Evening star., 1941-03-02

One Of the uncertainties which
seem to exist in the minds of the
citizens of Washington and the
public generally is the correct title
or name of the statue that sur
mounts the dome of the United
States Capitol Building. And, also,
because of the great distance of this
figure from the ground, few seem to
know whether it represents man,
a woman, a NEUROLOGICAL person, an
American Indian or just what, and
very little, indeed, is known about
its general design, though nearly
all of this information could be OBJ
tained by visit to the arts and
industries building of the United
States National Museum, where in
the rotunda of this interesting
structure is exhibited the original
plaster model of this celebrated
statue.
OF course, this is not the only
statue around Washington over
which there is a difference of
opinion as to name, but it is surely
the most notable one over which
there is any doubt. The sculptor of
this colossal bronze figure, Thomas
Crawford, was born in New York, in
1914, though he went to Rome in
1885 to study art and spent much
of his subsequent life in Italy. He
designed many works of art prior to
executing the model for the statue
that stands on the dome of the
Capitol, but even this is not all the
art he has contributed toward
beautifying that magnificent build
ing, the corner stone of which was
laid by President Washington Sep
tember 18, 1893.
Jefferson Davis Part.
OF Crawtord's celebrated statue
there are many interesting stories,
one of which relates to the part
taken in its designing by Jefferson
Davis, who, as Secretary Of War,
was required by law to give his
approval to the model, which was
submitted to him by way of photo
graphs, since the work was done
broad. At this time, in 1856, Mont
gomery Meigs was a captain in the
Engineer Corps, U. S. A, and de-
tailed to construction work then
being carried on at the Capitol, and
II was through him that the photo
graphs were forwarded to Mr.. Davis
and the exceptions taken by the
Secretary of War are contained in
MS reply dated January IS, 1856, in
which he says:
Sir: The second photograph of
he statue with which it is proposed
D crown the dome of the Capitol
-npresses me most favorably. Its
eneraI grace and power, striking at
.rst view, have grown on me as
studied its details.
AS to the cap, l can only say,
.hout intending to press the OBJ
ction formerly made, that it seems
} me that its history renders it in
lpropriate to a people who were
0rn free, and would not be enSlaved.
The language of art, like all
wing tongues, is subject to change;
nus the bundle of rods, if no longer
Employed to suggest the functions
Cf the Roman lictor, may lose the
symbolic character derived there
rom, and be confined to the rough
gnification drawn from its other
0urce, the fable teaching the in
ructive lesson that in union there
strength. But the liberty cap has
4 established origin in its use as
ne badge of the freed slave, and
though it should have another
Cmblematic meaning today, recur-
renee to that origin may give to
it in the future the same popular
acceptation which it had in the
past.
why should not armed liberty
wear a helmet? Her conflict being
over, her cause triumphant, as
shown by the other emblems of
the statue, the visor would be up,
SO as to permit, as in the photo
graph, the display of a circle of
stars expressive of endless existence
and of heavenly birth.
with these remarks l leave the
matter to the judgment of Mr.
Crawford; and 1 need hardly say
to you, who know my very high
appreciation Of him, that I GER
.ainly would not venture, on any
Cuestion of art, to array my opinion
gainSt his.
Very respectfully, your obedient
ervant,
JEFFERSON DAVIS,
Secretary of War;"
Crawf0rd's Decision.
To the suggestions made by Mr..
Davis, Mr.. Crawford apparently
acquiesced, for on March 18, 1856,
he writes:
81 read with much pleasure the
letter of the honorable Secretary,
and his remarks have induced me
to dispense with the cap and put
in its place helmet, the crest
of which is composed of an eagles
head and a bold arrangement of
feathers, suggested bv the costume
of our Indian tribes"
This is practically the full extent
of the influence exercised by Mr.
Davis over the Statue of Freedom
which was placed in position De-
cenber 2, 1858, and which Is likely