Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1853-11-09
10, the w.shiax,.a ssn,in~i.


s.oOe IRON disinctesed motives b 20 say the least, ex
evedingly impu,sve. That it is written 10y mere anna
teur, be evident scientific mind not tn
that OF This Is place to cttcisc the
works which he alludes will therefore repeat the sub
stance o. this amateurs echo which H. that Houdons life
like statue ia rendered immortal by it, matter Of e truth
iulnesS.
II woull answer no end TO make fuss sbou; the sight.
seeings OF a traveller the feelings which ovcrwhcm
him upon behoing the works OF artist or weLau,hen
tlcatcd lame object being comuent upon the in
temperate oucry OF this amateur which he published in
journal OF the metropolis the editors oi which Virgin
iaus. and Who OF course feel deep interest in lou
dons statue persons living, aud Who at their
Suggestions published my circular.
IL would be supposed that learned aud discreet per
would avoid exciting opposition to the plans adopted
sanctioned by legislature Tor rendering to the ct
the world acquaintance WITH and the enjoyment Of
slcrrl object which heretofore has remained in state
OF ISOLATION and indeed almost in a state of oblivion.
but the pursued by this amateur has tendency
foster the apathy which have hborei to dspel and
Illustrate geniousy the old adagc OF "a nue learning"
a. l; may Ice this individual has rather let oil the gas
With which cnvious sycorhant has inflated him. than
vapored from his own III formed Judgment The fable
used convey his ideas fgurativeiy rather
dcatc the con,rIctelncSs ut his conceptions than
arrive adequate estimate of the object against
which hc concocts his TRADE. l have neither time
ambition to engage in controversy characterized
cpi;hcs than rcason viii therefore reply to his Us
ser;ions only, because OF prevalent disposition Of class
OF readers to pronusae m;scaevous representation f
Il be not clearly reiuici
The amateur say. that "the State guard PAGES dnv
and night before the statute This is true the sen
trc locks the door dark and the key tax en- To the
guard house. situated the lower part of the quarc
then surrounds the building which that be paros
its Surroundings. Thtrc istcnngs of tie
wiuoss, and incendAry could uusecu access
the whole interior A. Tor the guard detecting fire. ire
parable injury might be done before he woui either
ceive II or he enabled 10 excite alarm; beside.
to any amount il remote to be available
haer,:on should take place amidst the various
conbusthles of which the building il full have heard
it stated that the cspIu has been tec,fy aSs aud
d'e times r'i1i ,OT ysars Mechanics have repeatedly
reported, through Ill. guardians, upon the uus,ie con.
dition OF the hdes and chnncys-and members of the
legislature have ti.d to the attention OF their body
% these facts but It Is difficulty make the urgeucy oi
necessity iciI TO pre- engaged attention without
nstruply. The rule is to put the fires n night;
although the officers during the session work ill night;
having dup.caIe KEYS the doors of the capitol conse.
qIrnty these Gccdents have generally occurred
during the day. Who il the scutincly Is he n faithful
guard because he i paid All; shnu llers mukcts Sup
pose hm drunk. influenced by villany has he not the
oi DESTROYING the records, statute aud building
~itout detection IL Is tot what il probable, but What
- possible la OF such vital importance An ANA
tcus calculation of average chances against such an
cuTrcnce IS absurd Why shout! this house be de-
-roycd by hJc or lightning, ~ the various accidents
incident 10 the above mentioned insuicicncy of prccau
ton, well the Safe court house. in which Ciuo
vas work persisted, also did the capitol of ohios-
Why are buildings generally, even though they hc fire
proof insured, not only in toms, but where Isolated
In casting this statue, abnu, six hundred different picc
are produced; their fractions cascd in outside
moulds TO ensure the accurate raicr OF the original the
whole mass ilriS weight of nearly thousand pounds
am myself the mou!ier give the work nv co.,
slant supervision the principal arts: employed is
the most eminent founders OF Europe Nv object not
20 become yender Of the scOrnrd plaster Costs" Dc.
signed duplicating this in marble aud bronze
the lAerto be cast in Richmond not shot from
/ the original statue.
The who the statue FOR Cambridge is an Its-
ian residing in New York. The grade OF Italian
casts produced in this country is well known 10 give
any weight the learned amateurs quotation OF an illus
trious prove the sucency moulds already
made. II would be of words canvass the as
serton, that hundreds OF perfect impressions could he Ia
ken IRON such For having indicated the CON
pcate and intricate process by saying lndrcd pie
ces were necessary TO insure perfect cast prove that
great labor and artistic skill involved and that the
amateurs suggestions would give rise to the dcga ding
results TO avoid which the legislature gave the mouop
oily Were there any authority more weight than such
"a would einuUate from ignorant plaster casters should
Toe guilty OF great folly aud misuse o: time TO consume
| five ILOUths mo:e about second set.
lhave taken but impressions from the first mould
aud have Laid them aside TO await the completion of the
second set TO make ri impression in brorz aud from
which intend TO make al! future noulis, Instead Of
ing again from the marble. This should have done IT.
the fir; instance, had not found cxpedent TO test the
accuracy Of my mouis and the time take pre-
cautions against accidents which might impair their truth
uncs and thereby defeat the great object had view
viz: TO give minute transfer q; Iaudon's statue.
What cad did this amateur design II effect? His aD-
peal properly i directed either to the legislature
self then Why Gid he make it, lie shows that
nn making Ecrond which. slii in my circular
wAs to be the I' a! that authority cuull interfere
- =
What reason coull have for taking second set il /.
were not necessary: The appeal itsel: gives sufficient
motive 10y saying 'ihs is the only likeness Of Washing
ton which touches the heart hecl aorc brings before
the eye the immortal original Then faithfully repre-
sent md give II the soie rori AMI do away
with the false npr sious OF WaShueion's appearance
was the object; The first motive in pet tioninc
the legislature and the second my object in taking
the niouds. Id ask 10 this ill found that ur,,
er the State nor individuals disposed to concern
themselves about il.
The legislature ghD.el their conf lancc he
law which gave the exclusive right and by nam;n
seven years - -peciyeI time TO execute that tight.
never lost opportunity Tor yeats back excite the in
en,e ntere iell hy the lew for this gIoruu- legacy
When the commissioners met to IN Ike oict Tor State
monument OF IL most competent members requested
TO make suggestions bu; feeling q1licd Tor thu,
sort VI design, simply, upon being further urged used
the opportunity to impress upon their attention the haz
argUus position OF lloLdun> statue: and the -sme tine
suggested how double eui could be accomplished by
choosing rGch plan as ~oui be strictly mJnuncntIl-
give stucIry t. this neglected treasure aud Jrl scope
for future cedicdtior.s in ait.
Tie explosion OF a'oni-hmen and indignation vented
by tie amateur upon reading the assertion that the
oa was originally cOirse, and is soft and porous
cyiuce- inpetuU-y than understand nc. That
h0ninn desired good material il beyond dourt The
difficulty Of obtaining large block without or bem-
lsh, may be wby it is Of high grade bst
II = more probable that the limited was the
controlling cause for this block have bee least
ten OF twelve feet square which, hal IL been OF the high
est c's, would have cost nearly the ont he received
Tor the whn!c WORK. VIZ one thOu-lud pounds.
The opacity OF tLi- marble prove. it to contain
small portion OF carbonate ~ lime, aud OF Old iormd
ton, and the color indicates the presence of oxide of
iron.
The marble being now porous argues that the water
absorbed contained carborc acid. The first rendered II
susceptible OF decay aud the latter made porous de-
composing the carbonate Of lime aud other iugtejens-
The quantity OF carbonate Of lime aud the antiquity Of
the formation, determines the purity Of the marble
There Is very little marble Of pure class comparatively
obta ined in the qUaes Of Italy especially in large
masses.
The climate Of Richmond Is remarkable for its transitions
OF temperature aud weather. IL stands upo1 hills ami il
surrounded by standing water, marshes aud ravines; the
soil invariably exhibits The presence Of iron, particularly
that in the capitol square.
How this marble became soi Is easily shown By the fol-
lowing facts The outer doors open from SUNRISE aud
frequently til ten at night the doors Of the vcstbulc
Of cot that Of the house of delegates opens into
vcstiDuc a. in TACT DO those Of the whole interior An
stands about nine feet from statue il
- put in blast in the morning At eight nine, aud il
alOsed to 60 down three in the afternoon; and il the
legislature rDcctsi Ia night session il is only rekined If
u be at all about The statue in tie morning is
frequently coated with ice, the tlasng il sudden aud
marble being slow conductor, it Is reasonable to suppose
from the outer surface becoming heated, and consequent
~ expanded before the interior portions, there may be
a