, 1874-11-08


Immediately after the great fire Of 1871, Meis-
sonier OF Paris, proposed to his brother French
artlsts that each should contribute picture, the
| proceeds from the sale OF which should be used
for the relief Of the Chicago aut1erers."' Some
Of the pictures had to be painted. and by the time
they were collected ard exhibited in Paris some
months had elapsed. They were then shipped
to New York and again exhibited, and it was not
till the middle Of June, 1872 that they were all
sold, realizing some $4,000. The New York
Committee having the matter in charge are the
Hon. E. D. Morgan, ]. H. Sherwood, Robert l..
Cutting. Wn1. B. Dinsmore, Theron B. Butler,
F. G. Church, q. C. Gibson, D. Huntington +.
Taylor Johnston. II. Knoelder. R. L. Stuart, A.
T. Stewart, YIN. H. Vanderbilt. Robert Hoe. A.
Healy, Nathan Mathews. Thos. A. Scott, n. 7.
Walters, and Henry Ward Beecher.
When the pictures were sold GOV. Morgan ad-
vised Mayor Medin that the money WAS ready
sufferers" Mayor Medin wrote back that every
body then in Chicsgo who Was willing to work
hsd employment. Properly speaking, there
were no ''sufferers" " in Chicago. The general
fund was ample for all purposes. But Mayor
Medin urged the New York Committee to hand
over the money to tho Chicago Academy OF De-
sign. or to Trustees, who should use the interest
to be derived from the fund in connection with
mote the interests OF Art in Chicago. For eome
reason the matter WAS not acted upon, and the
money still remains comparatively idle in ono
Of the New York savings banks.
Since the pictures we're sold in 1872 :nere has
been no object to which the proceeds Of this
French artists fund could be so properly applied
az to the encouragement and support Of Art in
this city, and the Academy Of Design is the most
proper medium through which it should be dis
peused. 1t is simple truth to say that Art is
poor and IL suffering" and man5 Of our artists
are still 81 sufferers" While they would scorn
now to be made the bepefciaries Of this fund.
the moral support Of ita use by the 'Acad-
emy would be OF great help to them
As the French artists, it is understood, are not
only willing, but desirous, that the fund shall
be used as above indicated, all ojection to the
Academy having the use OF it would seem to
be removed. In order il possible. to accomplish
this the Academy, two weeks ago. commits
stoned its Secretary, Mr.. Charles Peck, and Gov.
Bross, to proceed to New York and confer d.
rectly With the Committee. Gov. Morgan was
30 deeply engrossed in political affairs that he
declined to cali the Committee together till after
election. Both he and all the members Of the
Committee that we're in town received the Chi
caeo gentlemen most kindly. and nearly all Of
them expressed themselves warmly in favor Of
at once sending the funds to Chicago, to be used
for the benefit OF Art. Church and Huntington,
the artists, were very decidedly in favor Of it,
as we're also Bie1stadt, Beard, and other artists.
hIr. Cutting. Mr. R. L. Stuart, and others, also
OF the Committee Wero in favor OF coming to-
getoer at once and disposing OF the money; but,
Of course, nothing could be done till Gov. Nor
gan he'd time to attend to it. It js, therefore,
probable that within i few days. or weeks ut
most. the Now York Committee will transfer the
care and use Of the $50, 600 in their hands to the
Chicago Academy Of Desjgn.-by far the best
thing that can be done with the money. It can
fail to greatly promote the interests OF
Art in this city aud the Northwest.