The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1864-01-16
Lights and Shadows at the Capital.

The State Capitol contains moderate dis
play Of paintings and photographs, but there
are broken chains and circles in some OF
the lines Of State officials which, for the credit
of our people, for the qualification OF thee
sight-se and for the gratifcationsof lau-
dable state pride, cannot be too soon COM
pleted.
In the rotunda are several fine oil paint
ings of distinguished citizens of the State, or
men of cminence associated with the early
history or revolutionary fame of the country.
First and foremost among these, looming
above all others like Katahdin above the pig
my hills that surround 1t, is copy of Stew
arts WASHINGTON, full length and size, with
the noble steed upon whose back the FEATHER
of his Country" was often borne. A painting
Of that hardy old veteran, Gen. Knox, Wash
ington's Secretary Of War, reminds us that
Maine, feeble and sparsely populated as she
then was, and District as she was of proud
and foremost Colony, contributed the materi-
al of which heroes were made even at that
early period. Maine's first Governor, Will
liam King, is here represented in oil, but it
must have been taken from a picture Of his
early manhood, for it bears no tracable resem-
blance to the Ex-Governor during the last
thirty years of his life. Another fine painting,
of the late Hon. Reuel Williams, helps to adorn
this portion Of the Capitol.
To carry the mind back to the early coloni-
al history Of the country we have fine paint
ings of Sir VIM. Pepperell and Gov. Pownal,
both of whose names are associated with the
early settlement Of our State.
Large and life-like photographs OF the Pres
ident and Vice President of the United States
are found in this department, and various en-
cravings Of historical character, such AS the
Departure OF the Pilgrims on their perilous ad-
venture, their Landing at Plymouth, the Cros-
sing of the Delaware by Washington, ETC., etc.
In one ofthe Committee rooms / notice sus.
pended from the wall a splendid photograph
of one of the noble sons of Maine-the Web
ster of our earlier hstory-now grown old and
infirm, but still bearing the signs Of former
greatness, and with mental yigor scarcely aba
ted; Hon. GEORGE EVANS, Of your city
May he long live TO enjoy the fame with which
his public services, performed in years agone,
have SO lavishly crowned him.
The Senate Chamber and Representatives
Hall have no paintings to relieve their blank
walls, and no engrayings of which the friends
Of the fine arts need be proud. An ordinary
head of Webster and of Gen. Scott are found
in the latter, and a small Washington and Ma
polean are found in the former-both great in
their spheres, but with characters as opposite
in all the elements that make human nature
loveable as an arch-angel and Lucifer. In one
OF the Committee rooms is apicture of the la
mented though misguided Cilley, who flung
his young and promising life away a victim to
the bloody code of the South. In the same
room are photographs Of yonr distinguished
fellow-citizens- Senator Fcssenden, Judge
Nourse of Bath, and other State celebrities.
III the Judiciary room the circle of great
ness has been kept the most complete. Here
are found fine photographs, think, Of all the
past members of the Supreme Bench, and the
present members with the exception of some
Of those newly appointed. But few Of the
Attorney Generals Of the state are here found.
Not one of them should be among the mis-
sing.
But in commencing this article, which may
be considered stroll amid the Shadows of
the dead as well as OF the living, / pnrposed
to speak specially Of the picture gallery of the
Capitol-thc Council Chanber-where should
be found the "counterfeit presentiment" of the
whole line of distinguished men, who, by the
voice of their fellow-citizens have been called
to fill the Executive chair, and to guide the
Ship of State on hcrrprecarious voyage, from
her first launching in 1920 up to the present
time, and who have guided the infant through
all its stages of progress TO mature though
young manhood.
Here are found the licensees Of only part
of our Governors. We find those of Lincoln,
Fairfield, Kent, Anderson, Wells, Williams,
the Morrill, Brothers, Washburn and Coburn.
1t is TO be regretted that any links in this
illustrious chain should he lacking, but such
is the fact. Governors King, Paris, Huntoon,
Smith, Dunlap, Dana, Kavanagh, Crosby, and
Hamlin are missing. II seems to your cores
pondent that this broken chain should not be
o'to"No W SAiots nut tiAat spSSlAt pains cuouiu
be taken TO complete the circle, and then every
new Governor may feel called upon to make
contribution of his own picture 10 keep the
chain unbroken to the end of our states ca
reer. A century hence, when the present gen.
Grafton and its successors are mouldered back
TO their primitive elements, what an interest
will cluster about the gallery in which the
then living generation shall gather, to pass
in review the long procession of honored
men who have guided the state through her
career from the time she first was let out of
the leading-strings of the Old Bay State up to
the "iatestperiod of recorded time"
In this utilitarian age, perhaps the sugges-
tion to pay ever SO small a compliment to the
fine arts may be secuted, and some may plead
the expenses of the war and exorbitant taxa
ton as an excuse for an expenditure of fifty
dollars, though such paltry expenditure now
may lay the foundation for an incalculable
amount of qualification for ages yet unborn.
Ever since Judas carried the bag and whatev-
er was put therein, there have been those who
exclaim as he did, "Why this waste OF ONT
ment? Why was il not sold for three hundred
pence and given to the poor?" They cousid-
er every shade tree cumberer of the ground
and would hew il down and convert it into
fircwood because it does not produce apples.
With them rosebush has no business on earth