Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1853-01-14
THE EQUESTRIAN afAluE.
Z. lS1i

" m, ,r,. ,un,r; sury OF that day, which re
l,rtcd So much honor upon anate" 'icNso", CIV W -,
, mon III. cyunr. we have seen monument raisco 10
~; c &c r,,raon!iuaIy merit, II WAS aiscd under every
cheering Influence day which was oght 40 any "nen
ever came ,hc heavens inc presence % s ~
nnd cubinc, members {" both houses Oh Congress- Vi
no Judiciary of land ami Of al least Ooo spectators
ncyer Witnessed orderly meeting or more orliah'
snrc tc The address OF Senator Douglas was auhao'e
% prayrts of the Chaplans OF Congress were conceived
in The finest spirit. The tout ensemble was imposing ana DC
stilu And when The Statue was unveiled and CiiA il
,s introduced the immense multitude the accfana
were ,boundd. The sculptor too, il worthy OF u nero
Tns achiev OF the is worthy OF The charace, i
celebrates The equesltian statue now sand. on Lath!
Suaueand may stand forever II stands ihcrc rs MN
unen, Of Jacksons virtues. well Of the triumph oi
American arr. ,u c 4
the brightest republic wreaed with The brightest irophcs VI
the arts. Athens is celebrated Tor mo genius %
perices and the eloQuencc of Dcmosthenes than io ~"
sculptures of Phiias and praxilees The arts outsn m
their highest perfection under the genius OF Liberty
,e. the hGnan mind from the shackos OF peJtdice anu e
force of imitation II teaches man 10 lhlnR !or h'sel -
prompts him 10 win his way by holder nights. -
enterprise and unimalrs invention. II Eueeests pe
siyus or more daring for their execution Hence e
many great mon whom republic mas arcey
and hence The many glorious improvements when ae
fps.rrd under the wings Of eagle dence Tue s'cao
and hs telegraph and hence has happened hlt one VINO
was once modest plasierer in Charesion mas peiioeu
l.n which has surpassed the works OF all previous
Mills nnsses,s that enthusiasm Of character when IS so
essential TO success See him commencing MS career VII"
buss in piaiser OF Paris Pass with MN from i' WI
shn
goes 10 study fine cohorse which ies ueaa upon c
field See him dissecting the muscles oil the animal lot c
purpose Of preparing The materials OF an equestrian su
Sec him attending of anatomical lectures ana
then see him coming this city io The purpose OF PoPo
iup The statue OF Jackson He brings win nun mat oeauu
,ot which represens the hero the back oil his gallant
and rampnn sccd, self. balanced poseu on MS ,"o
hind cet-wt the of Gravity so happily adjusted Nv
10 fall within the line of those feet mas no DINER prop
r,onld his new problem be Accomplishment lhcre "tto
men in Washington who thought it practicable, and VINO
we're at all events determined to try me experiment. lme
contract was accordingly made and the Monument co''
tie adopted tho necessary means for us accompiisi
rh. dav The result exhibited 10 the pnbc-hh uouo' "
now disslpntcd; and Clark Mills takes his place aohs M
first artists in his country III aist ne can ue h;
10 .c(maje who never studied The profound lhcoels OF MS
ar, who neye, saw an equestrian siatnr) VIII you perm
one who has watched the progress OF the woEk-~ho knows
in what Il i"rge and what a heat
Mere shaped The anchors OF Thy hop"
IA congratulate only him but his country on the success
ui his ucl erenlent -
thi. I Where will you find equestrian statue standing
upon ils hind feet alone, without any other point OF
come between the horse and The pedestal Inc STA
tues IN Paris Peters burgh in London and In tuin-
bureh present such phenomenon The following extract
from the London Illustrated News OF the 18th OF November
last in an article which describes the Statues, ana fof-
traits and Memorials Of Lord Wellington" shows US 10
what an extern, The art advanced in Europe, and wha!
bald and original step has, OF course, been maze ny M'
Mills:
ain The present yeanRnry, the 18th Of June last
the citizens OF Edinburgh naugurated splendid equestrian
statue III the great Duke in their fair city This great work
which is from the hand OF Mr. John Steel Is colossal in d.
nensuns !nels,ng nearly IL feet IN height nn iIseher
with The pcrs which is Of Aberdeen granite rising from
is Vrnind about 26 feet The bronze weighs neatly twelve
tnns II derive. additional interest from lis being the frs,
bronze cast in Scotland. Unlike most oher
bronze statues in this tan different parts ure not veted TO-
arhr but used-an improvement attended by considerable
labor and difficulty The horse is here high notion The
ony parts which touch The pedestal the hind feel and te
talk and accordingly In order 10 preserve the olance great
skill required in apporloning exactly to each part III
proper weight of metal. We believe tie only other eques
in n ain
ST, Prlershurgh, where The difficulty chiefly overcome
nv The very appropriate introduction OF serpent upon
which the horse lrnnpng and which not only strength
hind legs but projects far behind and serves as
aalance The represents the Duke mounted on his
charger and Issuing orders; the ens lie loose on the necs
n his plunging seed hand he holds them and !is
puued hat and with the other points conlmandnRy Id
distant part OF The field large engraving OF this statue
has Jug, been published"
psdcs,a il is seibaianccd upon two feet by such nice
adjustment OF the limbs of the front and the solid por
lions hinder part Of the horse as TO throw the centre
Of gravity upon The hind feet The baee which The line
OF gravllutlon falls Is near foot In length.
Thus standing presents one OF the most beautiful chez
Hgurres which the genius Of sculpture has Produced
The figure If the old hero is admirably executed The like
ncss capital and The horse which he is mount" IL
marked with all the " ana split OF me seed OF The soup.
tures 'his ncc il clothed with thunder "The glory OF
hia uuss il terrible iIe -joiceth in his strength, and
"swullpwerh The ground with fercencss and rage"
The genius Of The sculptor deserves encouragement And
fortunately the hand The present Congress-
have II power make good the pledge OF their pre-
cccsanrs and in measure 10 repair The ss winch he
hs. incurred by this statue lie. Mr. Mills be authorized TO
cary out tn. following resolutions Of the old Congress
From the Journals Of ConarssS
AUGUST !, 1883.
On motion of Mr., A. Lee seconded BY Mr. Bland,
Resolved Unanimously. Shies being presently lhbt
m equestrian OF General Washington be erected at
the place where residence OF Congress te established
On tic report Of n committee, consisting OF Nj. A. Lee,
Mr. Ellsworth Mr. Muffin appointed 10 prepare plan
Of an equestrian statue of the commander in-chief-
Resolved That the be oi bronze. The general to
be represented in Roman dress boiling uncheon in
his right hand and his head encclct with laurel wreath
The be supported by marble pedestal on which
are be represented in basso relieve, tho following pm
cipa events of The war in which General Washington com
anded in person. viz: The evacuation of Boston, the cap
ure OF th He-sans AT Trenton the battle OF Princeton,
the action of Monmouth ard the surrender OF York On
the upper part The front the pedestal 10 be engraved
as follows 'rhe United States ii America, in Congress
assembled ordered this statue be erected in The year oil
our Lord 1883 in honor OF General Washington The Illus
ous Under Of ihcnrmes OF the United States,
Of America during the which vindicaled and secured
their liberty, sovereignty, and Independence
Resolved That a statue comfortable The above plan be
eyecucd by the best artist in Europe under the
dencc oi the minister OF the United States the of
Versailles and that money drfay the eXpcnsc of the same
be furnished from the treasury OF tie United States.
r. sovcd That the Secretary OF Congress transmit 10 the
Minister Of The United States AT the court Of ForEnra tho
best resemblance Of General Washington Ia be procured
that suitable be erected together with the fullest
previous resolutions
Mr. Jefferson then The American minister Paris, took
In letter which he addressed to Mr. Jay from Paris July s,
1886 tncoscs Houdons propositions for making the
equestrian state OF Gen. Washington. He asks 6000 900
francs for executing IL in bronze having the privilege olher
workshops Paris containing Tie furnaces proper for the
casting Ia be finished in ten years. Sc. He does not
present OF founder existing whom he rel
IN those whom he has himself prepared great
pense during fifteen years that he has been possession OF the
furnaces which the equestrian statue OF Louis Nv King
of France cast MIR. Jefferson aao cnclOses Tor The
information nf Congress- description of several bronze
statues and the Of the artists who executed tcin-
among these IL tho bronz, equestrian statue OF Peter the
Great in ST. Petersburg by Falconet and the OF
Frederick v Copenhagen made by Mr. Sally for which
received 600 900 irancs besides pension for lc &c.
But this work suspended at the time b. lie u
funds And happily for Us, have ample in
treasury L" comply with all tho engagements Of
c"sors; and stll happily have Hunger occasion
look lhr "ts artists in Europe We have sculptor
among ourselves na,iveborn American, whose holiness
of conception and ingenuity Of execution ecpse if
they rqua.J hy the most Accomplished aflists In Eu
rope He needs not The wu!kncn Of Pals Ia assst him.
the furnaces in which the statues al kings have been
Mills hes invented furnace Of his which supasses
those al Paris in i,s principles and its power.
scmhance' Of Washington that has been taken, So
that may rejoice every account, that tic object N the
resolutions OF lIS3 has been reserved time