Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1834-12-23
DECE.IYssEks 93, 1874,


know, would select any recent event TO be illustrated
by masterpieces for il in painting i'm move writing
siryou must go back until you meet events hallowed
by time and nagniCd and stifcd by antiquity For
hb reason, SIR II the gentleman chooses propose the
amendment for will agree il. that the selection
oi subjects shall be confined 10 date antcccdcn the
trcaty of SO.
The gentleman asks though why not leave il to the
arhsts to select the subjects finish the paintings and
men II worthy for the Government purchase t,cns
81 10 every one who has given The least attention 10 the
subject the answer is easy The fine are hohouse
plants In every country but s they are ENCOURAGED
Every court of Europe has student nj Rome where
erc Is an academy for the study ofthc old masters No
sch institutions are maintained here by the States; the
General Government has not the power othis patronage
ana private patronage is alone inadequate Does The
gentleman know the magnitude oil the undertaking OF
ono OF these paintings, The artist thus unaded? Sir the
artist must devote himself exclusively for years TO the
WORK three, five, ay, ten Year, too long to
study, aud finish work aiorn your Cantol lie nust
study anatomy he travel Italy for his materials
ana ms compositions What artist in this country can
pear the expense and sacrifice of his time unless he has
uie government contract for his guaranty? None un-
Tess ms pockets lined with least 5000 dollars TO
spare ana TO risk Besides. sir above all sensitive
on eart artists are the most sensitive They will never
consent TO undertake such immense works at so much
RISK TO themselves or poeuniary loss reputation and feel
ing without certainty of conipcnsation They can ne
Yer be brought by necessity hazard fortune and fame
upon painting to be offered this Government; to be
uhuervaiued, criticised by every petcndcr who knows
co perhaps as unworthy Sir you must encourage their
efforts before you enjoy the benefits of them and before
your country VIII be graccd by tnc:r labors.
lhc paintings now in the Rotundo were voted for no.
fore they were executed. agree with the gentleman
from Rhode Island, that the selection of the subjects
should be left 10 the artists themselves NJ, ,rst ca,
paint well from the selection of another Ills picture
must be OF his own fancy; he must burn with his own
conception, or his painting will please the eye of
inc imagination And If the gentleman from Rhode
Island had attended To the resolution would have seen
that the selection of subjects is left the artists them
Selves subject tqthe Judgment of Select Committee
The gentleman asks, who could picture mob Hogarth
SIR pictured mob, and if the gentleman viii step into
any book store having his engravngs he can see fellow
50 maddcncd with the Ta9e of mob that he is
mnseli down from the top of n-post. Sir scarce
y know what the gentleman means by an 'arsocratic
painting or by Agrarian principles, in this discussion
One OF the reasons why oa artists proposed to be
employed u.s. that we know not who is really greatest of
the crops There is something naonaL in making the
trai not to pull down the best TO the level
nut 10 ascertain whether the tavorism of private patron
age may not have distinguished one undescryedv
above the others We have frequently employed Iein
artists sir at great expense and now desire very much
10 see II America cannot bcstow here iavors and law full
patronage in such manner on American artists as to
nurture the fine arts illustrate in their turn the arms
TIE civc virtues, and the glorious deeds of this usri
Gus nation.
Mr. Burgess did rise he said to follow the gentle
man through all his coorings;bu only contradict one
oi The suggestions which hs had made. The gcntlc
man says that my real purposes peeped out in nv re-
marks The gentleman knows little of my purposes If
he snpposcs that they concealed except for want
OF language to express them, that they ever in any
way PetP through my words. lie had objection that
postcrty should know all the cvcmcnts OF Cen Jack
SON. nut hc hoped they would know all the mo
mcns oil his little partizlns who make him public con
vcncnce and accommodation sometimes following him
with applause and sometimes when it suited their pnr
pose, with censurc 80 far was lac from wishing to OBJ
scure The fame Of Gen Jackson that he hoped his Ian
reis would so down green TO oscrity and frcshen i'm
the lapse OF ages but he not vet so much imbued
with The spirit OF the times make him public con-
the next. ~
Mr. Wise said, in reply, that he could not conceive
how he could be made or how any thing ne had said
could make him. the subject of the unworthy ausion of
the gentleman from Rhode Island feel myself sir in
competent TO make proper reply TO him. Silence is
perhaps, the best that could be made as that gentleman
Is VIGOROUSLY PrirIrged c0raetcr, he has been
called on tins ioor But, sir cannot conceive why he
should unless from constitutional weakness as well as
weakness OF cid age, go Of his way to spit at me- on
tins occasion his habitua and characteristic venom and
malg-
Here the Speaker shook his head
Sir, | leave the blank to be filled by the House who
know HIM well Sir, know not and care whether
inc fTesdent or any friend of his desires the battle
New Orleans or any other of his life the subicc,
ofether Of these paintings. As before said would
prefer the events OF the Revolutions but care not what
SUBJECTS are selected so that American are chosen
uu te SUBJECT and the execution conpot with the dig
MY OF our national history and c works tend 10 nurture
the arts at home and rebound the credit of our own
country
Mr. Vinton moved TO amend the resolution hy insert
ing colonial or revolutionary before the word hisiori-
CAL so as to restrict the choice of subjects 10 that part of
our history which preceded the peace of 1888
Mr.. ) y Adams hoped the gentlemen would leave out
the word colonial. "
Mr.. Jarvis opposed the amendment II ,vouIJ no
sad prevent the choice of one SUBJECT Tie landing Of
Columbus which would give greater scope 10 the enius
OF painter than almost any other He suggested an a
substitute for the proposed amendment provision that
no subject should be chosen Of recent date than the
year l7S1.
Mr. Vinton accorded with the suggestion but before
tlie question taken.
On motion of Mr.. Clayton
The House adjourned