Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1878-10-02
Our Washington Letter.


political, we write you to-day concerning an in
teresting specimen Of art, heretofore alluded to
in this correspondence IA Mrs Fassctt's
ELECTORAL COMMISSION PAINTING.
The design Of this picture is to give nm idea
upon canvass Of the sttings Of that body Of Pres-
dent-malers with all the accessions of audience
etc, incident thereto. Such n group as the pic
ture must necessarily foreshadow to the minds
eye Mt the first blush, IL one Of natural import
ance and interest, combining ms II does much Of
the brains, wit, and statesmanship Of the country
in a single glance. The painting has been in the
hands Of the artist some little time and is now
about to be exhibited TO the public in its finished
state
Mrs. Fassett Is the wife Of the well-known pho
tognlpher of that name, now residing in this city
and formerly of Chicago. Mr.. Fassett was one
of the many sufferers by the great Chicago fire
in II lie had one OF the finest art establish
ments in the country, located on Wabash Avenue
at the time Of the fire, and lost his all, with tho
exception of his pluck. his true Western love of
enterprise and his talented wife With these re-
naming he is invincible still, and has already
built up reputation in his line second to no one
south Of New York Ills rooms on Pennsylvania
Avenue, in connection with Mrs. Fassetts studio
are frequently thrown open to the public during
the winter season, and are always thronged on
such occasions by the elite Of Washington society
Mrs. Fasse't has on exhibition many specimens
of her genius, prominent among which is recent
painting Of Chicf-lustice Waite, which has added
greatly to her reputation She is now busy upon
the finishing touches of her electoral commission
picture, at the Capitol, and during the coming
week it will be hung in her rooms on the Avenue
for public inspection. Much interest and curl
osity has been manifested among art critics and
the public generally to see this famous work,
while all unite in the belief that it cannot fail to
become Of great national and historical import
ance, both from the fact that II typifes an inter
esting epoch in the country's political history
and, also, is from the fair hands of one well-ca-
culated To do the subject justice. The commits
sion, it will be remembered, held its sittngs in
THE SUPREME COURT ROOM.
This chamber was formerly occupied by the
United States Senate and was therefore, al
ready the apartment Of the Capitol about which
hallowed associations clustered more thickly than
about any other Of the building, while the con-
vening of the Electoral Commission therein added
greatly to its historical importance. The Senate
used this as its legislative hall from December g.
1919, to January 4, 1859. During this time the
following gentlemen presided there as Nice-Presi-
dents; Daniel ID. Tompkins, Calhoun, Van Buren,,
r. NJ. johnson, John Tyler George NJ. Dallas,
Willard Fillmore, William X. King and John c.
Breckenridge. The latter was ce-Presideni
when the Senate removed to the chamber it now
occupies. Mr.. Breckenridge, before leaving the
old room, made an address we are told to the
Senate at the request OF that body. lie spoke OF
the spot Deing rendered sacred by thousand
memories, and OF the progress the nation had
maze since the senate hrst met there Then
there were out twenty-one states represented
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GROUP OF STATESMEN
ana as we ehnneFtte the names OF the men whose
races are mere produced no one VIII question the
appropriateness oil the tltlc' Upon the bench, sci
apart lor inc Judges oil the supreme Court SIT
now the hiteen members oil the Electoral Commits
SION Fronting theh Is IN audience seldom II ever
seen together Mr. EVarts Is speaking lie stand
at the long mple IN front OF the bench, while
grouped around nm on either SIDE Is the array OF
counsel brought together to fight this important
polItlcl oattie' III the oackgronnd' both standing
and sitting, are the fortunate few who obtained
TO Overlooking. Above the heads Of the commits
sion, in the gallery, the members of the press
The commission are, quite naturally, the mos
prominent feature of the picture They are, each
and every one, painted with lie.like accurateness
as to feature form and expression The smooth
face and obese form of Judge Clifford in the centre
of the group; the bright, expressive features OF
Judge Miller, the handsome profile OF Judgt
Strong, the masked features of Judge Field-ex-
pressionless and unnviting-with Judge Bradley,
combine the famous five of the Supreme Court
who constitute the centre of the tribunal, while
on either side sit the five members each of tn,
House and Senate The grave judicial face OF
Edmunds is easily recognizable and worthy OF
study; the undaunted front of Morton, intrepid
and fighting to the last, shows prominently in the
group, as does also the fine intellectual face Of
Frenghuysen Bayard looks AS a man sans near.
sans reproche, while Humans rough. bonhoD,ni
style is excellently brought ont The faces of
the three democrats of the House-Abbott. Hun.
ton and Payne-show a clean-cut intellectually