Committees of Congress, which have expended
large sums in the purchase of daubs disgraceful to the Capitol of
the nation. The recognition refused these painters at Washington
was freely accorded elsewhere, however. Leutze's "Columbus Before
the Council at Salamanca" is justly deemed one of the gems of the
Old World, and has given him an imperishable name. Among the really
great works of our own country is Healy's painting, "Webster's
Reply to Hayne," now in Faneuil Hall.

So with sculpture. Hiram Powers endeavored, without success, to
obtain an order for his colossal statue of America, which was highly
commended by competent judges, while Mr. Mills was liberally
remunerated for his effigy of General Jackson balancing himself on
a brass rocking-horse. Powers wrote: "I do not complain of
anything, for I know how the world goes, as the saying is, and I
try to take it calmly and patiently, holding out my net, like a
fisherman, to catch salmon, shad, or pilchards, as they may come.
If salmon, why, then, we can eat salmon; if shad, why, then, the
shad are good; but if pilchards, why, then, we can eat them, and
bless God that we have a dinner at all."

The honors secured for Colonel Fremont by his father-in-law, Mr.
Benton, for his path-findings across the Rocky Mountains, inspired
other young officers of the army, and some civilians, with a desire
to follow his example. Returning to Washington, each one had
wonderful tales of adventure to relate. Even the old travelers,
who saw the phoenix expire in her odoriferous nest, whence the
chick soon flew forth regenerated, or who found dead lions slain
by the quills of some "fretful porcupine," or who knew that the
stare of the basilisk was death--even those who saw unicorns graze
and who heard mermaids sing--were veracious when compared with the
explorers of railroad routes across the continent. Senator Jefferson
Davis did much to encourage them by having their reports published
in quarto form, with expensive illustrations, and Cornelius Wendell
laid the foundation of his fortune by printing them as "Pub. Docs."

The _National Era_, edited by Dr. Gamaliel Bailey, was a source of
great annoyance to the pro-slavery men, and one occasion they
excited an attack on his house by a drunken mob. Dr. Bailey was
a small, slender man, with a noble head, and a countenance on which
the beautiful attributes of his character were written. Taking
his life in his hands, he went to h