New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-01-06
The Arr Unions CounterbIast.


To the Editor Of The Tribune.
The Art Union at last has spoken, ITSELF openly
in its bulletin, in reply to the Artists and others
who have denounced its plan and arrangement as
bad. Audit reply consists in assertions that the
motives of its assailaRts are diShonorable and
their talents contemplate; apd yet, while it in
duIges in charges against the integrity of its ad
versaries it is indignant that the integrity of its
own managers should have been impugned.
Asa general rule, men who are confident that
the right is on their side do not NEEDLE with in
conclusive arguments, but confne themselves 20
those which prove something to the purpose:
and it is only when they are very distrustful OF
their cause that they eschew arguments relevant
to the main points at issue, and resort to the con-
fusion produced by questions Of the personal cha
racters of A and B, which may be good or bad
without in the least settlingthe question properly
under discussion. The main question in this case
is whether the plan of the Art u iOn is better
than that of any other Art-Union that exists, or
might be formed the secondary question is,
whether the men who manage it possess the tai.
ent and taste required to manage it we'll And
some have put the further question, whether they
have not resorted to dishonorable and even dis
honest means of advancing the business of the in
stitution, and subscribing their own interests
Now, if these men were in private stations it
would be of no importance TO ascertain anything
about their talents, or tastes, or honesty but as
they are in public Office, in which these qualities
are necessarily required, these questions are al
owable. For my own part, as an individual, l
have opposed the Art Mon because it is planned
Hall n1 dly nd
well even if under the management OF men OF I'M
Improbable taste and have not descended TO
personal questions, except IN Just and necessary
defense And ] shall continue to adhere to this
rule, as far as possible, without giving them the
advantage Of their rude manner of controversy.
But since they pronounce their dictum thatth
assaiants are destitute of loyalty to their art
that they do not love it, and that they use it mere
lv TO make money, and that they have no talent,
shall examine into their published writings, with
the view to show that they are not gentlemen,
but vulgar tradesmen; that they adopt the puff
ing system of quacks and that they Cypress and
degrade liberal art by conducting its affairs on
principles that ought never to be adopted even In
the lowest trades.
In the Journal of Commerce they advertise that
the prints they give to each subscriber this year,
are ito q CERTAINTY worth twenty dollars; All
the prints and books of every description last year
cost considerably less than quarter OF the whole
subscription | therefore do not think it wrong to
set the cost of prints this year at less than
quarter Therefore, as they say that these mat
tiers are worth four times the subscription, and as
the cost of them is a fourth OF the subscription,
they pretend that they are worth sixteen times
the cost If the whole amount. say n h.ndred
,bonsana had been devoted to prints, sixteen
hundred thousand dollars worth might have been
distributed; or if a quarter were deducted for
expenses, which is rather above the actual rate,
then twelve hundred thousand dollars worth
might have been given in return tor one hundred
thousand; or sixty dollars worth TO each member
in return for his five. The reader will judge
whether it is at all likely that commodities that
can be made to order in any quantities, can have
a market value so much above the actual cost.
It is a needful precaution to say that they give
this as the estimate of respectable prntsel.
lers :" but this does not in the least remove the
responsibility from themselves deem this ex-
travagant statement as gross an instance Of puff
ing as | ever read in any tradesmen's or quacks'
advertisements.
And now will any man of good breeding be-
leve their charges against artists as being destl-
tute of love and honest respect for art, and
their pretensions of their own fitness to control
the affairs of art and to exclude artists from par
tcipation in the arrangements Of the gallery, and
the prize. drawers from any choice in the selection
of works which fall to them?
respectfully recommend the Philadelphia Art
Union TO the patronage of the friends of art. If
they draw prizes in its lottery, they will be al
lowed to select works for themselves; or, If they
request it, the Committee will assist them.