New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-06-07
rp lycpS MOyCMENT1L GTVE

FRANCOIS MONCNENT1L GIFE
The design, which originated i'll France last
year. of presenting n colossal statue Oh Lio-
crtv to the American peOple-a design winch
scanned. at first, almost too imaginative ana
roo,;c,l ever to be rcalizcd-is already an as
spred fact. Ii has no precedent i'll history.
Never before has one nation undertaken W
Mace a monument upon the SOIL or announcer
in cougratulation of the latter's power ana
stability. The simplest inscribed tablet erecteoi
from such an impulse, would be precious
memorial; but tho gift will take the form OF
the greatest colossal statue the world has seen
since Chares OF Lindos planted his famous
Apoo by the harb0r of Rhodes. Even II II
should not prove to be pharos powerful
enough to iIluinine our bay by night, as IL
proposed, it will look oceanward through the
Narrows by day. and give the first welcome
and the last farewell to ali going or returning
vessels.
Bedoo's Island has been chosen as the ap-
pr0priate site for this monument. Inc pcnco-
tai. the cost of erecting which 1t ID DeheVeo
the American people will cheorlully contrib
ute. will be 81 feet in hight and must he OF
the most massive and durable character.
Upon this ped stal will he placed the statue,
of beaten copper, 112 feet in hight to the top
of the head. The right arm. upltted anu
holding torch, will increase the total night
to 13S feet, or 30 feet above the soil OF the
island The estimated cost of the statue alone
is $4,000 goid two-thirds OF which nave
already been contributed in France, within Six
months after opening the subscription, IN spite
If political uneasiness and financial depres-
sion. The entire success of the generous en-
tcrprise may therefore be already assumed
The men at the head of it-Laboulaye, Oscar
lie Lafayette. the Marquis dc Rochamoeau'
Henri Martin, de Tocqueville, and Wadding-
ton. Minister Of Public lnstruction-bGar some
of the most hon0red names of France.
NJ. Auguste BarthOldi, the sculptor OF the
great statue il now In this country, and hopes
to have a complete cast of the torch bearing
arm and hand ready for the international
Exhibition by the Fourth of July. As soon as
he returns to France, the work OF casting. or
rather hammoring tho figure in copper, VIII
be commenced, and tho entire colossus VIII no
doubt be In readiness for it's pedestal 10 soon
A. the latter can he made ready for it. The
model is very simple and majestic in charac-
ter: the figure is fully draped and quietly
posed, only the uplifted arm with the torch
giving expression TO the conception OF Liberty
"cpligItening the World" 1t would he an I'M
grateful task to crticise the design OF work
thus inspired and thHs carried on 10 success {;
Dut we arc sure that the completed gift will
be IA imposing "a the givors intend or the re-
CeiyerS anticipate.
IL now remains for the citizens OF our Re-
public to huili an abiding resting place for
the solcs of Li5crty's feet when she comes to
MS across the sea. New-fork must take the
first steps in this work, since the statue, al
though offered TO the American people, Will
become a grand and ennobling feature OF her
spacious harbor. IL il not likely that the
whole amount can be contributed until the
many distTacting interests of the present sea-
son have come TO IN end; but the responsive
enterprise ought BY all means to be inauSu-
rated mt orce. Our brethren i'll France have q
right to expect the most prompt and cordial
answer. TO them, the colossus will seem to
float between heaven and earth-bctween plan
and aclieycment-until soino movement here
shall drive the first pile for the basement
stones Of her pedestal. Our action in the mat
ter will at once support and stimulate the
work in France and hasten the contribution of
the amount still needed. "The slcndcrcst sub
"scriptions will be welcome" says the Exccu-
tive Committee in Paris "let the number of
"signcrs bear witness to the sentiments Of
"Francew SO, here, the reception of funds
for the pedestal should be coniided 10 known
and honorable hands, and the people invited
TO contribute according to their means.