The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-01-09
The Equestrian statue.


WASHINGTON Jan s, 1853.
To the Editor Of the Union
Sin We have witnessed spectacle to-day which Is
calculated to make the deepest impression upon every
observer On the anniversary of that day, which reflect
"A 40 much honor upon Andrew Jackson, and 80 much
eory upon his country have seen monument raised
n his fame OF extraordinary merit II was raised I'M
dor every cheering infuence-on day which was bright
AZ any which ever came from the heavensin the pres
ence OF the President and cabinet. OF members OF oob
bouses OF Congress- OF the judiciary Of the land and OF al
least 5000 spectators lnever witnessed more ORDERLY
meeting or a more brilliant spectacle. The address Of
Senator Douglas was admirable. The prayers OF the
two chaplans Of Congress conceived in the finest
soitit The tout ensemble was imposing and delightful
And when the statue unveiled, and Clark MILF
was introduced to the immense multitude, the accams-
lions were unbounded The sculptor, too, 10 worth,
Of the hero This achievement OF the arts is worthy
If the character it celebrates The equestrian statue
now stands on Lafayette Square land may II stand Tor
aver, II stands there as a monument OF Jackson's
virtues. as well AZ Of the triumph OF American art
Link To the master States OF antiquity, and you vii
find the brightest republic wreahed with the brghtes
rophies of the arts Athens is not more celebrated TO-
the genius OF Perces and the eoquence OF Demosnenes
than for the sculptures OF Phidas and Praxeles The
.r,s flourish in their highest perfection under the genius
NJ Liberty Il sets free the human mind from the shackiet
At nreiudice and the force OF imitation II teaches mar
10 ,hnk for himself II prompts him 10 win has way D,
holder fights Il stimulates enterprise aud anlmales M
vrntior II nobler designs OF more daring means
for their execution. Hence the many great men whom
our republic has already produced and hence tne many
glorious improv ements which have been oscfed unort
the wings Of our eagle Hence the steamboat ano 'nf
,sser.oh and hence il has happened that one VINO wa
once modest plas,erer in Charleston has performed
feat which has surpassed the works OF all previous sculp
tors.
Mills possesses thai enthusiasm OF character which u
20 essential 10 succees See him commencing ms career
with busts in plaster OF Paris Pass with him from M
workshop 10 the field where under the ehade OF ngo
he goes TO study The fine racehorse which lies DEAD upo
the field See him dissectng the muscles oil he ANNA
for the purpose Of preparing the materials OF an eqnef
tan statue See him attending two courses OF anatom'-
cal lectures And then him coming 10 this city To-
the purpose Of proposing the statue oil Jackson 1T
brings with him that beautiful model. which represents
the hero on the back OF his gallant and rampant s'eed
self baancsd self poised. his two hind fret-wh tbt
centre Of glviy happily adjusted rs to fall within The
line Of those feet |, has other prop Could this new
problem be accomplished There men IN Wash
neton who thought il practicable, and who were al al
events determined TO try the experiment The CONTRACT
was accordingly made, and the Monument COMMITTEE
adopted the necessary for its accomplishment
This day the result il exhibited The pubie-al doubt
10 now disspaied; and Clark Mii,s takes his plac.
among the 6st artists in his county f artist he b.
called. who il ssf-made, who studied the pro.
found tbeorems Of his art. and never saw an eques
TRAN saatsel Will you permit one who has watched
the progrcss OF the work-who knows
"ln what forge and what a heat
Were shaped the anchors Of thy hope
10 congratulate MOI only him bs, his country the
cess OF his achievement
What nation has hitherto witnessed such triumph a.
,his, Whsrs viii you End equestrian statue standing
upon ss twu hind feet alone, without any other point Of
conuexiou between the horse and the psdsstali The
statues in Paris in ST. Peiersburgh in London. and o
Edinburgh prsssnt no such phenomenon The follow-
ing extract from the "London illustrated News OF the
I3h Of November last, ariics which describes the
"Stasuss and Portraits. and Memorials oil Lord We'll
ngton" shows 10 what exentthe ART has advanced
in Europe. and what bold and original step has, Of
cossss. been made by MI. Mile;
ID. ciisss. Of EdlnSursa "aasora,ea spsndid .qos.
an statue Of The gres. Duke n ,hs' fair city This Gre.
In measuring nearly ~ feet in height and.
gehsr With the pedestal which Is OF Aberdeen granite,
really twelve tons Il derives addons ineres, on II.
being the nrs bronze usoe ever cas-, Scotland Unlike
rivsted together but fsssdsn improvement attended BY
considerable labor difficulty The horse 10 here IL
The bind feet and tail, and accordingly In order 10
preserve balance great skill required in apport,on
ing exactly each pat Il" proper weight Of 'nets We
believe the only other statue e similar po'nr
of Peter Great at St Perersburgh where the
officially chiefly overcome by The not very appropriate
intsoductlon of ssrpen upon which the hosss 10 tramp
ling. whioh only strengthens the hind legs but
jscts far behind and balance Tne statue rep
the Duks mounted his ohsSser, aud issuing
dets the tho neck Of bis pnDgng need
In hapd he holds them and his pnmed hat and win
Tho other points com to di.an part Of field
large engraving OF this has just been published
Bot MIlss statue has neither snake tail stached
to the pedestal II il ss balanced UPON two feet by such
nice adjustment Of the limbs OF The from, and the
more solid portions OF the hinder part OF the horse as
to throw the centre OF gravity upon the hind feet The
base which the lios OF gcaytaton falls is near foot
in length
Thos standing. 1t presents one OF the most beautiful
ehg fsaws which the genius Of sculpture has pro