The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1886-11-06
1estriptiue Artirles,
THE STATUE OF LIBERTY.

THE STATUE OF LIBERTY.
HOW 1T WAS MADE AND PUT IN PLACE.
The New York Tribune thus reviews the
history of the great work of NJ. Bartholdi
which was unveiled on October %:
The history of the Bartholdi statue from
first to last is checkered one and goes back
through all sorts of delays and difficulties
for almost twenty years. 1t was, strangely
enough, just at the close of the disastrous
war with Germany and while the horrors of
the Commune were still raging in Paris
that NJ. Laboulaye, the founder of the
French American Union, first definitely
broached his patriotic project of building
in this country joint memorial OF the
struggles of the French and Americans in
the Revolution, and sent the young sculp-
tor Bartholdi to the United States to find,
if possible, some suitable and happy idea.
The first suggestion of the statue, perhaps,
dates still further back to a dinner given
under the Empire by NJ. Laboulaye at his
country house, Glavigny, near Versailles.
VI
1t was at that dinner at Glavigny in 1865,
as Bartholdi himself says, that his mind
was first turned in the direction it was af-
terward so devotedly and enthusiastically
to follow. The after dinner talk of NJ.
Laboulayes guests had fallen upon graft
tude between nations. Some one said that
such a thing as national gratitude could
not exist Italy no longer felt grateful for
the good offices of France in 1859; even
with the United States France could no
more count on the remembrance of the
past.
This NJ. Laboulaye stoutly protested
against. Whatever might be the case with
Italy, he said, with America France had
had still greater sympathy than with any
European nation. Americas feeling to-
ward France, too, was not one of simple
gratitude. 1t was based on the remem-
brance of community of thought and
struggles and aspirations And when
hearts had once beaten together something
always remained behind among nations as
among individuals. This, he continued,
was the basis of the sentiment felt in the
United States toward France, sentiment
honorable to Americans as well as French,
and if monument were to be built in
America as memorial of independence it
would be most natural to have it built by
a united effort, to. make it the common
work of both nations.
Five years after, in the midst of the war
with Germany, Bartholdi found himself
recurring again to this conversation. The
war was soon over and his native province,
Alsace, shut against him. He resolved to
travel for year and visit the country in
which his interest had been so sharply
aroused. In month or two he found him.
self again at NJ. Laboulayes house near
Versailles. With him were NJ. Lafayette,
Henri Martin, Remusat, Volowski and De
Gasparin. The talk turned once more on
the feeling of America for France M.
Laboulaye took up his old views again and
declared that without a doubt by 1876
there would be strong patriotic and French
movement in America.
"Go to see that country" he said to
Bartholdi. "You will study it, and bring
back your impressions. Propose to our
friends over there to make monument in
common in remembrance of the ancient
friendship between France and the United
States. We will take up subscription in
France. If you find a happy idea, we are
convinced that it will be successful on both
continents, and we shall do work which
will have a far-reaching moral effect"
Bartholdi tells all this in his modest lit
tie sketch of the work of the French Com
mittee And in these two conversations at
NJ. Laboulaye's the germ of the French
American Unions project may be found.
BARTHoLDI's VISIT TO AMERICA.
The sculptor thought over some plans for
the proposed monument on the way out,
but only hazily. Suddenly, one beautiful
spring morning, steaming up through the
Narrows into New York Bay, the moment
of inspiration came and the sculptor saw in
fancy the majestic figure of Liberty tower
ing with her torch over the bastions of old
Fort Wood, lighting the crowded harbor,
with its tributary rivers and the vast, black
hued cities on their borders, the very image
of a teeming, populous miniature world.
With all his travels in America that i'm
preston grew only sharper and more de-
fined. Before returning to France he made
a water color drawing of the Statue of Lib
erty on Bedlow's Island, and showing it to
various prominent men in America, in the
Union League Club in New York more
particularly and in Philadelphia whom
NJ. Laboulaye had given him letters of in
PRODUCTION, he soon discovered that he
could look for support in the United States
that, as he says, the draft drawn by the
French Committee on American sentiment
would not be protested. NJ. Laboulaye
had had some correspondence already with
John Jay and others respecting the monu-
ment; but though the interest which Bar
tholdi mentions was no doubt aroused, no
formal action was taken until the sculptor s
second visit here.
THE FRENCH-AMERICAN UNION.
Going back to France, Bartholdi ran
over his impressions to NJ. Laboulaye and
his friends, and laid before them the plan
for statue in New York harbor. They
adopted it with enthusiasm. A committee
was organized under the name of the
French American Union, and Bartholdi set
to work to make his first models The full
plan of the Union was made public at the
end of 1874, and subscription lists were
soon circulating throughout France. A
good deal of money came IL at once and
more was promised.
The actual moulding of the huge cast
began in 1875. The birth of the statue
was celebrated on November 9th Of that
year by dinner at the Hotel du Louvre,
at which the American Minister, Mr.. Wash
burne, and al, -king OF naDureA membey