The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-01-18

Il oduourns ~ d.
rop, Charles b. Carr, Edward Frost, N M. Porter, J.
Schniere. and George kinock The contract required
the statue to be third larger than life. 1t is little
than that Government furnished the metal. which
was old cannon, and OF which captured by
General Jackson. Congress voted live thousand dollars
for the pedestal on which the statue stands All other
expenses have been borne by Mr.. Mills.
What an undertaking for a Charleston plasterer !
What instructive comment the history OF genius,
and the power OF republican institutions in developing
the qualities of the mind Mr.. Mills then thirty
two years OF age in whose personal appearance
there nothing to strike ordinary observer
markable plain In his and dress, and exceed
ngly modest advancing in conversation, but re-
firing, except with familiar friends and the subject OF
the statue and OF arts then he would be Free commu-
nicatye, and Instructive for, though he had
any works Of art, he had In his leisure hours. read
much, and had studied anatomy. He has ardent mind
and temperament, controlled by sound judgment. and
thorough practical knowledge of and business
This with well balanced mind so uncommon in artists,
be has acquired in the school Of poverty and in the strug
gle Of day life His mind characterized by ready
and just perception, especially of forms, and for great firm
of purpose. He is passionate, but ready to forgive
In personal appearance, he presents the figure OF
about five feet ten inches in height well and strongly
made--nol stout--wh quick and energetic step. He
has searching light grey eye good regular Caucasian
feat and gray hair turned gray during the period OF
his labor and anxiety the great work he has
plished. This is Mr.. Mills We have been thus crcum
stantial because believe poserity will wish 10 know
something Of this remarkable untaught, or self taught
artist .g
Now he commences his work. On vacant lot of
government ground, the Presidents House, the
corner of Fifteenth street and Pennsylvania avenue, he
erected small frame building for workshop and a
residence He bought horse in Virginia, known in the
Turf Register Olympus This he trained TO present
the attitude he wanted This horse is well known in
Washington now the "model horse,' He dissected
horses He studied the breed and character OF different
kinds Of horses He selected the various points Of beauty
and strength from them ALL to proddce the splendid
bronze he has made AS the various points of fe-
male beauty. found in any female, yet all per-
fecy NATURAL found in the Venus de Medicis so he
resolved to make his hose We. perfect horse
He studied the character of Jackson, and the best
lkenesses that could be found give faithful rep
resenalion OF hun. He took from the military dress of
Gen. Jackson deposited in the Patent Office the model
by which he clothed the hero. The very sword he
wore, and every minue OF the saddle. holsters, bdle
and even buckles. is faithful to history Yet there
nothing stiff awkward in the entire group-all is
true, natural, and easy. He modelled his colossal group
in plaster He not quite two years doing this The
model exhibited the public all admired its beauty.
But critics, artists, and scientific men declared it could
never stand The statue stood on it's hind fee, alone This
had never been done before All the celebrated eques
tan statues the wosd, represented rampant, with
,b, al, IA haop hu ad
di,iona and exuaneous means; generally by prop
by fastening the tail TO the pedestal, giving unnatu
raj attitude and destroying the s-hks expression Of the
animal People could not realize the fact that the first
equestrian statue in America [execued by un,augh
American arsl could be superior in this respect TO all
the art of the Old World Mills, however following The
dictates OF his genius and nature had discovered that
natural horse 10 get in such position throw the
centre of gravity through the rider TO his hind feet He
staked his reputation tina, principle, and has, con-
ary the predictions OF the learned and scientific, r-
umphed. ~...sr e..
The model finished, The next thing 10 be done was
casting the statue Mills had no foundry. He sent 10
different large foundries in Pennsy and other
places, and was told tina, such work could not be
cast in their oundes, but that could be built for
the purpose for twenty thousand doilars. This would
not do. His contract for the whole work was only
twelve thousand dollars and he. consequently could
not afford such for the casting What was he TO
do' Founders and artists had said there place in
America where such a colossal statue could be cast
His means-hs coutract-would not enable him TO 90 TO
Europe Full of resources--beleying, Mrabeau said
TO his secretary, that nothing impossible" and as
the Marseilaise sad to Kossuth, that nothing i'm
possible to he who wills"Mr Mills built foundry him.
self. With limited means, and in small miserable
sbsnty he built foundry upon principle, with.
out chimney, smokestack, or draft OF any kind-an in
venuon OF bis and cast his colossal statue. What is
the human mind equal to when conscou. of i,s power
and pressed by difficulties OF this foundry, well
as of balancing the statue, scientific had said
II was contrary to experience and 10 all the known
rules OF science How could sufficient heat be genera
ted to melt such OF metal without, draughtp He
proved by experiment, that it could be done. With
three-eghihs Of cord OF wood he melted sixteen hun.
dred pounds metal and cast four bells He confined the
calorc, and found that with comparatively le fuel and
in very small space, he could generate the most in
tense heat, He found, Also that he had increased the
hardness and therefore improved the quality of the metal
by his furnace lie informed the government, of his dis
eovery, thinking il would be very imporian, in the
uiacturs OF cannon. He proposed TO cast cannon
and have it tested by board OF competent officers The