Daily national Republican. (Washington City [D.C.]) 1870-1872, 1870-05-14
ART IN tux DIsrnICr OF COLUMBIA.
Prepared by Capt. ". q. Adams for the Ia
rcau efNational Education.

- - W NNAANN--~A-~
Prepared by Cant. y. o. Adams for the Ia
rcnu ofNutlonal Education.
H. IcoNTmUEDl
THE CAPITOL ENTENaION.
Tho following payments TO Il. JeutNe, for
painting picture Of Emigration on wall over
the stairway In the south wing Of the Capitol,
arc objected TO on account OF proyleo 10 acts
o. Congress Of 18th Of June, 1883, and 95th Of
June, 1850, VIII Here ynrioiia naymonts
amounting 70 es,0O0 are specified, with tholr
HPerhaps a short narrative Of the fact. AZ.
tending this contract with Mr.. Leutze, to paint
picture on the stairway Of the Capitol viii
show that the payments have been made 10
him without any Intentional Violation Of law.
The Auditor appears 10 9nd aone discrcpan-
Giles In dates and explanations fL
"On my return from the Gulf Of Mexico,
was, by order Of the new Secretary Of War,
directed TO resume charge Of the Capitol ex-
tension. Shortly after my return, viz, Cd Of
March, 1901, an appropriation for the Capitol
extension, amounting TO e2oO 900 was made,
Without any proyiso prohlbitng INC compile
ton Of the decoration Of the building. Id
about this time, In view Of thls appropria-
| tlon, Mr. Leutze an eminent artist, was en-
gagged 10 prepare design for q picture. Tho
picture, II the dcsign should DO approved and
ita pniuting authorized, was 70 DO painted
upon the wall Of the Capitol. Tho approprln-
tlon Of the % Of March permitted tits TO DO
done. The. negotiation al this time between
Mr.. Leutze and myself was verbal He was
anxious 10 have the opportunity 10 paint q
picture and ready to make design, which he
undertook 10 do, 90 far a. | remember, no
question being made as 10 the terms upon
which payment was to be made for that
Very soon after giving tho invitation /
was ordered, by the Prosldents Q.incoln's)
direction, back to the Gulf, to INSIST In an
cndcayor TO save Fort piclScns from threat
/ ls.s
hastily I appointed another officer TO at as
| my aftorneyat the Capitol extcnaIon, In order
that the work might not be Interrupted bymy
i absence.
0He was less familiar than myself with
the history Of the laws relating 10 tho Cap
'SThc payment Of Y9d April, 1891, was made
/ during my absence, without my knowledge,
though am otherwise responsible.
1.-THE sum demanded by Mr., Lcutzo for his
design, the prosecution OF the work being
threatened with interruption by the rebellion,
was larger than / had expected.
II consider, however, that had right In
| this case a. Ia many Others, to pny IN artist
fair price for design, even n that design
should not be carried out and executed. Many
designs never executed In large upon works
on tho ,bulldlng were prepared and paid for
during lho progress Of the Capitol extension,
either being prepared by persons employed
by the day or paid for by the piece. Artists
as well a. laborers and clerks require pay for
the time they labor In order to live.
81 had, by the confidence OF the admlnlstra-
| ton under which acted, been left To exercise
| pretty froc discretion In such matters; and
this Il the only one in which II has ever beer
questioned; and then not by the President On
Secretary, but by the Auditor, whose remark
and careful citation Of dates seem 10 indicate
q suspicion that something y covered up In
| this arrangement, aud also that an attempt
\ has been made TO cover tho cost Of tho desigr
In the subsequent contract. The price do
manded for the design wns %, 300.
"Mr. Leutzo could not go on with the pre-
parations for the picture, which required time
mhteflal--llfc aud equipment Of emigration
without money. Advances Of money are moi
| allowed and yet some months must olhpe6
before he could put his brush actually 10 the
wall and begin painting. The plan, designs,
studies cartoons, &C., &c, were all needed,
none Of which was the painting Itself
| I'VE came very near falling 20 make con
tract at all, Mr.. Lcutze Insisting upon hs
| custom OF artists to receive payment In I'D
vance while engaged In preliminary studies
| Embarrassed by the rules Of the treasury In
regard to adyapcea, Of length hh upon The
form Of contract finally aligned, by which the
sum Of t3, 500 In all Ahould be paid as the cod
! Of the design, 10 bo finally deducted from the
Ifnll sum Of 390OOO. which was liked ~ the
total cost Of the picture, and Its studies and
i designs, sHt -
/ dThIs." saws General Meigs. twill explain
the seeming discrepancy OF dates which have
excited the Auditors aisplciona. The whole
transaction was open aud correct. The con-
tract, by express Legislation, has since been
| approved by Congress In the following terms
In the 18th section Of tho act making appIo-
priationa for the support Of the army for the
year ending sOth Of june 1863, md approved
July o.
'tThls section provides that the restriction
or limitation contained IN the proylso 70 thu
joint resolution approved April ID, lef2, trans
ferring the SUPPLEMENTARY OF the Capitol OK
tension from'ihe War Department 10 the Dc
partmont Of the Interior, shall not be so con
strucd or applied as to prevent tho completion
OF and the payment for the painting now IL
progress gu The wall over the stairway on ~,
western side q he a1nth wing OF .ele Capitol
between General NJ. Q. Meigs, on behalf Of
the Government, aud L. LcutEe, the artist, OF
the 9th Of July, 1891" a. sHH-H
Twenty thousand dollars seemed, Of tha
time large amount 10 pay fof q picture
| Congress had not been accustomed 10 paying
such a price for work Of art and the appar
cnt lArgonoss Of the suil created diesAtlefao
4 tlon In the minds OF many members; and thi'
coupled with strong opposition made By
disappointed persons outside, led 10 the actor
which Congress took In the matter, and whlcl
came very near stopping the work. Consid
Mellrs for making such q contract, charged o
extrayagance being freely made. But tim,
has shown that General Meigs did the best b,
could with the means at hls disposal, an,
that he displayed good judgment Ia selecting
Mr.. Leutze 70 paint picture for tue Capitol
Mr.. LeutZe then stood at the head Of lis pro
fcrsiOn as an American historical painter; hi
position vas recognized by the artists OF tn
country, Ind endorsed by the people.
II Is something TO the artists credit 10 81,
that In little more than eighteen month"; iron
the time the contract was made his pietur
was finished, and the contract fulfilled 10 tn
letter. He was a very rapid painter, As wei
: us a man Of great application. ~ .
CoSaHEsg MAKES AEoTHKR CoNTRAUT ron
PICTURE WITH Mr. PowEII.
II lurniy thousand dOllars was eonsiderc
u high prize for aplcture for the Capitol b
4 Emanuel fyonize, what shall no said i
! the motive which prompted Congress To pu
I | 40 great o premium on modlocrity rs 70 pro
feas Ia readiness To glla Mr.. Powell cas-, 90
for another picture. II would have been onl
: natural To suppose that an artist who ha
made one lamentable failure In painting
, picture 10 be placed IN the Capitol Of the ma
| ton should, ut least be required TO give som
i evidence Of Improvement IN his profession be
: fore he were lnirwted with nm order for an
ThIs AmpIe and very safe rule, however
does not seem TO have been taken Into consld
Grafton IN the case Of Mr.. Powell. The plctnr
: already painted for US. by him, and now In tn
I rotunda, has been very generally and vor
' Justly condemned Indeed, 80 glaring are Il
defects that generosity only lends itself 70 II
Justice In attempting 10 excuse them. No
Z can Il be urged Tor Mr.. Powell that his pOsl
tion- among the artists Of his country wassnc
as to give shadow Of excuse 20 Congress 10
again putting the Treasury n The Unite
States under tribute " him. btrangos, Of al
Is tho fact that although $4,000 wa
always considered NJ q yery high price for VI
picture already painted for ms by Mr., Powell
f25 600 was not thought too much for another
Had there been any certainty Of our gettlnl
of Mr.. Powell picture worth elb,OOO NOR
! than the one already In possession OF IN
! Government, there might be soma excuse 10
30 remarkable display Of generosity. Blu
the certainty was tie Olher way,
. The effect Of such action on the part Q