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


done anything in giving America and 10 the world tn
bronze equestrian statue OF General
now in Lafayette Square Especially should the name
The character and knowledge Of the difficulties of lh
artist be handed down to future ages We have collect
ed Le facts from the arts, hmself- Mr. CLARK Mills
and now publish them historical record.
We know not with whom the idea OF erecting stau,
10 General Jackson originated twas common thought
and probably had been suggested by many at dderen
times, We hear every day OF statues 10 Clay IL
Webster, and 10 others Of great coun,ymen. The
first movement made 10 carry out the idea appears
10 have been al public meeting in Apollo Hall, on the
18th September 1915. Resolutions there passed
for that purpose Subsequently, and during the presi-
dency of James X. Polk, meeting OF the cabinet officers
and other officers OF the government held at the
Presidents House for the same object.
committee was formed OF the following gentlemen
Cave johnson, Amos Kendall, John p Van Ness James
Hobsn. John W. Maury, Charles X. Gardner Jesse
Dow William A. Harris, Charles p. Sengstack, Francis
p Blair, John C. Rives Thomas Richie and Benjamin
b. French, to collect contributions and to carry out the
work, Afterwards, in consequence of the decease OF
John p Van Ness James Hoban. and Jesse E. Dow, and
the resignation of William A. Harris, Messs John M
McCalla, George w. Hughes. Andrew J. Donelson and
George Parker chosen in their places. This
m,tee collected twelve thousand dollars To their
lions we owe the means for making the statue. But a,
the me deeming it possible that any artist would
make bronze equestrian statue Of General Jackson for
the small sum collected, seriously debated whether
pedestrian should be erected and the work
given to Mr. Powers. Even after Mr.. Mills had proposed
TO make the equestrian statue, of the committee,
doubling his capacity, disposed to have pedes-
trian statue by Powers. But when Mr. Mills Produced
his model, and offered to give security for the due per-
Torrance of the work, the contract made with him
for the twelve thousand dollars.
Ii in the year 1913, while the Jackson statue
mittee were looking for artist that Mr. Mills CHANGED
to be passing through Washington city his way to
Italy. He had been house -paserer in Charleston,
South Carolina. He was citizen Of that State, having
ef, the Stale of New York, the State OF his nativity,
when boy. and settled in South Carolina His first ef-
forts in art directed TO making plaster buss. He
succeeded in giving such admirable lkenesses that be
soon was much employed. He then resolved to make a
bust of Mr. Calhoun in marble.
The great South Carolnian saw there was genius in
the man. and he sat to him. Mills chose the finest piece
OF Caronan marble he could find, and chiseed il into
shape amid the gbes and sneers OF the people What
folly" they said for this paserer to presume 10 sculp
,ure marble like the great artists Of Italyr He shut
himself up from their gaze-he hid himself from their
sneers in his little shop until he had finished his
work He had never seen works of art the manner in
which the sculptor does his work. the instruments
he uses We, with his own rude tools he produced
of the finest pieces OF sculpture in the world in the
bust of Mr.. Calhoun. II the admiration and aston
shmen of all. The city OF Charleston as an apprecia-
on OF the work. presented him splendid gold medal,
and placed the bust in the City Hall. Some friends
admring his genius, offered the means to send him
10 aly and he was, have said on his way there,
passing through Washington. at the fortunate moment
when the Jackson statue committee in search of
an artist He had never before been in Washington
But spending few days in this city, 10 look its pub.
lie buildings and its works of art, he became acquainted
with some of the committee, and with their object.
They invited him 10 give design. AT first be de-
clined, never having seen equestrian statue. He
modest-,hat is his character Bat the genius OF his
fame disturbed his rest and woke up the strong native
powers of bis mind II haunted his imagination when
all the world asleep, a thousand beautiful forms
foa,ed before his waking visions There the great
Jackson who has impressed the grandeur of his soul and
the republican simplicity OF his character the nst
tuiions and mind Of his country and the future
of the world Tha, form passed before the imagination Of
the artist in the character OF poor peasant boy, Of
hardy pioneer OF the wilderness OF judge OF sena-
tor of general and as President, Of the United States
the artist saw him in all the remarkable scenes OF his
life He Embodied them in marble aud in bronze. One
form he seized-one vision he arrested and fixed in his
mind II was the hero OF New Orleans in all his char.
scierisiic majesty ntrepdiy, and fmness, mounted
magnificent seed, paving the air with ierceness
and restless Impotence, conscious OF the coming bat
de YET yielding to the iron nerve of his rider II at
the battle of New Orleans, when the General was hur.
riedly riding in review oil his forces, few moments be-
fore the engagement, which was the form and scene
that fastened itself on the artists mind. In an in
slant he worked il into bronze, and it stood before
him like living thing His mind was sgitated be was
" haunted with idea But doubts came. He looked
back his past history, and to the difficulties before
him-a fatal stumbling block TO modest genius. The
world OF art, with its schools its authorities, and its
rules stood up to rebuke the presumptuous pa.eer II
did not recognise him. he on, OF the pale OF its so
ciey; he had graduated For moment be felt dis
couraged But then he heard whisper in his ear-thc
Genius of bis fame said Follow NsturcGenus issupe-
nor to Art-Ar makes Ills rules from Natufe-such is the
evidence of h.ory-Naure grand, beautiful and
as various in America in Italy Europes,udy Ma
lure-follow Mature" Nov be was cheered. Other