The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-01-09
Auausr Z. l1S3.

OF The old Congress-
From The Journals Of Congress.
Aususr 7, 1888.
On motion OF Mr.. A. Lee. seconded by Mr. Bland,
Resotpsd tunanimousy, States being presently That
equestrian OF General Washington be erected a.
the place where the residence of Congress bs established
M Ellsworth and Mr. Mifn. app sintsd 70 prspa,e ian
oil an equestrian statue OF the commander in chief
hnoosd That the statue be OF bronze The general
be represented in Roman Dress holding truncheoa in
his right hand and his head sncrcled wrea
opa Of tbs war. which dsns'al shinsion com
manoeu IN person. WIS The evacuation of Boston, the
lure Of the Hessians Trenton, the battle of Pocetoa
tho action Of Monmonth and the surrender of York On
as follows "Ths United States Ii Xmsrca In Congress
assembled ordered this DO erected ia the year
ons OF the armies OF the United States
Of America during the which vndica'ed and secured
their liberty, sovereignty, and Independence.
Hssoiusd That statue coaormsbio TO the above plan
Be executed By The be.' artist IN Eurogs under the super
OF Versailles and that money 10 delray the expense U the
''ne be furnished from the treasury Of the United states,
minister OF the United States the of Versailles
best resemblance Of General Washington be procured,
that suitable statue be erected together with fullest
previous resolutions.
Mr. Jefferson then the American minister at Paris,
took the necessary for carrying out these
luions. In letter. which he addressed to MIR Jay
from Paris. July 8, 1885, he encloses Houdons propo-
sltions for making the equestrian statue OF Gen. WASH
ngton. He asks 900 francs for executing il in
bronco having the privilege of the workshops in Paris.
containing the furnaces proper for this casting, to be
finished in years. sc. 'He does not know at present
of founder existing whom he rely those
Sorkmen whom he has himself prepared at great ex-
pense during fifteen years that he has been
OF the furnaces in which the equestrian statue OF Louis
XIV. King OF France, cast" Mr. Jefferson also en-
Closes for the information OF Congress- description Of
several bronze statues, and the Of the artists who
executed them"-among these is the bronze equestrian
statue of Peter the Great in ST. Petersburgh by Fal.
comet. and the statue of Frede OK v, at Copenhagen
made by Mr. Sally for which he received 900 900 francs
| besides pension for life, &c.
But this work was suspended at the time by the want
offunds And happily for US. have ample means
in our treasury to comply with all the engagements oil
our ancestors and still more happily. we have no
longer occasion 10 look 10 the "best artists" in Europe
We have sculptor among ourselves, a native born
American. whose holiness OF conception and ingenuity
Of execution not eclpsed. if they equaed by the
most accomplished artist il Europe. He needs not the
gorkmen OF Paris to assist him, nor the furnaces in
which the statues OF kings have been cast Mills has
invented furnace of his which surpasses those OF
Paris in its principles and its power.
II 10 still more fortunate for that have the bss
resemblance" Of Washington that has ever been taken
so that may rejoice every that the obec,
Of the resolutions Of 1853 has been reserved TO our own
times, when we have the likeness Of Houdon to be i'm
bodied in bronze by the genius OF Mills This is indeed
| he only authentic resemblance of Gen Washington
which has ever been executed II was made by Houdon
under the auspices of Virginia from mould OF the fac.
.tsef. And il becomes realize, in form more do
she than marble. the representation Of the man whose
lame will oatast marble or even bronze itself
Let us then, carry out substantially the resolution
II 1888. Substituting American uniform for IN,
Roman dress) Let raise the statue Of Washington il
he city Of Washington ITSELF that every American viste
md every foreigner may behold the accurate resen
lance OF him who "hrst in War; first in peace, an,
irst in the hearts Of his countrymen"
! AN AMERICAN