The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1849-03-04

worthy gentleman is following in the footsteps OF Mr.
Can, and am willing in his infancy, to encourage
him in the work in which he is engaged ,
| about 10 observe, SIR, That MT oauh u a'sy
remark able man | do not know him personally, bnl
only by report. know by report thai ao Is q man OF
extraordinary accomplishments true American III ieei
ipy-a man who respects natOnwho gIorles IN Inc
diSnity which belongs to free institutions We all
know that he could have disposed OF these paintings long
since other nations, who were very WILING 70 Pnf-
chase them larger price than IS now proposed 70 give
for them But his patriotism Is OF SO pure and so lofty
character that he willing give them TO Us al sacr
flee Sir would compare HIM with Socrates, who,
when the plague was existing In ASIA and all the do
mnions of the King of Persia were undergoing such
dissolution never before witnessed. being sent
for by that King and offered all the gold he able
To besiow upon hum 10 come to his capital for the
purpose of securing HIM his family, friends and court
es from the danger which threatened, said Il prefer TO
live Athens, and gratuously preserve my ieowcit
zens from this plague than go into Persia 10 receive
your gold for similar services" SO Mr. Cain seems to
regard these offers OF other nations as brbees and says;
81 prefer my native land and country | sustain
peculiar duties and relations to that country and prefer
that they should have the opportunity OF purchasing these
paintnssa limited PRICE to receiving the gold OF '9l
appropriation: only regret that have consumed the
time at this late hour upon this subject
Mr. WEBS TER. have but word to say II
thought this the setting OF bad precedent, OF course
should oppose it, On the contrary think 1t the follow
ing OF good precelens think we have done something
already-no too much-not yet enout perpetaae as
far can, the characteristics OF the race that has
preceded very glad 10 hear from the gentleman
from Arkansas that there another collection We are
not concerned know how this IL, If we are pre-
cluded from purchasing any collection whatever. As
regards precedents, how is it that get the pc
lures that adon this Capitol, and among them the
picture of Pocahon,as? How do we get the statues,
and among them those of the Indians The pic.
lures that occupy the panels Of the rotundo are all
of them Illustrative Of our own institutions. Is there
constitutional difference between buying works OF art,
illustrative of our history in our own day and gem
Grafton and the generation of ancestors. and those
illustrating the history of the country at the time they
Sir there is another remarkable precedent before
For long time, during which was member of one or
the other branch of Congress, there was an annual
appropriation, or an annual payment ont OF the Indian
appropriation, for painting Indian chiefs as they came
here from time to time And the fashion was to give to
very worthy artist of this city, Mr. King, hundred
chief. They sometimes five and sometimes ten IN
number and he made paintings. of them. to their very
great delight But Congress fell into fit OF economy,
and they reduced thu price from hundred to fifty
dollars therefore the artist obliged to cut oil all the
lower man. [Laagh'er] A fellow soon came along
a proud lofty eheltan of of the tribes of the
wes-and he got little scrap of paper from the Depart
ment of War go to Mr. King to be painted. He elt
the honor and distinction conferred upon him, and walk
ed Off with fleece and blanket 10 Mr. Kings room. He
presented his documents. Mr. King. with his usual
courtesy, caught hold of his pallet, and offering him
chair, motioned to him to SIT down The chief stood
nlled to him again to sit down LEGS and ALL SAID the
chief GRoars of aughter.l And because he would not
give him legs and ALL he would have nothing Renewed
WE'LL another fit of economy seized hold of Congress.
and the upper part Of the was cut OIL so that
came along lie went to Mr. King. but there no APP
preparation, and he could not be painted He gazed upon
the walls of the ROOM he saw Black Hawk, keokuck,
room u a' He sad said No paint me No., was the reply
Said he, pointing TO portrait OF his sire, " His son
come here; he see his father My son come here; he
his father" He took off his moccasiDs and hung
them up. My son., sad he, will know these mecca
sins when he comes, Nov, this is the precedent which
was iollowcd-useuiiy followed, sad everybody Inc
expense was small. But sir | am consuming time
time which is more valuable than money.
Mr. BUTLER do not doubt the power of Congress
to make appropriations for pictures of this kind to add to
our Libraries. am willing to concede that power; but
how far. should consult good taste and Judgment
in adopting these paintings. have my doubts; and |
without some other sanction than that which has
been received understand the picture OF Osceoa
forms one of this collection. Allow TO say, if
it is the purpose of this amendment to transmit to pos
erity, part of the history of the American In
dians, the remarks which that remarkable man made
when he called upon be painted. am in favor OF
no such thing. He asked to sit for his portrait in
the city of Charleston He said he would If they would
do him justice and tell tic truth The painter recognised
the prsprev of his request, and took hun as he sat IN
the chair Upon seeing it, he rcpliedls that all you are
going to do' Is that the picture you mean to take!
is lie! never would have sat 10 be taken in that
way If you mean to do me justice, you must take me
with the white flag me for was betrayed when
was taken Sir lido not believe if we take the pictures
of these wild men, that we doing justice 10 them 1t
white men, that you are going to perpeuac. II you IN
tend to take the Osceola chief you ought TO adopt
the with il and it il which ought to be
engraved upon the history of this country that he
taken under white flag The wild man betrayed
and brought into subsection through The cunning of his
more overreaching antagonist And when he said, on
have not told the truth-you have not taken the white
flag mel acquiesce in the propriey OF his remark
will never consent to send him down TO postery.
Mr.. DAYTON. do not mean TO consume the time be.
You'd answering single objection OF the senator from
South Carolina 1t happens that the very merit OF
this collection lies in the fact that the artist has taxi
them wild 1t is not a collection made up OF
your tame Indians who have to sit here at your
capital This man took these portraits hundreds and
thousands of miles beyond the Mississippi in the very
heart OF the Indian country, inhabng the wilderness,
and living in their wigwams The collection does not
consist entirely of their portraits consists OF represen
taons Of their sports their games. their superstiiions
their cnrosltes their arms, their everything, illustrate
their characteristics and modes of life. II is unique III
It's character now and il must unique to the end
of time Already, sir, disease has carried of from the
face OF the earth two tribes that represented in
this collection.
Mr. HUNTER | seem 10 have been understood tc
say that we have constitutional power to purchase
this collection What said was, that we had no power
to appropriate money tor the encouragement OF the arts
and sciences and if we purchase this collection with
that object i. view, now say that it is not within The
sphere OF power 1t may be said that is purchased
for the purpose OF adding the library, aud that
no question arise Why sir. by taking the extreme
OF the proposition you may always make II doubtful as
10 which side truth lies. But, sir, maintain--and
think there few here TO deny sproposliiontha we
ia for the purpose Of encouraging the arts aud sciences
If then the question arises whether this an object
purely incident the library 1t may be proper for the
library, and proper ornament tor public building