The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-01-15

lish in our paper Of to-day will be found much
interesting gossip relating to the achievements
of American sculptors in the new capital of
Italy. With the exception Of Hiram Powers
and one or two others Of worldwide celebrity,
the common impression prevailing among US is
that most of our sculptos who visit Italy
continue while there in state Of pupilage,
and accomplish but little in the way Of reputa-
ton or pecuniary reward. A perusal of the
letters of our correspondent will dispel this
error. II will be seen from them that in the
arts as in everything else our countrymen in
Europe are pushing their way into the fore
most rank Of European competition, and that
in sculpture in particular they are winning the
highest rewards that. genius can secure.
Besides Powers, now one of If not the great
est Of living sculptors, there are in Florence
number of Americans in the same branch Of
art whose merits have become so conspicuous
as to insure for them large share Of the orders
which flow to that city and Rome from all
parts Of Europe. Prominent among these is
Mr.. W.. Hart the sculptor Of General jack
son, Clay and Chief Justice Marshall. and who
is now engaged on an ideal group, the central
figure Of which Is pronounced almost equal in
beauty to the celebrated Venus of Milo; Mr..
Thomas Ball, of Boston, who has just COM
pleted q magnificent head of Edward Everett
for a colossal statue of the deceased orator and
statesman, taken from q life model executed
several years ago, as also marble bust Of the
historian Prescott, which is said to be equally
fine; Mr.. J. A. Jackson, the sculptor of the well
known statue of the "Culprit Fay" and who
is at present engaged in reproducing in marble
his mastery work of "Eve and Abel" the
model of which attracted so much attention
from European connoisseurs; Colonel Henry,
Of Kentucky, young sculptor, who distin-
guished himself by his gallantry in the federal
service during the rebellion, and whose bust
Of Mr.. Lincoln and an ideal work, "a Libby
Prisoner Listening to Kilpatrick's Guns"
have elected general admiration; and lastly,
Mr.. L. c. Meade, of Vermont, who is also ocou-
pied on several striking subjects illustrative Of
the war. These gentlemen are described as
occupying fine studios in old palaces, as being
overrun with orders, and as giving employ
ment to great number of hands.
We could wish that the taste for and patron
age of sculpture at home kept pace with the
progress Of American sculptors abroad Their
slow growth is to be accounted for in great
measure by the absence Of public collections
of statuary, and the consequent unfamiliarity
of our public with pure models. This Is
matter in which we think the National Academy
Of. Design has not exhibited the earnestness
and enterprise that were to be expected nom
il. It has taken no steps, at least none that
deserve consideration, In this, dlreDtisn. And
! yet, w1tilput such collection, ~ claims ~ N
Academy are simply hunbag. Il via -be
pleaded n excuse lat dntil laSsly iss pesanI@
ary condition has BEEN very precsrieus and
uncertain one, and that II had no funds to
allocsts to such purpose. We could point
Uutwhsre, under those circumstances, some
golden opportunities have been lost; but We
wiIl contsnt Ourselves with expressing thshUpS
that now that the society has gos into IT. new
building, and that II hes large surplus funds TO
dispose Of in the shape Of legaclcs, II will
devote immediate attention TO the subject It's
managers must remember that, ready a. ere
our wealthy citizens 10 aid them, II will chill
their sympathies and ALLEVIATE their confidence
unless they show themselves % ready TO do
something towards the promotion Of the true
show ourselves as intelligent and progressive
as We have proved ourselves in mechanics,
agriculture, the exact sciences, and In war. In
short our National Academy Of Design must not
become, like the Royal Academy Of England,
a refuge for old fogyism. II it does not keep
moving with the national intelligence and
spirit 1t will speedily find itself showed among
the useless lumber of the past.
The PRUNING OF THAT LITTLE BuI--Thc
House bill to facilitate commercial, postal and
military communications between the States has
been sent back from the Senate, with neat little
amendment providing that the act shall not af
feet any stipulation between the government and
any railway company securing government
transportation free Of charge. As the bill
passed the House itrepealed these stipulations,
and thus, for example, the Illinois Central Rail-
road, after having received over three million
dollars worth Of public lands in consideration
OF transporting government freight and passen-
gers free of charge, would have been author
lied TO charge the government as In other cases.
SO II was that "Illinois Central" began to run
up in Wall street; but now 1t will be apt to
run down again to its proper margin. Mr..
washburne, Of Illinois, with the disclosure of
the effect Of this over-hasty bit Of House legis-
lation, was very much astonished as injured
innocent but the modcsty Of Mr.. washburne
ID, simply amusing. He is too old soldier In
Congress to be the ignoramus he would make
himself appear. As the bill stands 1t simply
reduces such railway monopolies to that
general competition which Is the life Of trade
and In this shape we call upon Mr. washburne