Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1846-10-27

and Plausburgh, and Chippewa, and Lundy's
Lane, and New Orleans, and as the rail car flies
over The country lei these records of our struggles
and our victories come and go on the hasty ira
weller, and noble thoughts and purposes will
mingle in the headlong excitement after gain
Let the statues Of The signers Of the Declaration
of Independence line Pennsylvania Avenue, and
he who walks between Them to The Capitol will be
better man AMI A better palriuI. Let great paint
ingS illCsii atne our chequered, VET most lnsiruc
live history, ii our public galleries, and when
The country wants martyrs they will be ready
But alas | ain speaking OF what ought to be,
and not OF what is. have been appealing, also,
10 the @lf-aatcrca Of the nalion, when
ought 10 have been speaking of the claims
on a nations gratitude To outward eyes
America is the most ungrateiul country on the
face Of the canh The nation has never yet
, realcd A monument TO lis father, founder and sa-
viour-W AsHiSGToS. have seen 4 chapel rear
ed to William Tell on The spot where he sent The
arrow through The lyranl's heart; and monu-
ment 10 Winkkelred, who gathered The spears OF
the enemy into his body, 10 make an opening
through which liberty might strike The coun-
tries Of the old world are covered with paintings
and monuments 10 those who fell in a less worthy
cause than freedom. But where are the monu-
ments 10 Allen, and SIarke, and Putnam, and
Warren, and Perry, and McDonough, and De-
catur, and Jackson, and Lawrence2 Young
Hale was sent as a spy by Washington into the
enemy's camp. Being discovered, he was hung
on gallows, and met his fate with the lofty en-
thusasm and courage Of Spartan hero. He
laid down his young life, without murmur, for
his country But who can tell where he sleeps
His country, 10 her hour of darkness and bitter
need, asked for his life, and he gave it without
sigh; and now that country dishonors his grave.
| Yet Andre has monument in the heart Of the Bril-
fish Empire. Lawrence's brick monument is
crumbling TO pieces in yonder graveyard. He who
wrapped himself in his country's banner TO die,
and whose last dying accents rung back from the
verge OF the unseen world over the roar OF baule,
"Don't give up the Ship" is dishonored in our
midst. Our glorious battle fields, wet with the
blood Of so many brave men, are left without
sign 10 mark their locality. Who would wish 10
die for country that treats its martyrs sol
have thus spoken on The general topic Of art,
Mr.. President, because | feel that The want
of national feeling on this subject, not
only stands in The way of The progress Of ART
among US, but is grievous wrong TO ourselves
and our benelactors; and, Also because know,
from personal conversation with our artists
abroad that they feel this neglect OF their country
keenly. 1t would make you sad 10 hear them
speak Of the national subjects for great paintings
and monuments which they would be glad 10 I'M
dertake. Many of them would work for almost
nothing on commissions Of this kind. Our ar
lists wish 10 do something more than paint land
scapes and portraits. Besides art never can
fully develope isefin this country until il embo.
dies The spirit-lhe sentiment OF the nation-and
unit, it is appealed 10 and honored by the nation
A great mistake is made, even by some of our
artists, in supposing that The way for an Ameri
can artist to succeed is to become deeply imbued
with the spirit of the past-study the works OF The
old masters till they drink in their spirt-embo-
dy their conceptions. But when Art expended
herself on gods and soddesses, and fauns and
nymphs and satyrs, these were the true heroes
and poetry OF the limes-they embodied all that
was noble and beautiful in human conception
But another age and another spirit has come, and
he that muses. and dreams over the past, calling
ieebly on the classic age 10 come again, commits
folly that after years can never repair The
old masters wrought. out the spirit of their times
gave ullerance TO The age in which they lived,
and not to one that had gone by centuries before
So must genius always do, and doing this sue
cesslnv is what makes school both in poetry
and art