The national Republican., 1867-02-11
DECORATIONS OF THE CAPrroI

DECORATIONS OF THE CAPITOL.
Editor Of ths National Republican;
In the issue Of your valuable peper Of
Monday, the 14th Of January, 1 find an article
upon the decorations Of the Capitol, in which
your correspondent touches Justly upon the
abuses which have been committed In these
so-called decorations.
While plainly exposing these abuses, and
properly censuring the extravaganza which
has supported them, he fails TO recommend
q remedy. II Is with the purpose Of supply
ing, to some extent, this deficiency that l
propose to make few suggestions
II will be well for us, at the outset, TO take
broad views upon this subject, and after
ascertaining definitely what Is required, to
determine upon the most judicious and shtis-
factory means to accomplish IL.
assume that the Capitol was intended to
be decorated by works Of art, appropriately
arranged, not only for display but lnstruc-
ton. cannot believe that II was ever de-
signed for q miscellaneous Exhibition Room
for all comers, or for the reception Of het-
erogeneous and disconnected tumble Of un-
meaning plagiarisms. III is to be decorated
at all, 1t should be with works Of art illus
tratiye. Of the history Of our country, and
these should be arranged in such q manner
as to make them chronologcally and other
wise Ineligible. A programme embodying
this idea THAT is. the consecutive and COM
prehensiye illustration Of our national his
tory from its earliest period TO the present
time) might readily be framed, and the spaces
allotted to each picture or decoration be de-
signated. This plan may appear at first
sight vague and impracticable from its mag.
nitude, but II will be found upon examine
tion to be perfectly feasible, and may be en-.
tirely accomplished within fifty years.
There may be real economy in liberality
which produces the results required but lib
erality without purpose, such as has marked
most Of the expenditures in this direction, is
simple extravaganza. Up to the present
time such an extravaganza is painfully evil
dent, not only in the Capitol, but in many
parts Of Washington. The brazen monu-
ments that dis6gure our parks, the denuded
statue Of the Father Of his Country, indebted
to casual fall Of snow for its only covering,
the really exquisite bronze balustrades that
"waste their beauties" in the gloom Of 0
subterranean staircase, pictures good or bad
huddled together in accidental positions, all
testify lavish expenditure without purpose
or system.
The Constitution expressly states that it
is the duty OF Congress to encourage useful
arts, and II i were not for the appearance Of
q miserable joke upon q subject much too
serious for tfiHing, such words as those Of
Brumidi and his hirelings might be desig-
mated unconstitutional, for they are GER
tainly not useful. With library Of foreign
illustrated works at his disposal, besides the
fine ornithology Of Audubon, he has man
aged to make a bewilderng tumble Of
Moorish arabesques, Grecian deities and
American birds, surrounding medallions Of
distinguished men, without shadow of ap-
propriateness or significance. No portion
OF these decorations was originally designed
for the purpose intended, but they ore taken,
apparently, at random, from the Loggia Of
Raphael, the palaces Of France and indis-
criminate extrpcts from modern works on
decorative painting.
What we require is broad and compre-
hensiye system Of decoration, consistently
and steadily pursued to its final consumma-
tion; such as will make the walls of the Cap
itol an illustrated history of the United
States, where an American youth may trace
from its earliest struggles down to its latest
triumphs the inspiring story Of our country's
progress. This can only be accomplished
by the preservation Of unity and harmony in
the whole series, to which each picture or
decoration shall contribute its appropriate
| ouoiV' ~ Suh hcNtE bc ultdlncu uuueT I0e
present system, or rather the present total
lack of system.
One Of the most conspicuous advantages
to be derived from such a system as is here
proposed would be the presentation of an in
centive and stimulus to the efforts Of our art
students in the higher walks of art, the ulti-
mate result Of which would be the formation
Of noble national school. The teeming
talent of our country is at present deprived
OF its worthiest development, owing to the
absence Of judicious and liberal public COM
missions. BY the adoption Of the plan here
suggested glorious field would be presented
for the development Of native genius, and all
would strive to merit the honor which the
admission of one Of their works in such na-
tional collection would confer upon its re-
cipient, and even to those who might not
prove successful competitors the advantage
would be incalculable in the training which
they would have acquired, and in the gen.
eral elevation Of the standard Of art through
the country.
| Let the work be undertaken with full
and generous appreciation Of its magnitude
and grandeur. Let yearly appropriation
las in the case of the Luxembourg,) judi
ciously liberal, but not extravagant, be
made for the purpose. Let it be commen-
surate with the character Of the majestic
building which it is to adorn, and we shall
have, even within the lifetime Of this gen.
GRAFTON, Capitol to which every American
may point with just and welLgrounded
| nride