, 1874-04-17
QUE NATIONAL ART-GALLERY,


We aro nunidcent patronB Of art. ANY stono-
cutter or houso-paintor, with friend or two in
Congress- can get contract to dis1Gure tho
Capitol walls or grounds. Tho trouble ia that
most subjects have bcou exhausted by this tmo.
Washington haB boen placed In various agonizod
positions. JacksonB trout hair has bristled in
stone md on canvas ad inGnitum. Farragut AaB
been laeted to tho top-mast. Porry'a flag.
"Never givo up tho ship" has been nailodto the
same place. Everybody has been immortalized
save tho heroes Of to-day. This is unfair. If
re do not havo our Christian statesmen, our ill.,
sp,rod financiors, our Poor Boys, our Christian
soldiers put in bronze or paint nov, there iB
danger, great danger, that the Republic Of 1900
may displace tho proyorbinl iugratitude,
and omit all pictured and sculptured
montion Of tho preseut race Of giants. Their
careers furnish material enough. Wo might
havo picture Of Richardson aud Logan running
q printing-prcss which manufactures money ut
the rate Of million dollars per hour. In tho
fueoly over the fresh noteg In order to giys
them tho sanctity TINT prevents depreciation. 4
balloon bursting and hurling form [abolea
"Republican party') down to destruction,
would be neat prophetic touch for the corner
Of tho painting. conpanion-picture might
represent Richardson rosunaing specie payments
by handing 95 in silver to nun whose pockets
wore stuffed full Of irrodeemable ahinp!asters.
4 hint might be taken from tho claas-
ica, and New York merchant painted a
having tho hcads Of Jayuo Conkling, sanborn
ct al, swooping down upon him. Tho Phtludol-
phia Convention yelling its approval Of Civil
Service Reform, would make good pendant to
Bon Butler strangling the Reform, while the
President stood calmly by in the role Of Drutus,
watching the execution Of lis ohlll. Congress-
man Kelley building Chinese wall Of Ponnsyl-
vania pig-iron around the country, would bo d
good tho.ne. So would Casey, cruising up and
down the mississippi with his ship-1oad Of run
AWAY legislators. a picture Of Congress grabbing
baolz-pay from tho Treasury might be labeled
with the Republican resolutions in favor Of hon.
esty mud economy. A statue Of Boutwell, (heroic
sizo, Of coursc,) holding In his hnnd a scroll
with his wise saying, "Thoro is no sci
once Of political economy" would appropriately
ornament the facade Of the Treasury Depart
ment-as long as Richardson sits within. A tab
leau Of Grant signing two letters, ono Of them
dlsmiasing Motley from the English Ambassadors
ship, aud tho other expressing tho Presidents
hearty approval Of Tom Murphy, would DO a
sumner. A picture entitled "Bullets are Better
than Ballots" could 10 mado in two parts: On
on" sido the people Of Louisiana in tie act Of
olcctiug McEnery Governor; on the other, Kel-
logg, with drunken Judge Keeling by his side
and telegram guaranteeing Grants support In
his hand, ut the hoad Of United statos troops
seizing tho stato-House. This might pass for a
battlo-pieco.
We cannot better prove to postority the
strength OF tho Republic than by adoruing tho
National Capitol with such scenoa. The Republic
that has survived them surely stand anything,