The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1860-03-20
THE ART COMMISSION.


We have before us the report of the Art Commi
siOners appointed last year to mature plan f
the improvement of the public buildings. I'll
commissioners condemn almost everything that HI
been done in the new Capitol, and recommend
new system. In proposing a more harmoniou
tasteful and American plan for the decoration
the Capitol, the committee say
The rotunda, taken as a point of departure
| claims the first attention in laying down this sv
TEN. In the dome there will be large spaces fo
the introduction Of pictures which may be devote
to subjects Immediately relating to the discovery
the country, the embarkation and landing of Co
lumbus, and the subsequent discoveries of POnc
de Leon, De Soto, Cabot, Gosnod and Raleigh
Under the great cornice which surrounds the ro
tunda there will be a freze in bas-relief whicl
NAV embody the idea of Freedom, civil and reli
gious. In the rotunda, below this freze may will
propriety be represented the Colonial history O
the eountry-follOwed by that of the Revolution
and from the rotunda towards the halls of the Sen
ate and House of Representa- tives, such other sue
cesslve epochs of our history as would enable
person with ordinary intelligence to read it con
secutively.
Next in order comes the legislative history O
the nation and the several States, which may pro
perly be represented in the halls of Congress. i
would, doubtless, add greatly to the dignity o
these halls to introduce on either side of the desl
OF the Nice-President a colossal bust of the frs
VlcePresdents, Adams and jefferson, as the height
OF the galleries will not admit of statues and or
either side OF the Speakers desk statue of an emf
nent member of the House during the admnstra
ton OF w Washington-for example, of James Madi
son and Fisher Ames.
In regard to the four great stairways, it is moi
thought advisable to recommend their permanent
decoration at this time, but merely to paint them
In SIMPLE colors. None but pictures of the highest
order should be admitted to places of such promi
nence. To acquire these not only time but the
utmost care and deliberation are necessary There
can be no doubt of the ability of our artists to per
form this work, but time must be given them fol
preparation, both in fresco and in oil. Heretofore
they have been engaged, with few exceptions
upon easel pictures, and it is impossible for them
to adopt, at once, the style required in works O
such magnitude. 1t is said that Horace Vernet ha
been offered one of these spaces to fill and il i
readily conceded how valuable would be the ac
QUESTION of a work from such a master for ma
tlonal gallery or the Executive mansion. But there
is no evidence of his acceptance of the commission
whether from the pressure of other engagements
or from the probable conviction that every for
eigner who respects his art and his own reputation
must feel his incOmpetency to paint the history o
any country but his own.
Vernet's studies have been from French life ant
manners, and his works consequently are thorough
~ lmbued with his nationality, which constitutes
in fact, one of their great merits. 1t is morall,
impossible that he should wholly adapt his STYLE OF
form OF expression to ours. The expediency there
fore, OF inviting even the most distinguished for
elgn artist to paint the walls of the Capitol may
well be questioned. The British government. re
qulres that foreigner shall have resided at least
ten years in the country before he shall even be al
lowed to compete for any government work. Ex
perence has taught them the necessity of adopting
this rule; and it is deemed proper that we shoulC
proht by their experience rather than purchase il
for ourselves.
The rooms formerly occupied by the Senate have
been assigned to the Supreme Court and NAV an
pr0prlately be decorated with subjects relating tC
the judicial history of the nation
Subjects connected with the valuable discoveries
and inventions well adapted for the decora tion
of the long corridors leading from the rotunda tC
the halls of legislation. The obbies of the Senate
ana House OF Representatives afford ample space
Tor portraying incidents in pioneer life and other
scenes illustrating the manners and the habits Of
different sections of the country.
The various cOmmittee-roOms of both Houses
Will from the purpose to which they are severally
applied, naturally suggest their mode of decora
tion.
The commissioners, finding their functions anC
powers not sufficiently defined by the acts of Con
gress of 1858 and 1859 to enable them to perform
the duties contemplated in their appointment, urge
upon the attention of Congress the necessity o.
such further legislation as shall render the com
mission efficient and useful to the government
which they believe can best be effected by clothing
them with the authority recommended by the art
lists OF the United States in the following extrac
from their memorial to Congress in 1858:
Y our memorialists respectfully urge that the
great end proposed, viz: The advancement of ar
IN the United States, may be most surely and com
pletely attained by the establishment of an Art
Commission, composed of those designated by th
united voice of American artists as competent t,
the office, who shall be accepted as the exponent
OF the authority and influence of American art
who shall be the channels for the distribution of al
appropriations to be made by Congress for art pur
poses, and who shall to artists an inteliren
ana unbiased adjudication upon the designs thel
may present for the establishment of the nationa
buildings.
TAKING OF THE MOROCCO CITY OF TETUAN
After the defeat of the Moors on the 4th of Feb
ruary, they seem to have considered the defence o
the fortified city of Tetuan as hopeless. The Moor
lsh troops, therefore, both regular and irregular
to prevent the movable property from falling int
the hands of the Spaniards, fastened to the city
and commenced sacking it. On the 9Th, rene
gade Cadiz matchmaker. Robles by name, came t.
General O'DOnnelPs headquarters, and informed
him of what was taking place, and asked him t.
take possession of the city, for the protection of The
regular inhabitants. On the morning of the 7th
General ODonnell sent forward Gen Rios with hi
corps, and soon after followed with the main BODY
The entry is thus described by the correspondent
of the London Times:
"Before General O'Donnel reached the rougl
pavement which covers the last quarter of a mile O
the road to Tetuan, and while pausing moment ir
Held to allow the passage of troops, Spanish sol
diers were seen on the roof of Al Casbah and the
next moment the gorgeous red-and-vellow standard
Haunted its folds from the battlements 1t was ex.
actly lO in the forenoon. The sight seemed to ami
mate the General, who put his horse into trot
and Staff and escort ratified over the rugged stones
and were soon close to one of the CITY gates over
which two cannon gaped out of their embrasures
10 the right was cemetery, on Steep crappy
ground, leading up to the citadel. While troops
were entering, and pending the reception of the re
port from Rios that the place was occupied, O'Don
nell dlsmounted and walked, or rather climbed
over the rocks and among the tombstones till he
reached the fort. two of the guns of which had lust
been fired by the Spaniards at some Moors seen re
treating across the plain.
1t was a stiff pull up to the top but the view
thence obtained repaid the toll. more beautiful
valley have seldom set eyes upon than that which
opens in the rear of Tetuan. 1t is of an oval form
and after it has nearly closed at the further end il
again opens out into a second and smaller oval =
Around it are fertile hills, partially wooded, with
a background of mountains Near to the first rise
OF the ground on the right runs the road or rather
track, to Tangier, along which, in the distance, a
large number of Moors were seen fastening away,
laden, doubtless, with the plunder of the previous
night. Descending from the citadel by the same
path as before, O'DOnnel was met by an aid de
camp, sent to report the complete occupation of the
city, which he thereupon entered. The gate
through which he passed led at once into the Jews
quarter, and it is very difficult to describe the
scene of desoation which there presented ITSELF
On either side of the street small low shops of
kind very commonly seen in ConstantinOpe and
other Turkish clties-square apertures foot or
two from the ground, closed bv shutter at night
and In which in the daytime the merchant squats
among his wares. All these, without exception,
had been broken open, plundered, and their con-
tents thrown out into the street and broken to
pieces. Such complete ruin and desoation never
yet witnessed.
The narrow filthy streets were paved with debris
OF every knd-brOken drawers and boxes, torn
garments, paltry merchandise of all descriptions,
fruit, grain, smashed crockery, the whele blended
in confused mass which almost defied analvsis.-
When the spoilers had, taken all they thought
worth their while, or that they able to carry
off, they had pitilessly destroyed the rest. The
Jews, who, as | afterwards learned had shown
signs OF terror, and for the most part hidden them
selves on the entrance of the first Spanish troops,
had taken courage on perceiving that these were
orderly and well-behaved and did no one harm
and now began to come out into the streets and
even to welcome the soldiers with cries of "Bien
renidos!' " FtCd la Reynd!' and the like Doubt
less had the action of Saturday had different re-
suit, and Muley Abbas' hordes been returning vic
torlous from the combat the same smiling, GRIN
gng welcomes would have been shouted and the
1irds would have been given for the Moorish En-
peror.
But after all they had gone through during the
previous sc hours it can hardly be dousted that
the poor Hebrews really rejoiced to see O'Don-
nell's orderly legions within their walls. They
had evidently suffered much Many of them were
nearly naked, others had their garments torn as if
rom rough treatment. Like all the African and
Turkish Jews, they spoke Spanish, and were
Voluble in therdescriptions ofwhat they had under
gone. They pointed to their throats, and told us
how narrowly they had escaped having them cut
oy the knives and qoomias of the Moors The CITY