New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-05-13

Librarian spoRord thinks that the statue Of Wash
ngton which stands in front Of the Capitol should be
covered exposure the wind and rain is seriously
damaging to marble. There other reasons, prob
ably why the statue should receive better care,
Vandalism has respect for him who was First in
first In peace, and first in the hearts Of his country
men, Not long some Juvenile artists pencillof
the eyes 10 give them strabismlc effect: In other
words dsHguring the hero in marble much as in
LIE be made havoc with the cherry tree For the past
forty years people have laughed at the cold
cir and naked form Of George Washington. The statue
which designed by Greenough, has been the butt
VI al the Jokes OF Senators, Representatives strangers
and guides. Even solemn Allen q. Thurman is said
to have aided in the rdlculing.
Tho outstretched hand OF George remarked the
Ohio statesman once, Seems to mo TO say, 'Heros
my sword, my clothes are IN the Patent Office"
Another wag comment ns on the statue Of Columbus
the front steps of the CAPITOL balancing she World
In his right hand. remarked;
-GeOrgc Washington Is playing ball with Columbus
and ,Gy;n,, 'oult your foollng and play BALL
s;I this statue has Ion ger story than any other
at tbo Capitol probably 1t was begun at the end Of
Andrew JacAson's first term, and took eight years for
Horstfo Greenough TO make IL. To did the work In
Flsrcncs Italy and made tho statue in sitting
posture instead Of STANDING erect the act OF Con-
gress commanded Il was designed to stand In the
seu.rs Of the Rotunda inside the Capitol when
completed IN 1910. Tbs next question how TO
get u from Italy to America Congress hagglod over
Is for some timo. and fDslly sent plsn-of-var 10
bring I. from Genoa to Washington. In the mean
wh 10. Nr. Oreenough had s,srted It TO Genoa. 1t
weighed twelve tons and It took twenty two yoke OF
to hsal It, AS II wens its way through Italy,
the peasants thought It image CT some 81 mt, and
here and hoe they tneeee and crossed their breasts
Is It won't by. When It got to Genoa IS WIS found
that It WAS so large & could not be COTTON through
the batchvay Of tho man-0fwsr whIan 10 carry
4, 10 Wsghlngtsn and . merchant v0ssel had 10 10
chartered.
At last It arrived at the Washington Navy Yard,
and Congress was horrlfed to zee that the statue,
which they expected TO stand upright Was sitting
in . chair and that k nude to ihe vast. Henry
A 80 then said:
The man does not live, and never I'D live, who
saw Washington without bis shirts And ths country
xpplauded the sentiment
But the Navy Yard is not the Capitol, and It cost
Is COO " briag the statue from It to the Rotunds
when Is reached TO ths Capitol doors found that
the statue, like the painting OF the vicar Of WAKE
fields family, too Largo to ~ through, and the
masonry had 10 be cut away and the door en-
larged whom Il finally put IN, II IS sad that
the floor began ~ sink. and pedestal had to be built
to supper: It. 1t was soon found that the Rotunda
was w place for f. Some people thought that It was
too large and Of proportion with its surroundings
and others, hurrying from the Senate 10 the
House fond II obstacle IN their path stn others
inss Cd lacked artistic merit But whatever the
reason, the statue, after q number Of removals. was
taken 20 where II stands In the bitter cold bleak
air Of the Capitol plateau vhere the uirds can howl
out washlngton's agony as they 90 tearing by and
where his nakehncss has the boundloss arch OF the
sky FOR his canopy Originally II was to cost
ss 600 f. has already cost 50 600 and this sum has
considerably incres>ed a. every removal.
one feature Of the CORES pondencs Of prominent
uesl and Is the letters received from chill
d,.n. A day scarcely passes that does not bring
tho President Ms. Cleveland . letter from some
child ambitious to receive reply from the Chief Mag
lstrate or First Lady OF the land. Everybody will
toncede that It is art that bur few people possess
TO write successful and appropriate letter 10 child