Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1853-02-01
r,,,o ,,,. Washington Union.

isb ,iustt
,, u,3;cyer merit is Que 10 those VINO , nav u"I
Know +, America urd the world The nasnlnsrn'
bronze equestrian statue Of Genera the characIe
el'i licduc IF The difficulties Of the artist W. hau'
I - fn,,rr ages SIC have COLLECTED lie iaeiF rom w
artist himself nlr ''''ih ~ w. "
We Know no, with whom the idea OF erecting SUI"
70 General Jackson originated II was common l'usn,'
49, onhiy Fad been suggested by many at different 'liheS
a. ", hear every day OF statues 10 Clay TO webster anu "
hs If chr Great counymen The fret movement MADE
=, carry uu The idea appears 10 have been NJ ppohc
o,;ng in Anolo Hail. on the 18th September iSio hIs-
ouIiors were there passed for that purpose Subsequently
and during the presidency of james X polk meeting OF
The Cabinet officers and other officers OF The Government was
held a, tho Presidents House for the same onlecl.
committee was formed OF the following gentlemen
Cave Johnson Amos Kendall John r van ,e 1rss"
Dow, William A. Harris, Charles Il; ,ani
P Blair John G. Rives, Thomas kiichie, aaa henlan ,
r. French 10 collect contributions and 10 carry OUT 'e
ot Afterwards in consequence OF the dccease OF John
p Van Ness James toban and Jesse h. Dow ana me re-
signation Of iem A. Harris slessIs. john ~
George W. Hughes Andrew J. Donelson ana George fa
ker were chosen n their places This committee coecsu
Twelve Thousand dollars. To their exer'9ns we owe ue
means making the statue bu! a. uI v,e h "ne
deemn. il possible that any nrllst would MAKE nohEe
equestrian statue of General Jackson Tor Tie small SUN
collected il was seriously debated whether or mol Pc
ns,a static should be erected and the WORK given 10 mr.
Powers Even utter Mr. Mills had proposed to make inc
cnnesrou statue some of the committee, doubling his ca
pacy disposed 10 have pedestrian s.aT oy
Blu, when Mr. Mills produced his model anu offered 10 give
SECURITY for the performance Of the worK the contract
was made with him for The twelve thousand dollars
II was in the year 1913 while tho Jackson statue COM
,,a r noEino for nm artist that Mr. Mills CHANGED TO
he passing through Washington City on ms way 10 i'aY-
He had been house las,erer in Chares'on SCUM Cafo
lima lie was citizen of that State having elt inc otae
nc Now YORK the State Of nativity. when boy, and
settled in South Carolina. His first Efforts IN art were d.
in mailing plaster :. soo e much endowed
He then resolved make bns of Mr. Calhoun 10 hiho,e.
The great South Carolnian saw there was genius IN Ie
man and he sal him Mills chose the hnes piece OF "a
roniun marble ne could find and chiseed II INTO shape
amid the eoes and Of the people what ioly
they said FOR This gu 10 msu m am
their gaze-he hid himself from their sneers IN his little
shop until he had flashed his WORK he had never seen
works Of art the in which the sculptor does nus
work nor Tic instruments he yet with his own rude
tools he produced of the finest pieces oil sculpture IN Inc
world in The bust of Mr. Calhoun IT was the admiration
and astonsnen Of all The city Of Charleston as OH APP
peca of the work. presented him splendid gold medal
| and placed the bust in the City Hall.
Some friends admrng his genius offered tue means 10
send HIM Italy and he have sale, on MS way
there pas sing through Washington at the fortunate moment
when The Jackson Statue Committee was in search OF an
artist He had before been In Washington. but
spending days in this city, TO look al lts pubic build
pas and its works Of he became acquainted win some
Of the committee, and with their object lhey Invited nun
IN give design first he declined having seen an
equestrian statue. He modest-thal is his character
But the genius OF his fame disturbed his rest and woke up
the strong native powers of his mind. It haunted his na
yinntion when all the world was asleep, a thousand
beautiful forms loated before his waking visiuns lhere
was the great Jackson who has impressed the grandeur o
institutions and mind VI his country and on The tufc Oh Inc
world That form passed before the Imagination OF the art
s in the character "i poor peasant ooy, OF Eafny pI
necr OF the wilderness, of Judge Of SENATOR OF general
and rs President Of The United Stacs the artist saw MN IN
all the remarkable Of his life. He embodied Them In
marble and In bronze One form he seized-one vision he
arrested and fixed 10 his mind 1t was the hero Of New Or.
leans in all his characteristic majesty nirepidY and firm
ness mounted magnificent war tced, paving the AR
with and restless mpatencc as conscious OF the
coming battle yet yielding TO the iron nerve OF his rider
II was at the battle OF New Orleans. when the General
before the engagement which the form and scene that
fastened itself on the artists mind In instant he work.
ed it into bronze and stood before him like living hing
His mind was agated; he haunted with an Idea
But doubts came Helouked back his past history and 10
the difficulties before hima fatal stumbling block to modest
oenu. The world of art with Its schools its authorities,
and its rules up rcbuke the Presumpuous plaster
err Ii recognize him. he was out OF The pale OF It's
society had graduated For moment he et dis'
cora.rd But then he heard whisper in his ear-e Ge-
MUS of his fame said "Frllo| Naure-Gcnus IS superior
TO art makes from is the evidence
OF hstoryNA'ufes az grand, as neauh ana US 'nious ~
America in Italy Europe-study Nature; follow Na'ne
Now he was cheeed Other visions passed before In nc
thought Of the glory Of doing This work OF leaving to pos
tery representations of other heroes and great men OF Anne
rica ana n great scenes and in his countryr hs
~ and above ALL uf the glory OF making mighty colossal
larger than anything in The world 10 Inc Father OF
| his Country. ;, =,
He decided 10 make tie Jackson statue IL" knew ~"
amount offered would not pay him. much less reward him.
but he said 81 will work FOR fnIc-lha shall oe my re-
ward" IL. informed The committee OF ms iesolu,ion.I
They desired him make miniature model lie returned
| 10
Some hardly noticed him. They reproached him with pre-,
sumption and folly; said che was going TO tho" himself
away" 'tat he could never do such work II was
in vain appeal them from what he had d'ne-to point
To the bust of Calhoun; they could not possess themselves
Of his idea nor comprehend his capacity After eight months
he uypdlccd his model They then satisfied he would
sorcr. and voluntarily offered become his security He
| returned q Washington The committee approved oil The
model and made contract with him. They required secu
ri,v Tea gentlemen his hnndsmen for the due per
formance Of the work We give the OF these gentle
men, is highly honorable 10 them for this act OF conf
dcncc and kindness They all men Of property IN the
c,v of Charleston and in The State of South Carolina
Thei. names james Rose James Gadslrn H. Gourdln
+. f. Emorc, D. b. Norihrop, Charles D. Car, Edward
Frost n NJ Porter j. Schnicrle aud George kinoch The
contract Quiret 10 be third larger Than life IL
is little more than that Government furnished the metal
which old and some OF which was captured by
Cen Jackson Congress voted Ave thousand dollars for the
pedestal which the statue stands. All other expenses
| have been horne by Mr. Mills 49,
What IN undertaking for Charleston pasicrer! What
an instructive The history OF genius and on the
power Of republican institutions In developing The qualities
of the mind! MI Mills : thry-iwO years oil age
in whose personal appearance there was nothing 10
strike ordinary observer kable; plain In his man.
and dress and exceedingly mndcst never advancing in
alton but retiring except with familiar friends and
The subject Of the statue and u arts then he would be
free communicative and Instructive for though he had ne
yer any works Of he had in his leisure hours mad
much and had studied anatomy lie has On ardent mind
and temperament. controlled by sound Judgment and
thorough practical knowledge of men and business This
with wcIl.baanced mind, uncommon in artists he has
acquired the school of poverty and in the struggle OF
day life His mind is characterized by ready and
|
of purpose Ie is passionate but ready forgive In per-
appearance he presents the figure OF about five
inches in height well and strongly madc-not stout
with quick and energetic STEP He has searching
light gray eye good regular Caucasian icaure5 and gray
hair turned gray during the period of his labor and anxiety
great work he has accomplished This Is Mr.. Mills
We been thus crcumslantia because believe pos
tcry will wish TO know something of ths remarkable I'M
taught self. taught artist.
| Now he commences his work On vacant lot OF gov
ernmpn! ground the Presidents House, at tic corner
Fifteenth and Pennsylvania avenue, he erected
small frame building for workshop and residence. He
bought horse in Virginia. known in the Turf Register as
Olympus This he trained 10 present the attitude he want
ed. This horse is well known in Washington now as the
"mDdc horsc He disseced horses. He studied the breed
and character Of different kinds Of horses He scleced the
various points Of beauty and strength from them ALL 10 pro-
ducc splendid bronze he has made As the various
points female beauty found in any female, yet
all perfcy natural found in tho Venus do lcicis so
he his horse; yet 1t is perfect war-horsc
lie studied the of Jackson and the best kenesses
that could be found give faithful representation OF
him. He took from the military dress Of General Jnckson
deposited in lie Patent Office the model by which he clothed
the hero The very sword he wore, and every mnua VI
tho saddle holsters. bride and the buckles is faithful 10
history Yet there nothing stiff awkward in entire