The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1853-09-20
THE DAILY DISPATCH.
EE The circulation of the Daily Dispatch exceeds
considerably that Of all the Daily papers of Richmond
RICHMOND, VA
TUESDAY MORNING. SEPTEMBER 20. 1858.

TUESDAY MORNING. SEPTEMBER 20. 1853.
A few days since we had the pleasure OF
seeing the exquisite cast of Houdon's Statue
of Washington, just completed by Mr. Hu.
bard 1t win be recolleeted that severa
weeks ago very perfect copy in plaster was
shivered into fragments by being thrown
from its pedestal just as Mr.. Hubbard was
about shipping it for exhibition at the erystai
Palace Since that time, Mr.. HUBBARD mas
most industriously applied himsei 10 taxing
another from his moulds, and the result mas
been the very beautiful and imposing fac
simsle of the original which Will be forward
ed we understand, this evening by the steam
| ar Jamestown. We wish all our citizens
could have had an opportunity of seeing this
work before it was boxed up for transmits
| sim IN New York. as we are satisfied 1t would
| have given them very great delight and ena-
| b,ed them to place proper value upon Mr..
| Hubards labors, which have been attended
with very considerable difficulty and expense
for many months The cast will occupy a
conspicuous and most eligible position in the
wing of the Palace devoted to the Fine Arts,
and we shall be greatly disappointed in our
expectations if it is not pronounced the most
interesting object in the whole collection
1t will nobly represent Virginia in the build
ing, and viii entirely make amends for the
hideous desecraton of the figure OF Washing
ton, which has been permitted there in the
colossal caricature of him by the Baron Ma
roehetti.
We rejoice at the success that has crowned
Mr.. Hubard's efforts to obtain an exact copy
of Houdon's magnificent Statue, because we
have for many years been haunted by the
apprehension that this invaluable treasure
would be some night destroyed by the burn
ing of the capitol.
Asugcestion was made three or four years
since. before the commissioners had decided
upon the plan for the Monument, by the edi-
tor of the Southern Literary Messenger, who
took great interest in the Statue and had
Autograph of it executed ia London, that in
the selection of the plan, reference should
be had to suitable shril.- for the Sta
tue where it might be preserved for all
time; but no attention was paid to this sug-
gestion, and subsequent effort made in the
Legislature to have separate building
erected for it in another portion of the Capt.
tol grounds, failed through the rejection of
the Bill in the Senate. The Statue is there
fore yet exposed to destruction, by fire, but
should it be destroyed, the loss will not be
irreparable since Mr.. HUBBARD has taken so
faithful mould of it. We hope Mr. HUBBARD
will receive numerous orders for this Statue,
which he win be prepared to supply in plas-
ter, marble or bronze, it being his intention,
we understand, to erect in this City'a foundry
for making castings in bronze, Every State
in the Union ought to possess copy Of this
work, ghich IS the only likeness Of any sort
that now exists of Washington, of any pre-
tension TO accuracy. Stuart's picture is no
likeness, owing to the fact that at the time
Washington sat for it, he had just undergone
the insertion of a set of false teeth which a
bunglng dentist had put in such manner as
to change altogether the expression Of his
| countenance.
Mr.. Hubbard has also completed a noble
| bust of Washington from Houdon's Statue,
which we think even better for deviation
from the original in representing Washington
in citizens dress. We are glad to learn that
the cast which will be shipped this even
ing, has been made more than usually strong
by iron rods through each of the limbs, and
that there is little fear that ii will not be safely
deposited in the Crystal Palace, in the per-
feet condition in which we saw it.