The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-05-27
WASHINGTO.y,H C.
THURSDAY, MAY u, 1853,
AMERICAN ART AND rU GAPITk

The conduct OF Capt. Meigs, mi erint ,dent
OF the construction of the net Wings the
Ce2itol, and other public work. Of mses tude,
is tie subject of frequent aud vsse eri. sism.
WSsuppose no one can take ;ce ptio& o his
week, on the ground that the usterials not
good enough, or that the cons TT elton, . not
solid, durable, and beautiful. dow fnuch
is due to him, how much to dr, WsiSf, the
asShitect, and whose services hive b IN in
Constant requisition, it is not ir,pertans, o de-
termine. 1t is enough to kn,w thai, chen
comiIeted, the Capitol will be OF Ct tha srand-
est buildings in the world, ne bic me;nment
of american architecture, hcs,orable to the
architect who planned and the superil:spdent
who has directed its constrt cticsa.
Bot no oneman is equal 10 al thinga: capt.
Meigs may be unexcelled III GILL eng,se..ring,
me- possess an excellent tsste archI scsure,
bt may be neither painter no sculptor mel
the Peale nor Powers. And ! 1t, if vsss not
mil snformed, he has assumed i entire ssntrol
of NE decoration of the Capitol, making 81 own
taste the absolute standard o; work. fns art.
In the exercise of this extraof binary pesroga-
tive, he seems to have ostrat tze1 nserican
artists, employing host Of F ensh, G. cman,
and Italian workmen, general undet t.s su.
perintendence of an Italian, no ar sking
its walls grotesque with nytl ologit ;, ,bles,
and reproductions from the ru ms OF npeii
and Herculaneum.
A few months ago, Convent on of ~ .rican
artists, from all sections of tb cou thy was
held in the Smithsonian Institu ion, Z It 80 pro-
scribe foreign art, but to present the 'lsi.ps Of
American art. They agreed NJ on a hessorial
in which reference was madl to Il dscora
ton of the Capitol. They showed tt Import
ance of the work, in relation to II q history
of the country and its fame, and . sested
that commission be created by 9 .agress
consisting of artists and men KILLED il the ar
of design, to whom should be 1atrusteI he gu
pervision of works of art for tie Publ ). Build
ings, 30 that the paintings, fro Goes, 9, tstatu
AIRY, under such direction, shi lld havs ma
tional character, and be able Il bear th test o.
the incest criticism. Thin met orial 10 sow be
fore Congress, and Mr.. March II Of & ,ntuck,
has moved for a special comm tee on he sub
ject. 1t is to be hoped that no time vi be los
in acting upon it. Every Al erican inter
es.ed in it. The great works { the CT .,itol, il
which the People have invest d so g NY mil
lions of treasure, should be adorne by thu
highest art. '
Captain Meigs claims that he meI decora
ton of the building belongs prope~< to it.
architecture, and is strictly u der b charge
he will hardly be sustained in ucb eR. A
correspondent thinks the Cap Ain is % much
inclined to stretch his aathor ty, hnt not only
to assume power, but claim 'edit, at doe,
not belong to him. He Gays we u.s. his owl
words, for the friends Of the Superintendent
should know the dissatisfaction hiN co1rse hal
awakened that Captain Ne gs GIairas to be
the inventor of the new Hall of Ref >ssentatives
of the system of ventilation, c., cd has had
his name put on the castings Of !ae beams
under the Hall, thus, M. G. N ETC lSy.,' and
also upon the besms upon tie I fas: all OF
which was planned by Mr.. Walter, approved
of by the President, before Caj4tai jSsigs was
brought to Washington. The ola, : ave been
carried out in every particular, n Captain
Mesgs has no more claim as inaen or than the
wri.er of this article. These pirs L of repu-
tation have been perpetsated in Il zee of all
our citizens, and without rebuks."
We cannot speak on this point f /. any per-
sonal observation, nor have we personal
feelings in the matter; but our CT spondent
gives utterance to opinions we be expressed
every day. That Captain Meigs hs .ischarged
his own proper duties with geea, ibility, we
have not the slightest doubt--b there is
ground for the belief that he he attempted
more than he is equal to, and ASS ed power
over subject not within his spaeri If this be
80, Congress ought to apply the ret dy.