress would perform what
other Congresses had only promised
Mr.. Whittlesey said, that from what had re-
Gently taken place, he was led to oppose every
proposition for statue, monument, or mausOe-
UNI; and, as he desired his vote in the negative.
he asked that the question might be decided BY
yeas and nays. And it was SO ordered by the
House.
Mr.. Polk inquired of the Committee some in.
formation IN reference to the Artist whose name
had been introduced into the resolution.
Mr.. Dearborn stated, in reply, that the name
of Mr.. Greenough was better known in Europe
than in this country, as he had been abroad for
several years. The reputation OF this artist was
not of the second grade. He was considered as
about to become the successor of Can0va and of
Chantry. Some specimens of the power of his
chiseI had reached the U. States, among which
were several busts, and group, containing two
figures, which he had executed from design by
Raphael, at the request of one OF our country
men of distinguished literary reputation, (Mr.
Cooper.) This group had been exhibited in Sc
verai of our largest cities, and had excited the
universal admiration of all persons familiar with
the fine arts. Mr.. ID. said he was authorized to
say, that the greatest sculptor of the present day
viewed GreenOu9h as about to become his rival,
and destined, il possible, to surpass him. The
Committee finding that we possessed a native
citizen capable Of producing work OF distn-
guished excellence, felt themselves bound to
give him the preference over all foreigners. Had
the case been unfortunately different, then they
would have been compelled to look abroad to the
sculptors of Europe. No other American scup-
tor had vet appeared who was lit to he entrusted
with the execution of Washington's statue. Mr..
Creenough had no rival among his countrymen:
he stood alone; and, therefore. there was no
thing invidlous in the Introduction of his name
into the resolution. Mr.. D. said he felt confident
that when the work should have been completed,
the whole world would consider it not only as
honorable to the country, but as comforting i'm
mortality upon the artist
Mr.. Wayne was not opposed to the object OF
the Resolution; but, as he understood mat the
group the gentleman had referred to would short
y be brought to this city, he thought it would be
better to defer the fixing upon the artist until the
members should have had an opportunity to sa-
tisfy themselves as to the merit Of the individual
proposed
Mr. Carson enquired whether Mr.. Persico
had not been employed by the Government. but
upon an entirely different design: the execution
of two statues. of War and Peace. to fill the
two inches on either side of the eastern entrance
of the RotundO
The question was now put, and decided in the
affirmative bv Yeas and Nays, as follows
Yeas ia Nays 50.