The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-07-08
GOV. WISE ON WASHINGTON, In VIRGINIA.
Inauguration Of Statue Of Washlngt0ny at
the Virginia Military Institute.
ADDRESS OF GOV. WISE ON THE OCCASION,
&C., &C., &c.
SPECIAL REPORT FOR THE NEW YORK HERALD

| SPECIAL REPORT FOR THE NEW YORK HERALD.
| LEXINGTON, VALLEY VIRGINIA, July 3, 1856
| The Inauguration of a bronze statue Of Washing
] ton, executed by Mr. w. N. Hubbard, from a model Of
Houdons ma vbe statue in the vcsbue of the Capitol e
Richmond me of today, at the Virginia Military In
ssute in rae neighborhood of this town The day Wa
xoeedingly favorable for such OCCASION the heat
which was so able for the past week. being ms
teraly dmished by heavy fall Of rain, which continu
cd almost witho interruption during twenty -four
hours
Pursuant to pre7os arrange The battalion Of O.
diets Of TIE Institute formed at soock xis morning -
escort hio Excelency Governor wDe rors hts qusres
the residence OF Colonel Saith President Of the Ing.
tue, to tLs site sescted foy the Inauguration OF IL
statue.
The battalion haviny reached the spacious parsdy
ground within the INSTITUTE, Governor wise with hiu
aids, consisting OF Col jas L. Kenper of Madison; Osa
II J. NJ Wiley of Craig Col. Htghes Dard of Henry ana
Col Vim. B. TaiaGro of Gloucester, conveyed to .
platform, where aso sat the Bears OF visiters OF tho
Institute
| The parade ground, wherein the inauguration tooas
place. forms square of considerable dimensions. Tho
platform stood Immediately front back line er
buildings confronting the OF the main buildings,
along the full length Of which erected three tiers OF
pazzas for the accommodation Of the audience The
number occupying these was immense, amount
| ing to at least nv thousand persons, the
OF unusual splendor, lacking but arser
inermxture of the graver render nagnfceDs IA
the extreme II anything could detract the delight
f effect Of such il would surely be the aplar
Of such bewichng host Of beautiful forms IN sd.
isolation, unattended by gay gaants who v,,gld
cheer and interest them. They seemed very cheerful
however under the Circumstances, and forgot in th-r
zeal hear Governor Wises address, much Of the dead
| vansges under which they labored.
AZ rlf past nine O'Clock the Armory band Of Richmond
which engaged for the occasion, played a sousurS
ring air after whichhe exercises opened with prayer by
| the Rev. DR.. Bocock OF this town.
Colonel SMITH, President the Institute then arose
and sa.dI would request Of the audience to preserve
grave silence and as little moving possible during
services. 1t is made my duty, is my happiness
my pride to introduce TO the and daughters Of vir
| wealth.
rshould stated that the statue stood upon asss
granite pedestal in front Of the building, vesisd
under white II in full view OF the piatfovmt
through spacious archway which formed the entrance
Governor WISE, who occupied position in the advance
centre Of the PLATFORM amid thundcrs of appac.e
Fellow citizens and gentlemen Professors and Cadss.
| Of the Virginia Military Institute-We come up 10 per-
bronze Of Houdons marble statue OF George washneon
which the Commonwealth has dedicated to her Military
| Institute.
| AZ vreina's CHIEF magistrate here, in this beasSAns
mountain place, called by which reverberates ne
reports Of the first gun of the Revolution, this nexe
20 @ ts gay o. & nqeReIaenee' relsai "a saonatn NJ ~
We come either to bury to praise Crsar-ws
Emperor the carorzation Of saint but Christians.
citizens OF the Uuted states than citzens-as
children of the family Of the state where he was born anH
| Il buried-as ana daughters Of the liberty hs
valor and wisdom won, q bow rcverently before The
virtue which hallows and embclms the memory Of our
| oountry's father.
Virginia was not unmudfal Of the grateful duty a
transmitting 10 posterty the personal image OF the great
and best OF her Her Legislature resolved
early 1884 that her Executive should be charged win
& hc s, o. prosurng @ sae o. General wa, %
lion us pedestal in these words:-The General As
sembly cf the Commonwealth Of Virginia have caused
l4e IN ha
gratitude 10 George Wa hirgton who. uniting 20 the
OF the hero the yftes of the patriot and
ertng both In establishing the liberties o. hs country.
has rendered his dear his fellow citizens an&
gwen the world an immortal example Of true clory.'
| This inscription. which told written ~
James Madison, Is simple in t. language is sub
lime in It's sentiment II 10 be monument OF aiiec-
ton and gratitude erected, NOT 70 the but to tho
cndowmcns o the hero and not H. the qualities acne bue
TO their exeron also the lators the acton in establishing
not immortal famous even, but TO his fellow
citizens. That which speaks Of immortal Is not the
his name but the example OF true glory which
he had given the world-that that alone, pesy
| and good taste could dare TO call nmortai
The Governor, Ben Harrison, selected the two attase
ngcnts-Tht Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin, thcn n
Paris-to employ the bcst artist Europe, aud 70
| bems The eminent statuary Mr.. iIoudon was sent -
the Emitted States to General Washington. Nothing
Peale would do; The satuary alone not the mner couid
make the proper and 1T devices snd embems toornaens
the work Of hts chsel. With the ARTIST well -
| the State, the undertaking much OF
tract "A was "a labor Of iove.n The maser OF nns
n
the greatest champion OF the rights the frss-
dom Of iacs. lie retired from rosal court declnsA
the profits Of the most extensive European orders NJ
"cv.rything which was capital len family poor and de-
pendent, incurred certainty Of loss, and made pilgrim
age purely cf inspiration America pcrpotaA,e Ne
/ moulderrg form OF him who alone among men haA
the far title o be called countrys father HIS ufo
was insured and ,hc Of hts death before bs
Paris thousand vres secured o be paid
ye e o. ry pSar Of sn s h was sya s9S
this sum 10 hts family siss qua non foe they had
but his labor and though without rivalshp
IN hts art his chief excellence that he was dsnts
rested, generous candid and PAINTING or glory he We
OF the best in The world" These were the win
| ming characteristics which made him every crcumr
stance merit the good opinion Of Washington IN the tess
About August or September 1885, he arrived Al Phia-
delphia company with Dr. Franklin hs materials noe
RELIED 10 remain for a,me 10 supply mself in phaae
pha, and thus did not reach Mount Vernon until avee
| September. Washington sauted him Immediately on his
arrival He said he informed Of ,he oecason Of hs
VISIT and though his modcsy disclaimed seeking ths
cause o. H. he frankly expressed ths, he felt the mo
agreeable and grateful sensations. He complmented him
| by wishing his mission had been more worthy Of tho
aseriy genius of ,he first satuary in Europe, welcomed
him 10 the ~ bis retirement and promised him
aid in his power lie at Mount Vernon probably II
the month Of oc,eber 1ss and returned 10 Paris beors
the Ith OF January, 1Ts6 There aud then he modelled
| the model by actual admcasurcmcnt He applSsa
the capers 10, and made cas-, of the entire persoa
Of the copy, bat Houdon faithfully persisted, and The
hero and s sage, the man q supreme dignity Of spe
person bare and prone before eyes o. and as
ton An accurate exact copy Of the material man WISH
ington, made by the master modcller NJ Houdca,
Thus the work original and authentic In the highesl
and trucst sense.
l This, though, WAS but mechanical and mathemalrsl
This vas but collecting ia materials drawing
lines, framing s skeleton, measuring height Of limb,
| clothing bone with muscle and muscle with sxin, .
/
From lines drawn true, our eye may t-acc
l A foot, knee. hand, a face.
But wanting, for as In painting, ahe pcsnss
may the cooripe, the Titan stroke as Guido ~,
the - Ne sass qiof OF beauty In stausyy the bru
| may bc there, but II may not be breaking fcm-m
may not eat, may not speak, Il may not glo<s with
warmth. Deity had breathed into the N the breath OF
life, and given 70 him the countenarse suislme ana
the genius OF the divine art had 10 give 10 IN marble the
countcnance Of the He (Houdc al di A and In Me
| Capitol Of Virginia stands Washington. IN Houdon D