was the most eloquent and powerful opposer of the measure; not indeed of its principle, but of the fitness of the act at that time, which he considered premature. And they particularly recommended, that wherever it was possible, the artist should obtain his portrait from the living persons; that where any one was dead, he should be careful to copy the finest portrait that could be obtained; but in case of death, where none could be obtained (and there were many such instances, for anterior to the revolution the arts had been very little attended to, except in one or two of the cities,) he should by no means admit any ideal representation, lest, it being known that some such were to be found in the painting, a doubt, of the truth of others should be excited in the minds of posterity; and that, in short, absolute authenticity should be attempted, as far as it could be attained. The artist was governed by this advice, and spared neither labour nor expense in obtaining his portraits from the living men. Mr. Adams was painted in London; Mr. Jefferson in Paris; Mr. Hancock and Samuel Adams, in Boston; Mr. Edward Rutledge, in Charleston, South Carolina; Mr. Wythe, at Williamsburgh, in Virginia; Mr. Barlett, at Exeter, in New Hampshire, &c. &c. In order to give some variety to his composition, he found it necessary to depart from the usual practice of reporting an act, and has made the whole committee of five, advance to the table of the president, to make their report, instead of having the chairman to rise in his place for the purpose the silence and solemnity of the scene, offered such real difficulties to a picturesque and agreeable composition, as to justify, in his opinion, this departure from custom and perhaps fact. Silence and solemnity he thought essential to the dignity of the subject. The dresses are faithfully copied from the costume of the time. The room is copied from that in which Congress held their sessions at the time, such as it was before the spirit of innovation laid unhallowed hands upon it, and violated its venerable walls by modern improvement, as it is called. The artist also took the liberty of embellishing the back ground, by suspending upon the wall, military flags and trophies, such as had been taken from the enemy at St. John's, Chambly, &c., and probably were actually placed in the hall. The statues of PEACE and WAR, placed in niches, one on the east side of the door, on the east side of the Rotundo, executed by Persico. They are of colossal size, and of the most beautifully white marble. They do great honour to the artist and to the country which patronized him. Peace is a sweet and graceful figure, holding in one hand the olive branch, looking towards War. War stands a-tip-toe, with his hand upon his sword, but seems listening to Peace: both figures correctly represent the policy of the nation. Names of those, of whom Portraits are preserved in the Paintings of the Declaration of Independence. 1 George Wythe, Virginia. 25 George Clymer, Penn. 2 William Whipple, N. H. 26 William Hooper, N. Ca. 3 Josiah Bartlett, N. Hamp. 27 Joseph Hewes, North Ca. 4 Benjamin Harrison, Va. 28 James Wilson, Penn. 5 Thomas Lynch South Ca. 29 Francis Hopkinson, N. J. 6 Richard Henry Lee, Va. 30 John Adams, Mass. 7 Samuel Adams, Mass. 31 Roger Sherman, Conn. 8 George Clinton, N. York. 32 Robt. R. Livingston, N. Y. 9 William Paca, Maryland. 33 Thomas Jefferson, Va. 10 Samuel Chase, Maryland. 34 Benjamin Franklin, Penn. 11 Lewis Morris, New-York. 35 Richard Stockton, N. J. 12 William Floyd, N. York. 13 Arthur Middleton, S. Ca. 14 Thomas Hayward, S. Ca. 15 Charles Carrol, Maryland. 16 George Walton, Georgia. 17 Robert Morris, Penn. 18 Thomas Willing, Penn. 19 Benjamin Rush, Penn. 20 Elbridge Gerry, Mass. 21 Robt. Treat Payne, Mass. 22 Abraham Clark, N. J. 23 Stephen Hopkins, R. I. 24 William Ellery, R. I. 36 Francis Lewis, N. York. Panel No. 2-Surrender of General Burgoyne. The spring of 1777, found Gen. St. Clair occupying the extensive works of Ticonderoga, with only three thousand men, all the force that could be spared for the defence of that point. On the first of July, Gen. Burgoyne appeared before the place, at the head of eight thousand men, and immediately occupied Mount Hope, on the left of our position, distant about one thousand yards from the old French lines, so memorable for the defeat of Gen. Abercrombie, in 1757. He was thus master of the outlet of Lake George, and on the next night he occupied the summit of Sugar loaf Hill, with several pieces of heavy artillery, and from that moment it became unavoidably neces sary to abandon Ticonderoga; this was effected in the course of the following day, by Gen. St. Clair, with as little loss or disorder as could be expected under such circumstances, and the troops commenced their retreat, on the east of the lake, and after various skirmishes and some loss, fell back as far as Stillwater, on the North River, twenty miles above Albany; here they were met by reinforcements, and halted, and Gen. Gates again assumed the command.`` Gen. St. Clair was very severely censured for thus losing this important post. But his means were entirely inadequate to its defence, and he merited applause for having extricated himself with so little loss, from a very difficult situation, and for having saved the garrison, which formed the nucleus of that force which, before the close of the campaign, reversed its character. Gen. Burgoyne followed up his success with great caution, advancing slowly, and bringing on his entire park of artillery, with all its attirail-and it was not until September that he approached Gen. Gates, at Stillwater, where a partial and indecisive action took place on the 20th. On the 7th of October, a decisive affair took place at Behmus's Heights. On the 8th, Gen. Burgoyne found his situation so critical, that he abandoned his camp, and commenced a retreat towards Canada; but finding bad roads, broken bridges, and hostile parties posted at every disputable point, and hovering around him on all sides, he halted, and took post at Saratoga, where, on the 17th, his army surrendered to the American forces under Gen. Gates. The painting represents Gen. Burgoyne, attended by Gen. Phillips, and followed by other officers, arriving near the marquée of Gen. Gates. Gen. Gates has advanced a few steps from the entrance to meet his prisoner, who, with General Phillips, has dismounted, and is in the act of offering his sword, which Gen. Gates declines to receive, and invites them to enter, and partake of refreshments. A number of the principal officers of the American army are assembled near their general. t The confluence of Fish Creek and the North River, where the British left their arms, is shown in the distance, near the head of Col. Scammell; the troops are indistinctly seen crossing the creek and the meadows, under the direction of Colonel (since Governor) Lewis, then quarter master-general, and advancing towards the fore-ground-they disappear behind the wood, which serves to relieve the three principal figures; and again appear (grenadiers, without arm sand accoutrements) under the left hand of Gen. Gates. Officers on horseback, American, British, and German, precede the head of the column, and form an interesting cavalcade following the dismounted generals, and connecting the different parts of the picture. |