Mr. Sumner then offered another:—
“Provided, That no contract shall be made, until after a competition among the artists of the country, all of whom shall have an opportunity of offering themselves as candidates, and of exhibiting designs for the proposed picture; and the committee shall postpone any contract with Mr. Powell, until they shall be satisfied, after such competition, that he is the most meritorious artist.”
This also was lost,—Yeas 15, Nays 23,—as also another amendment, to purchase of F. B. Carpenter his picture of “The Emancipation Proclamation,” instead of a picture from Mr. Powell, for which there were only two votes. The resolution was then passed.
Among those who expressed sympathy with Mr. Sumner on this occasion was General Robert Anderson, who commanded at Fort Sumter. He wrote:—
“I am glad to see that you, like myself, are looking forward to the time when this Rebellion shall end, and do not wish to see perpetuated, on canvas or in marble, a trace of its having existed.”[181]
FREE SCHOOLS AND FREE BOOKS.
Remarks in the Senate, on an Amendment to the Internal Revenue Act, making Books free, February 27, 1865.