Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1852-03-16

Mnnum' b:':ifl iii+sc tH'' s'i'h et''"SS
1ha ,a'r 10, nr y,;mp rw .ovit in H.. present
eirucrure Is Gmpl. ard n n,n:Ese siicng, 'Sn
sustain s.a exceed: 500 feet high in place 9" ~ 81 IA
lie u!tis If ours the present structure he ase VI IL
feet In diameter the FOOT and where lilo co'u Zee, In
feet base is rbuned for column not excse's noIeon and
ii ctpr he columns OF lra au tcnne' Is or Eases
other mu.,luen;s uf the old world, have peues''"
less than this upper course 10 the importance
Of ns nc monument to Virginia; yf.o s,n son ~, o nnc
around the entire horizon ond no. sny;,ns o,ze around
eye it enters our city, sse MonTment o washineon"
to discover anu io'''' ROBERT MILLS,
A., Infect of tho Virginia Washington Monument.
! Richmond Va, March l3, 1852.
MR.. MILLS LETTER.
We ourselves wrote the comments OF which A'' anus
complains and We therefore, are under the necessity Of de
Tending tic ground wc have taken. However niehue',
res nably be denied the above stricures o "
Mis rs W. Il as those contained In his mcmorui oeoi' ~
LEGISLATURE reflect upon the action OF The uu'ci'o' ~
the Commits who selected the present H'ou' as" '
LEGISLATURE of l549-'50 which ratihed tlie't "'''
d, i, o,,oo,iv condemned az degrading 10 the CHI
rec,ern Of Henry and Jefferson, the peaesl'ah hsu'
while il erroneously exnlLs the other group the
., Washington by placing the latter 80 Tar a5oTe inc
others This "idea glarng 10 Mr. Miils' out "',eii
will ent. tho brain OF but few, h. he says In his memorial
Can e b,.c,ar in truth and should disgrace inns
n,runon, He therefore very cooly appeals 10 the le
,,,,ro n .h.ndon Mr. Crawfords disssaceiu hassh'
md 10 sdo,t his o.sn plan, that will "sve 10 virginia
Monument, which shall honor her in the eyes OF the "o'o
averse 10 eopcuing the subject 81 ms ae
day and VIZ have no idea Of fighting the battle oi 'e
models over again. especially as we regarded inc "loe @
30, oaed bv the excited and decisive discussion OF leoo
bref history Of the affair however is made necessary oy
Mr. Mills sudden and startling proposition 10 destroy e e
| feet of the whole Monument. In the Autumn OF io4'' w.
vernon Floyd appointed commissioners 10 Select
the Virginia Washington Monument ihey ao'e'''''1 ~
nroposas a, distant date with the promise that premium"
If $500 sboud be paid for the model that should be selected
When the day arrived it was found shat between so'ehy
and c,hv models of every conceivable fashion, ana from
alI mari, ., the country were forthcoming for competitions
rh, commissioners we're weeks diligently chsa2ea !"
scru,inzipg the Notwithstanding column moae' OIL VIZ
Mills which was rejectcd-and finally accepted Inc present
model which was submitted by MI CRAWFORD. trfanse
ents wero made laying the corner stone on 'e ia
rupry 1885, but tho brought up before inc House
Of Delegates und fiery assault was made upon MI CIaW
ords mode-somc Of tie very objections, no" Used ny MT
Mills being advanced that ,imc The House OF Delegates
very wisely resolved not TO Interfere win he aeoe'ac "
lection Of the Governor and the commissoners-and he
notion received the legislative sanction Inc cornerstone
was laid deep IN the ground tho 22d February eoo VIII"
nos, imposnr Masonic ceremonies in the presence OF Ere
siden Taylo, and an immense crowd-and Mr. Crawford
ss formally installed as the architect Of the Monument
short time afterwards The premium OF s5uO was paid 10
Mr., Crawford for his model and contract was mace win
him for the execution OF the several bronze statues ana DE-
vices Mr. Mills appointed to supetn'end tie erecon
of the granite structures and gives us pleasure 10 STATE a'
tina; norton of the Monument has been admirably executed
The most important and difficult part OF the structure has
been completed and the work is now going on according 70
the original model growing in beauty every day just al
,bs moment, in stems Mr. Mills says that the model rati
oiaaopn nd I,puie
a,ure were all mistaken in selecting and rafyng Mr. Cfaw-
iords model whole, and that even Mr. Crawford HIM
self eminent SCULPTOR and artist he does understand
the subject Of giving effect the creations OF his art Ac-
cor5inp TO MIR, Mills Washington is TO DC taken down ana
attached as an TO the Monument ana MI iis
column Is 10 be erected in its place. with The figure OF Liberty
IN The ton We ask any reasonable 10 say whether
this would be monumcn, 10 Washington. Would it be
ANYTHING else than monument to Liberty win Wa:hns'
| ton, Henry, Jefferson, &C., as I" menias"
Blu, there Is utter ncompahity In the erection Oh
column upon base designed for an entirely derent sfuc'
ure,hat must s.like the notice of ALL Wo contend, more
over that the Capitol Square does not present sufficient open
space for column worthy of the fame OF Washington
TALL commanding column would only dwarf the caplto, with
ou itself being seen TO advantage II for this reason
among others that tho commissioners rejected the Column
models and adopted Mr.. Crawfuds, which harmonzts VII"
all The objects around Had the Legislature authorized ho
purchase OF open space on some OF inc SURROUNDING
heights Of Richmond column would have tceh suitable
out lie Legislative percmporiy refused to allow the nonu.
en 10 be placed elsewhere than the Capitol Square, and
M Crawfords model selected in every suitable
10 that location
But this important consideration out Of Eu question: VIC
canno, believe the Legislature will hesitate between Mr.
Crawfords model Mr. Mills proposed transmogrca-
toupic,ures OF both Of which WILL we understand be
placed In the Capitol this morning. for their Inspection In
the former there unity harmony and beauty OF design, IN
which the other entirely deficient In the former the vi
si,or easily recognizes Monument TO Washison-in The
other no especial design is 10 be seen.
II Is proper add that last Summer Mr. Mills consulted
Mr. Crawford as TO the proposed change ana that the latter
strcnuonsy disspproved oi Mr. Mills then abandondedlt
and we regret that he should have thought proper TO revive it.
We should also state that Mr. Mills msconceived Gov Floyd
In represenng him az approving Of The chlnge All that Gov
F. snii was that, should Mr. Crawford approve Of IL lie might
give It Ills sanction Mr. G. dsapproved Of H. however and
Gov F. and every body else thought that Dir. Mills had
abandoned all IDEA Of The change.
In view of all these facts and Of the farther on
ha, tho State cannot well surd pay Tor The additional
cost of The proposed column cannot believe that the le
nisa,uc will for moment listen to The proposition Of Mr.
Mills Let them promptly give il qu!e,us, and lei tho
structure continue 10 90 up in all Its beauty and mar
n,ony Of design-destined when decorated with Craw
,s unrivalsd mes the language Of writer of TASTE
who has gazcd with delight upon the statues OF Henry and
Jefferson in iawfvfds studio We take deep Interest in the
succesa of THE which, If carried out according 10
the adopted pan will form School oil Art for the rising &C.
neration In Justice ljcr Governor and Legislature TO
The Commits oners and Mr. Crawford, who ia thousands
OF miles distant completing his work and little dreaming Of
so deadly assault aimed a, the fruit OF his artistic
creation and consequently his future reputation an
Artist ccull said less llIun have done. We
have checked the feelings tina! this has naturally
excited--ani leave the subject with the Legislature,
satisfied iha They will do justice to the living and the dead
Il gives great ;,uaSe 10 publish the following very
neat and appropriate notice of spot, beautiful BY nauie
and which the hand Of may render Of the lowell
es, retreats for The dead be found In this any other
country We are glad know that The unonndcd preud
ces entertained against Holly have wasted away
and thar the citizens OF Richmond will seiz" the
present favorable aid this excellent enterprise By
purchasing and improving us in this sweet and holy ground
For The Enquirer