The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1896-06-10
THE CAPITOL FRIEZE.
Subjects For Vacant Panels Not
Agreed On.
WHY SOME WERE NOT ACCEPTED.

Belief That the Rebellion should He Re-
membered-Cannot he Expunged From
the Pages OF History-s. lection of the
Topics Left Over For the Next Session.
WASHINGTON, June TO- Special. l-One
OF the most interesting questions consid-
cred by this congress and one which is left
unsolved Is the completion of the historic
frieze In the rotunda of the capitol. For
several years two panels of this frieze have
been left vacant because the joint commit
tee on library, representing the senate and
house, could not agree upon the topics 70
be treated in the sketches Scores OF sug-
gestions have been made, but everything
has been objected 20 by some one, and the
joint committee has finally been compelled
TO abandon its proposed pictures and 70
leave the whole matter over 10 the next
session of congress The discussion has
brought up anew the old question whether
or not there shall be placed amid the art
works of the capitol references TO the war
of the rebellion, and before the matter is
finally decided this problem Is likely to
precipitate an interesting If not bitter
controversy.
Ioplcs INJECTED 10.
The library committee had prepared
sketches showing the driving of the last
spike of the Pacific railway and the open
ing ceremonies of the World 5 fair at Chi
cago. The first of these was objected to
by many senator's because it brought up
recollections of the Credit Mobilier scheme
and also because, while admittedly great
achievement, the Pacific railway was after
all mere money making scheme. Per
haps the antipathy of the people of the far
west 20 the Pacific railways as they are
now managed had something TO do with
the fierceness of the opposition manifested
TO this topic. AS TO the Worlds fair
scene, that was objected To chiefly be-
cause 1t contained the figure of President
Cleveland in the act of pushing the button
which set the machinery of the exposition
in motion. The most strenuous objections
came from Democrats Comparisons were
at once instituted, and 1t was pointed ont
that no other president of the United
States was honored by having his portrait
in the rotunda.
Rebellion Not Remembered.
Discussion of che subject naturally
brought up the omission of any picture or
statue relating TO the rebellion from the
art works of the capitol, and Senator
Hawley and others have forcibly expressed
the opinion that it was time 70 repair that
omission. For years it has been tradition
about the capitol that nothing concerning
the war of the rebellion was TO be placed
within the walls of the national statehouse.
This idea probably had its origin immedi-
ately after the war. when the national as
piration was toward healing the wounds
caused by that conflict. At that time il
was supposed the sensibilities of the south
ern people would be offended if any effort
were made TO commemorate the result of
the rebellion or its leading incidents No
doubt it is still true that an attempt To
glorify the victories of the northern armies
or TO indulge in anything of boast or note
of triumph would not only be in bad taste,
but would be seriously objected 20 by south
ern people and perhaps by northern men as
we'll
But many prominent southerners have
assured me during the last few days that
If 1t were desired To carry out General
Hawley s suggestion and place in the frieze
of the rotunda a sketch showing Grant and
Lee shaking hands at Appomattox, with
Grants memorable words, Let us have
peace" no objection thereto would be
heard from southern tongue In fact
several senators from Dixie said such a pic
ture would TO their notion be most appro-
pirate and indicative in striking way OF
the fact that there were peace and a COM
plete reconciliation between the sections
which were once at war
History Cannot BE Changed.
1t is evident to most of the public men
with whom l have talked on this subject
that the idea of trying to suppress in the
adornment Of the capitol all reference TO
the rebellion is not regarded as rational or
dignified. The greatest war of modern his
tory is fact, and its results are part of
the national life. No one would change
them, and certainly nothing is TO be gain
ed by trying to belle history or ignore it,
Senator Wilson of Washington in his west
ern way says, THE completion of the Pa
cific railroad and the opening of the
Worlds fair. important events as they
were, are mere warts on the face of history,
while the civil war is history's living
soul +"
Lincoln and the Slaves.
The suggestion was made by Chairman
Hansbrough of the library committee that
the striking Of the shackles of the slaves
from the negro would form an appropriate
subject for treatment in the national frieze
Southern men do not object to this any
more than TO the Appomattox picture, and
orders have been given for the preparation
of sketch showing Abraham Lincoln in
the act of lifting up poor slave from
whom the chain has fallen. 1t Is probable
this will be ultimately adopted, though on
account of the opposition to the picture of
the completion of the Pacific railroad and
the opening of the Worlds fair the decision
of the matter has been laid over till the
next session Of congress.
Chairman Hansbrough is still very anx-
ious to commemorate the Worlds fair,
deeming it fitting conclusion of the series
of pictures In the frieze, the first of which
represents Columbus discovering America
But instead of using portraits of President
Cleveland, President Higinbotham of the
exposition, Mrs. Potter Palmer and others
who were prominent in that day IL a now