The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-01-06

gallery, to the clerk Mr. Monk, believe, for this
number of the bulletin and he has told me that no
bulletin was published in that month, and that the
first number published in 1851, was in April. The
complete list Of the subscribers for the year $780,
arranged alpha betically, and divided int States
and townships, which is the kind of List inquired
for In the HERALD hs Nor have heard Of any such
lished. And bulletin is not to be COMPOUNDED
with the pamphlet, published in preceding years.
entitled Transactions of the American Art Unien,
By comparing the lists Of and 40, the Com
mittee of Artists found that only about one-third
continued to Register their names % that in the
large cities the falling OF was greatest; that in
the distant outskirts there was a great increase
and that the bulk Of the subscribers were freehly
caught by hired drummers, surreptitiously placed
in the position and guise of dsnterested friends of
art, by emitting them " Honorary Secretaries"
and thus enabling them to deceive the unwary.
The list for 1850 might have enabled Us to show far
more of this inadhesiveness; for, instead of great
increase, 24S5, such as they had in 40, there was
in go, decrease of 1850, or 53l9 less than there
should have been, if the ratio Of increase had been
preserved.
The next point is, that "Mr Fisher complains
of the plan of the institution which requires all
pictures to be sent to the rooms in Broadway, in
stead of allowing the price, drawers to select and
purchase their own works. But this is the fault,
not of the committee, but Of the constitution" The
constitution itself, in art says" The Commit
make and alter the constitution. by laws and regu.
lations of the institution" The charter says, in
Sec. 3 =" The Committee of Management shall
have power to make, from time to time, such con-
stitution, bye.laws and regulations, as they SHALL
judge proper" But what credit weuld be due to
this reply, even if the committee had no power to
alter the constitution! Have they not violated the
etter Of it, by postponing their diitribution until
Dec 81, and the spirit of it by further and indef-
mite postponement! Let us see Art. L." There
shall be stated meeting of tho members on the
Friday evening next before Christmas, at such
place and hour as the Committee of Management
shall direct, to be called the annual meeting of
the association, when the distribution of works of
art, and the election of the members of the Com
mittee Of Management shall take place" The
wants of the kossuth meeting afforded not even
pretext for O postponement; for the committee had
right to Tripler Hall, and the constitution re-
quired them to use it on that evening, unless ano.
Their room could be obtained; and their own gal
lery would have been the fttest room, and saved
fit country members.
The next point is, "Alter that (the constitu-
ton); abolish the free gallery shut out the artists
from employment and q market for their works;
make the Art Unien simple machine for dstri-
butng 80 many prizes in cash, instead of collec-
ton of pictures, and then you will have the i'm
proved system which this critic prefers Here it
is assumed that, without this picture prize system,
free gallery cannot be maintained. The Phila-
delphia and New England Art Unions have free
galleries the London Art Union intends to have
one as soon as the funds arising from . per cent of
the annual income shall become sufficient to procure
one; and the artists themselves would procure one
if needed-and none is needed absolutely-and the
city ought to provide one-and the New York
Gallery might be inducedto give free admittance
Here it is pretended that want prizes in cash. |
want prizes consisting Of certificates, payable in
cash to artists, when they give satisfactory assu
rance that they have received them in payment
for their works Here it is also assumed that the
prizes would not be expended for works of ar; Let
these men be told at once that this system has
been at work for years and if they can prove
N any cases Of such fraudulent diversion Of its
prizes we shall reconsider, but their assertion will
not satisfy US
In conclusion, ! am one of those against whom
they direct sweeping charges of dishonorable
motives, false statements want Of talent and want
of honor. So far these charges refer to me, de-
clare them to be false and calumnious.
Your obedient servant,
I X FISHER