The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1876-06-22
NINETEENTH DISTRICT.
10 .
Committee Reports.

| senator McCullOch, chairman OF Commit
tee on Statistics of Industry, Public Health
and History of Texas, submitted the fol-
lowing report, with the accompanying re-
port of subcommittee of said committee.
Hon. r. B. Hubbard, President of the Senate:
Your Committee Oh Statistics of Industry,
Public Health and History of Texas. to
! whom was referred Senate bill No. 277, s'An
act to carry into effect section 80, of article
| 16, of the Constitution" have had the same
under consideration, and report the same
back with the accompanying report of the
subcommittee, appointed to confer with
experts or critics for the purpose of max
| ing thorough inspection of the paint
ings named IN. the bill. The sub-commit-
| tees report was adopted, and am in
structed to recommend that the bill do pass
MCCULLoCH, Chairman.
Hon. T. j. McCulloch, Chairman OF Com
msittee on Statistics ETC.:
Your subcommittee, to whom was as
| signed. the duty of inspecting the paint
ings offered for sale by Mr.. McArdle, haye
the honor to report that they have had sew
eral gentlemen of acknowledged ability as
art critics to examine said paintings, and
they were of the opinion that they possess
great merit, and should command large
Rrice. ai :.
To be more explicit, the painting of Gen.
Lee, at the battle of the Wilderness, il pro-
nounced to be true to life. to truth and to
history. The great Captain is represented
in moment of extr~me peril with his no.
BILE countenance lighted by the excitement
of battle, surrounded by his admiring and
faithful soldiers, who are In the act of
making a charge upon the Federal lines,
and WHO are made painfully conscious of
the presence of their beloved chieftain,
and are crying Gen. Lee to the rear" In
their intense desire to shield him from
harm, they forget aught else, seiz,. his bri-
die and turn him back. The groupings are
historically correct. The faces of many of
the actors are dellnea,ed with fidelity, and
the incidents are Rot only appropriate, bat
are truthfully sketched. Taken as whole,
the painting is magnificent work of art: 1t
is reproduction ON canvas of the terrific
battle scene-the final effort which gave
victory to the Confederates at the Wilder
ness; and it pertrays, as it were, in letters
of living light, the love of the soldiers for
Gen. Lee. ea
Nor are these the only merits of the
great painting. The faces show conclu-
sively that Gen. Lee was at that time sur
rounded by Texas troops, and not by
others, as has been incorrectly stated by
high authority. In proof, we beg leave to
make an extract from letter to MIR. Nc
Ardle from Gen. w. n. Pendleton, who
had chief command of the artillery:
S 1t was at this crisis that the Texas brig
ade, heading Longstreet's column, began
to emerge from the rear forest along the
plank road, on the night portion OF the old
field. Gen. Lee, with grand earnestness,
took of his cap and, waving it, hurrshed
for the Texas brigade, and general shout
ao 1r aireo
The General then, giving the word charge
and spurring his spirited Traveller, pressed
on to lead the charge. This WAS observed
with great anxiety by all. The fire was
furious, the front was scarcely practicable
for men on foot--a horseman attempting,
it seemed, going TO certain death. Moth
ing but the apparent extremity of the crisis
would have justified Gen. Lee in so Inspir-
ing the troops. But they needed not this
Those brave Texans thought less of their
own exposure than of their loved command
er's. A cry rose; Gen. Lee to the rear =
He, not needing, was somewhat roughly
stopped by soldier stepping out and seiz-
ing Traveller by the bride and saying,
General, go Lacks if you do not, We will
not go forward.
The evidence of Col. venable, Gen. Lees
aid, is to the same effect.
In this view of the case, the painting
should by all means be the property OF the
State OF Texas.
The painting of Gen. Stephen F. Austin
at San Felipe, surrounded by Capt. Chns-
man, Baron de Bsstrop, Col. Sam Williams,
Rau Foster and Others, is true to life and
to history, and is masterpiece.
The two are offered at less than one-third
their value, and your subcommittee Earnest
ly recommend that they be purchased by
the State and preserved as invaluable con-
tritutions to history, and models Of art.
FoRD,
CARROLL,
MARTIN,
Sub Committee