New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1866-11-05
hErTER FKonr WASHINGTON.
Special Correspondence Of the New Orleans Crescent
WASHINGTON, Oct. %, 1866.

AN ACT OF INJUSTICE,
Many southerners who visited the capital dur
ing the weary and disheartening days of the last
session, have noticed a statue of Washington in :,
the grand exhibition room of the Patent Office. I
To Louisanians who passed through those halls I
filed with the evidences of the ingenuity OF our
people--that yelled piece of statuary was pain
fully suggestive. 1t was eminently proper that
trophies torn by one State from another should be
covered from sight. Louisana's statue OF WASH
ington, in possession of the general government
the symbol of common tradition unprotected
from ruthless insult-reoalled those dark days
when veil was, in truth, thrown over the princl-
pies and the memories of our patriotic slres.
Similar indecent trophies are to be found IN the
old House of Representatives, now used as an en-
trance hall to the arena where Stevens raises his
misanthroptc voice, and Colfax abuses the dignity
of chair once filled by Clay and Hunter, There
is little chance for Virginia to redeem her Hou'
don's Washington-the pride of her people-trom
q capital ruled by such malignant spirits. On the
floor where Monroe and Hunter once spoke for the
mother of States, the statue of cher own Washing
ton - stands in mute rebuke to its captors and
decorators. The present dynasty Of Legislators
may revive and sustain those memories by glority-
ing in the possession of their symbols, but the
traditions which they have contributed to relume
can never be torn from Virginia soil-the love of
true llberty-the reverence for patriotic deeds
and the pride of ancestry ennobled by their
own actions, can never be etlaced from that soil
| which, first on this continent, gave them glorious
birth.
| Louisiana has, however, been more fortunate
than her sister State. The statue taken from the
capital at Baton Rouge had, after 4 series Of adj
ventures, found resting place in the patent
Office building, under the custody Of the secretary
Of the interior 1t is curious to note how very
near this work of art came to be permanently
consigned to The same authority which now holds
on recntessly to the property Of Virginia, anu
by what mere accident it was saved from such
al untoward fate. When Butler took possession
of our State capital, he found there two statues
Of fame and merit, besides library containing
works of rarity and value. With that provincial
spirit which marks the Massachusetts man, and
I which is complete negation Of the popular sen
) timent, The BethelFishe hero sent the volumes
Of merit and eruditton to the historical society Of
bis native State With the aydity of literary pill
farers, that noble body Of scholars accepted the
: property which civilization has. always excluded
from the operation of warlke rules, and with the
tenacious spirit which characterizes their general
7. every recognized canon Of tie republic Of letters
e The statues Of Washington and Madison were
e fortunately secure from Yankee literary brigand
| age. They were both sent to this city, and were
e both placed in the capital. Packed in rough
= pine boxes, and altogether transported il
Is that negligent manner which would con
o sign them to obscurtty and prevent any
" suspicion of their real value, they were cast
t. ra,,ota corner nF
rinth that bears the inappropriate name Of cap
e itol. The plan had thus far succeeded, and the
6 predatory genius who expected; by some coli
y sion with the officials here to have those NEAR
IS looking boxes thrown aside mere trash ant
shayngs, came near reaping the reward OF his lie
climate labors. One day in 1868, Mr.. Upshur
l. the predecessor of Mr. Harlan in the secretary
ship of the interior, happening to pass along the
% corridor where the boxes were placed and finding
u part of the cover knocked off, lookedat the con
re tents and found the father of his country lying
n dirty and besmeared in the midst of straw ant
n chips. After some inquiries Mr.. Upshur found
out the nature of the prize thus neglected, ant
actuated by the proper feelings, ordered his off
Of cials to have it cleaned, treated in seemly
or ner and placed for preservation within the pre-
is eincts of the patent building! The capitol bep
ut at that time under kind of semnilitary, semi
On civil jurisdiction, the order of cabinet office
IN was duly respected, and Lousiana's statue 0
Nv Washington was rescued from the midst of vic
e. lent soldiery and of ratiOns and povenaei
ne to be conveyed to guardianship better qualife
OF for its protection 1t seems peculiarly appropr
be ate that the department Of government to whic
he the fostering of science is especially Condde(
be should extend its care to the works of art whiG
m the fortunes of war had thrown within its reacl
he would be glad to give some similar account {
of the fate that attended the statue Of Madison, bc
nd knd-hearted secretary seems to have protecte
a it, and the most persistent inquiry in the depar
at ments here cannot avail aught for its discovery
is Perhaps at some future art exhibition in the cas-
a ern realms of the Union, some cieerone may tie
no the story how that marble statue of James Mad
0r son was captured during the war of the Confed
,er rates-how some gallant official in Washingtt
or city sent it home to his equally gallant brother
at who some years after sold it at half its value to
i'm Bostonian Brahmin-who, with a munificen,
wholly unparalleled, presented it to the Art S
:, it ciety Of 1.-THE hub as specimen Of native G
NO Mus, which he had purchased for considerable
ire unprecedented in the history of burglar mum
nv cence.
m. Its mate will not however furnish the basis
eat such an illustration of petty and degraded chara
the ter. Several Louisiana gentlemen, finding theI
W. selves together here during the present reces
md drew up memorial for its restitution and prese
3D. ted their petition to the President in person.
of johnson gave some favorable assurances to t
nly memorialists and promptly referred the matter
md the secretary Of war. Nearly two months elaps
MS. before the department presented its report, a
to from some omission no memorandum of the doc
tho ments was transcribed on the books of the exec
be tive office. The chairman of the finance comm
his tee of the Louisiana Legislature and at the sal
,ad time one of the sgners of the petition, happen
YER to be present at the White House fortnight az
recalled the matter to the Presidents attentic
Mr. johnson, in reply, produced the report FRI
um Mr. Stanton, nclosing one from Butler, viii
,an had just been received the same day. AS SITS
it'll toms report is simply recapitulatioh of Butte
is it will suffice to say that the latter alleges that
lily statue was brought this city for preservation
lel, for safety from the ravages of war-and for
que those reasons which an INSCRIPTIONS mind can
re- vance in defense of its INSCRIPTIONS acts. I
,re- President could of course arrive at only one
lar cusion after inspecting these documents, namel
H. l,,lr t1,nC