The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1886-10-29

trail figure in the group composing the
Progress of Civilization of the United
States" in the tympanum over the sem
ate portico. These evidences of regard
for the Father of His County cost the
government in all 1925, 600. Lincoln
is next honored. He is on a monolith
is front of the city hall, and this was
the first statue, erected to his memory
in the United States, it being unveiled
near the close of President Johnson's
administration. President Lincoln, with
manuscript in hand, is among the mar
BILE statues in Statuary hail. but the
n that does him the greatest honor is
the thrilling group in bronze, 'Eman-
cipation,' in Lincoln square, represent
ing him standing on a menolith of free
dom. A slave kneeling at his feet with
manacles broken is about to rise. On
his left is the trunk of a tree,
with lash and manacles strewn about.
These statues cost about $50, 600.
Jefferson is next honored with two
statues, one in bronze, the other of
marble, costing not less than $50. 600.
The n in bronze is by the celebrate
French sculptor David, and has not
only the merit of being the finest statue
in Washington, from and artistic point
of view, but was modelled under the
personal supervision and suggestion of
Lafayette. 1t has a wonderful history
besides. Commodore N. p. Levy,
United States navy, was a man of
wealth and an ardent admirer of Jeffer-
son. Near the beginning of Jackson's
administration in 1929 he thought it
would be a c~ommendable act to per-
petuate to the people of the United
States, through congress, a heroic
bronze statue of Jefferson, the father
of democracy. He sailed for Paris,
gave the commission to David, then in
his greatest glory as a sculptor of re-
nown, and told him not to spare time,
expense, or study in producing a statue
worthy of the name of Jefferson and
of the fame of the sculptor. In 1888
it was finished and shipped to Washing
ton. Jackson recommended its accept
ance by congress, but it being a wing
body that honor was absolutely refused.
1t made Old Hickory very angry to.
find partisan hatred vented on a work
of art and because it represented JEFF
ferson. Moreover, the sculptor had
pIGSGuUCA HIS 6upJCCb CS lucb having
signed the perfect draft of the Declare
ton of Independence, every word of
which was in large form and could
easily be read if the statue was on a
pedestal indoors. No! Congress
would not allow it inside the capitol,
and President Jackson ordered it put
on a pedestal in front of the white
house, in the center of the semi-circle
along Pennsylvania avenue. 1t was in an
inaccessible place and too far from the
avenue to see its beauty of finish and
excellence in likeness. Besides, the
artist supposed it was to be indoors,
and made no provision for the casting
of o statue to be exposed to all kinds of
weather, year in and year out. There
it stood for nearly forty years, greener
in color than the grass about it. and so
disguised by corroding that nc one
knew who the solitary man was, sem
fenced to watch the daily procession of
clerks going to and from the old war
and navy departments. When Gen.
Babcock became superintendent of pub
lie buildings and grounds he discovered
the rare beauty of the long neglected
statue, and had it removed to a high
pedestal just east of the white house,
where it could be seen to some advan-
tage. Here again its value was noticed,
and Mr.. Hoar, of Massachusetts,, said it
was a Shame TO expose so valuable and
creditabie a work of art to the open air.
| So fully forty years after it had been
snubbed by congress, republicans and
democrats were proud to ask MI. Jeffer-
son in out of the cold, inhospitable afr
mosphere of the capital of his country.
and they gave him the place of honor
in the old hall of the house of repre-
sentatives. where the light of his coun-
tenance now shines for all. Guides
who daily conduct strangers through
the capitol say that David's statue of
| Jefferson is the one particular statue of
the twenty-five about the building that
they look at longest and praise the
most.
In 1864 congress, des.rous of perpet-
uating the historic associations of the
old hall Of the house, authorized the
president to invite each state to furnish
statues in marble or bronze. not ex-
ceeding two for each state, of deceased
persons illustrious for their historic re-
nown or for distinguished civic or mill
itary service, as the states determined
worthy of national commemoration.
The first state to respond with q statue
OF a president was Ohio, which present
ed a heroic figure of james A. Garfield.
The statue of Jackson, in Lafayette
square, which cost $50, 600, was or
dered and paid for By congress, as were
the fine marble statues of Jefferson,
Lincoln, and Washington. President
Garfield is a contribution from his state,
and the most remarkable and dis
tinguishing feature about it is the crown
of laurel. the palms Of victory, and the
conaneror's sword. AS . casting in