The Portland daily press., 1865-08-21
MR.. sARNUM ON Els MurrI, n

-
Mr.. Barnum has been stirred up, by an arti-
Gle in The Nation, rejecting upon the tenden-
cy and ridiculing the pretensions of his Mu-
scum, and has addressed to that paper letter
in which be deprecates 50 severe a Judgment.
he says: .ese4f ssess 4,.ss s,.5a "a lass
g am not thin-skinned, and know my Mu-
scum was not so refined or classic or scfentifi-
cally arranged as the foreign governmental in
situations, for mine had to support my family,
while those require annually from the govern
ment thousands of pounds. "That class for
which it Imy Museuml would seem to have
been originally intended" would not support
a proper museum pecuniarily. More's the
pity-but such is the stern fact. Hence, to
make it selfsupporting, was obliged to popu-
larize it, and while still held on to the amil-
lions of curiosities," millions of persons were
only induced to see them because, at the same
time, they could see whales, giants, dwarfs, Al
binoes, dog shows, ct cetera.
j Mr.. Barnum denies that he permitted .Eyul-
gar sensation dramas z declaring that no OBJ
scene or profane expression was allowed on his
stage, that no Intoxicating liquors were per
mltted IN the Museum, and that the utmost
vigilance was always exercised to prevent the
presence of improper persons among visitors.
He concludes with the following explanation
and proposition: 4 sse3 2sa.' sts".a
b Humbug with me has had its day, and al
though l although / always gave the moneys
worth of that which was not demoralizing. I
often grieyed that the taste of the million was
not elevated. But now, having made ma
million" nearly twice told, l really aspire to
do a good and great thing, and ask hereby
the aud OF you and your writer in accomplish
0 III build another mtiseu1n-ist, It win be
fire-proof; I'd, 1T viii be almost infinitely SUI
perior in its collections and its classifications
and accommodations to the old one; Sd, When
build new American Museum, / shall also
erect large wing, or an additional adjacent
building, the contents of which shall form and
be Free National Museum. There l will
place classified specimens of natural history,
paintings, statuary, armor Especially that
worn by historical personagesl, old weapons of
war, musical instruments, costumes and fur
niture of the middle ages, and a thousand 9TH
er useful and novel features which will be an
honor to our country. Here, too, win be plac-
ed all free contributions of novelties from
everybody, including missionaries, ship-owners
foreign persons of distinction, and foreign mus
Gums. .7aat.'.'
III The Smithsonian Institution can loan its
duplicates, the PaUenL Ofnce, war and Navy
Departments can lend their trophies models,
&C.; gentlemen can loan their statuary and
other objects; and myself, my heirs or assigns,
shall always exhibit the whole free Il paying
eS penses by means of rent of stores and out of
my own pocket); and, whenever we. fail to do
so, every article not loaned by individuals to
the Free Museum is vested in the general Co..
e1nment, and NAV be removed to a suitable
building in Central Park. or elsewhere. In
deed, if my paying Museum plospers as ex-
pect, myself or heirs will eventually erect and
Prss idi q sne Runilc the land and proper