Arizona citizen., 1878-02-15
The Statue Of Washington on the
 Capitol Grounds.


 EDITOR CITIZEN :-I am sitting about three hundred feet from the centre of the Capitol's east front This position is very nearly the center of what are termed the Capitol Grounds; these grounds comprise about ffty-two acres. The iron fence enclosing the old parks on the east and west fronts of the Capitol building have been removed, and the grounds enlarged, and hand somely laid out Between where l am sitting and the marble steps of the Capitol, is a beautiful paved carriage court three hundred feet wiGe. I oc- cupy one of the numerous seats of blue stone facing the building, near by l. one of the stately lamps of which there are six on this front. These are about twenty feet high with blue stone base, and sand stone bands, completed by alternate layers of blue stone, and polished Passamaquaddy lred) granite, and surmounted by elegantly adorned bronze lamps. Here are also two grand flour caskets of blue stone and granite the base of each is forty by thirty feet
 Near where I am sitting is the col lossial statue of George Washington executed by Horatio Greenough of Massachusetts. It was ordered by Con gress in 1S32, for the Rotunda of the Capitol, where it was first placed, il was afterwards removed to the east park, and from thence to its present position.
 The statue is of heroic size; the right arm is raised and the forefnger pointing heagenward, the left hand holds a sheated sword with the hill presented, over the right arm and lower part of the body falls mantle. The marble seat upon which the figure rests, is ornamented with dropping leaves and garlands of flowers.
 4 small figure of Columbus rests against the left of the seat, and on the left is a similar statue of an Indian. The base relief or the right of the seat represents Pheaton in his car drawn by fleet steeds, and the coat of arms of the United States. On the left, are represented North and South America. On the back is a latin in scription. The seat rests on large base bearing the following inscriptions; on the right, First Tn War" on the left, First in Peace;" and in front, First in the hearts of his countrymen."
 The statue is for a noble example of liberty, nor without liberty will the example endure. It was made in Flor ence, Italy, and completei in 1S43; eight years were consumed ID it's exc cution, it cost including work, freight and attendant expenses, S44,OOO; 5000 of which was for transportation from the Navy Yard to the Capitol, a dis tance of one mile. Its weight is twelve tons.
 A frigate under command Of Com modore Hall was, by order of Congress, sent out to bring the statue to the United States, but the matches of the vessel being insufficient to admit its passage into the hold; the ship Lea, a merchantmen, was chartered and al- tered to accommodate the unwieldy mass. Edward Everett pronounced the statue one of the finest works of art. ancient or modern. A foreign writer truly says: Ut is a sort of do mestic Jupiter The sculptor himself saws. |" It is the birth of my thought, I have sacrificed to it the flower of my days and the freshness of my strength; it's every lineament has been moistened with inc sweat of my toll and the tears of my exile. I would not barter away its associations with my name for the proudest fortune morials ever dreamed of" Yet for all this, it has been severely criticised by many as being of coarse features, out of taste, ana not al all in accord with the ideal of the Washington Of America, ION.