New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-01-08
GREENOUGH'S WASHINGTON.

stood for than quarter OF century In the center
a the little park inst cast = The prof. has again been
removed. Mr. Frederick Law omstcd said 1t inter
fered with his plans come down. and 1t eamo
down.
The history OF this unfortunate statue for which there
to be- resting place fail to
OF your readers Thirty years yon could get up
exciting debate in Congress hs remarkable statue
almost any day, Virginia and Massachusetts, taking op
posite Sides john @ Adlms aud Henry A. Wise always
took opposite sides. On OF these occasions Wiso
declared: "The man does not live aud never did 1--we
who ever saw Washington without ms shirt" Adams
sarcastIcaly suggested that Washington looked best
without his shirt. But to the history.
Having completed order for Congress, Greenongh
was ambitious 10 get another. He wished % make
colossal pedestrian statue OF Washing on 10 order as no
said to give freedom OF his peculiar eoncop
tons On July H. 1892 Congress Crathcd his desire by
Inserting tho following clause ia the civil and Dp0-
matte Service bill: ITO enable the President OF the
United States TO contract with sku artist an Aner'
cam to execute In MARBLE pedestrian statue OF George
Washington TO be placed the center OF the rotunda OF
the Capitol" The Of 5000 was appropriated to
carry the contract into effect This led the contract
with GreenOugh for this unfortunate statue OF Washing
tom 1t will be observed that the wording OF the con-
tract Is not very clear 1t grave question even at
that day among Congressman, to what constituted
pedestrian STATUE, and various opinions given. II
the Government contracted FOR pedestrian statue Of
posuroi
IL is very certain that Mr Greenough put the most
liberal construction he could the contract. aud pro
ceeded in excess It's limitations. well in regard to
the amount OF to be paid as TO tile design OF the
workinteGded It's also evident that MT Greenough,
in proceeding to model his Washington departed from
the ordinary rules and set out to indulge his fancy
and give tho world something grotesque--a statue OF
Washington such II had seen before and never
would again. lie succeeded admirably.
Five different appropriations made In paymen!
OF this work:
July a. 1892 ,tstue Of washington..........s6o coo
June p, 1887 statue Of wsshit on.......... 5000
March / g.. 1880, O MashIngton........ 200
SET g. ISL statue Of MISREPRESENTATION. 1900
This 900 Ia ual sct,l ,ment voted aftcr long
and very acrimonious debate, IN which Virginia and
Massachusetts took the lead opposite Sides Here Is
the resolution, as carried:
That the accounts Of UOrato GreenOugh Tor expenses
incurred IN the execution OF the pedestrian sttuc Of
@ and 1Pc aceon Of reghts ana charses OF tho
10 the United states, be settled undor the direction
Of the Secretary OF state according 10 the rights NJ the
claimants under their several contracts literally con-
srued Provided, That not more tnan $3.50 shall be al
lowed the sad GrecuOugh Ia the event taat the Secto
tary Of state shall consider him entitled To charge tho
and detention OF the slp. and I0 az lr0h railing around
the statue, including the sum or $500 assumed 10 10
paid by the said Greenough in addition the original
contract, as made by Commodore Hui; and the sdil
OF $1,000 or az much thereof ~ may ne Necessary,
hereby Appropriated for the purposes aforesaid
Five thousand dollars also appropriated for re-
moving the said statue from the NAVY t ~ Wash
Ing,on to the Capitol. Now let rs 10 back httle.
Eight years have passed since the makug OF the con
tract And at last the Government was informed thai
the pedestrian statue Of GeJeo WIsAinstonoy hjs1tio
Greenoush was flushed aud ready for Transportation.
ought mention here that Congress yet continued TO
call 1t pedestrian statIe. Bat the statue Vas Ia Flor
ence Italy, an unwi dy mass, weighing, a. said be-
fore 81 tons aud the most tmpJrtO question Wa now
we we're 10 get It to Washington. Tat duty, II was
urged by members, belonged properly . the navy.
Other members held tIat 1t was the artists dnty 70 de
liver the statue in Washington The matter was settled
on May a. lsI0 by Congress passing resolution autho-
izing the Secretary OF the Navy 10 take immediate nra-
sures for the importation aui erection OF the staue.
Orders were at sent to Commodore Htil theh ia
command Of the Mediterranean n'e 20 dispatch 4 ship
OF war for the purpose. which he 0l Bt It was found
that Ser patches, more tHn ordinarily 1r-r, we're hot
OF sufficient breadth To admIt ne 'tue I"l" hI nII
without her combingS leng ka0ckrl a"'y 1 tn n'r
decks ripped up" operation CJmmOiOe Hui was
willing she should be subjected 10 10 had t"h3h ~
yoke Of oxen hr statue from Florence 10 G nOa
doing considerable damage 10 bridges ana oih"r prop
erty. The pcasautry along The road 80 TIE "ccouht
says received It win demons rt'lous of respect.
hem knecnug before a. AND OIL nm np pass 80 oi
Commodore Hall reported the an, nifty ot putting II
board national ycs>'. ana WIS d. .''cl - '".U
merchantnan." H., tti,r some delay ana 'tm 'Hiy,
chartered the American 'hiP o.i. o'pl' D'dn9. bI,
her matches hal % be enlarged, ucr hoor' sthgthch
aud several changes ml1e ~ i-t de s. az zoe cA
pense OF the Govern nent-h"t'r, IN" up"'Iy MS
could be got safe on lOdId 1hc danger OF sIaIh'usA
suuD -oiid her huld, IN case
can easily be Imagined But We 1'l lilt i "a. f,"'u'
ana now the responsibility well a. the great eNpenS,
getting 1t home, began to irghten u rae 't1tu,'
however, was got on bodld @tLoHt See'deht, A'et
Can't DtlaLO wanted 10 cJu~t icrl as Ol5 ." lait ci
and make coastal sc voyage, taking on rcht At olh'r
ports on the Mediterranean. lnl, was o1,'iea ~ ~"
the ground that 1t would BE- 'ci0Slvhy 10 "dsh'i-'""
and our national rIije \ II Il lei tl ~. 'Ji,.'C.
him TO foegO mis- cOtstwise tr c and make TIE N,y"g'
direct. The statue arrived At the Washington Navy.
1ard 10 tne 9p IL ~ rri the CIptt6f atcr ;r-c
weeks labor, and The relief felt teref' were ie'.u
IN OrciOle language M an article III TIE od """'y""
no sooner wa the statue uncovered than 'cclnc ~
very general disappointment Was express e. ana cst-
tam Iembers OF Congress, with H,hry A. w. ~ the
head began 10 hur satire AZ H. ltu II "a, olhd that
the doors Of the east front Of tue CaDt0 "''e nor l. e
enough 10 admit il by IA inches. Ihc masonry bad 10
be cut away and the space Increased when u Vas gol
arose. The weight great that The hor Dc2in Ia
sag and was found necessary to njd "a oI
solid masonry Dct"eeH 'ne h'S' anu soN'" "''A' W
mad not been I'm this position many mOnths yhcn &c
wac discovered also that the r0tun ia OF the Capitol was
hc1ce han an ornameut there and white crtIcs were
mercllcss IN their satire, Congressman, as II To sEoY
contempt for It, Would insist Oh mah'hS IL udea
CONVENIENT place Icl depO9iuhg ihlt Flc'u CopdC,O
0uIds Tue artist saw that DC had made s"riOus
mistake well IN regard TO place aud Ight ~ M not
adapting the size ot his statue 10 tue proportions u tho
rotunda. He saw also that to again set II ~ LOto"
would involve another heavy expense aS Wei ~ ser0dS
ly damage his reputation He ana however Wll'e let
ter to Committee OF Congress asking It's removal to
suitable place. complaining thdV tbe statue cOud
nor be seen advantage where It was, OWING To De
fecye hight. COob 2clcd promptly Oh thc sugESs-
| ton aud voted IL Oat 0t the Capitol
On May May c1o i 49, %' d sSSS' on %cos
to appropriate sum not tN't't'Ik F'V'
for the purpose NJ Kim OF Pehns! Van, ss
approved by the Pee ldent ana heads Oh Dep't l.
Nr Calhoun oBjcctcd. MIR X I'M continued. Congress
he said mad already spent about $4,000 tins satat
and II here; ana ~ nave IL stdhdihH on atG't
character Of the nation. Mr. Pendleiou member Of
the COMMITTEE, then said tnat the wooden ped sal was
Gully intended to I've temporary john O. Adams SAID