The Republic (1844)
The Republic Mar 9 1844 NYHS mfilm
Democratic Energy has been in every age the main spring of Human Improvement. ed John Ryan (NYHS paper was from Duyckinck)
$3.25 year, pretty big paper, 2 cents by April 15
March 9. approve Calhoun for secty of state. p. 52 we're paying too much for Erie rrd. Demo Rev: has a philosoph spirit, like Hawthorne, and loose leaves by a literary lounger. Modern Painters: object is to overcome the settled opinions (prejudices) of ages, estab a new standard of judgement for art; admire his ingenuity, but has wasted his time, Turner is not as great as Claude and Poussin et al; can't raise Chantrey to Phidias. Earnest in advancing favorite theories, manner may make disciplies of the meretricious school. Foreign corresp in Genoa says churches of great magnificence, describes materials, Giotto, Giorgione, Ghiberti, Guido, French artist employed curious stratagem with the clouds coming from behind the pictures, English artist put a smuggler’s head on it. happy Calhoun will be Secty of State, Intl copyright should be passed. p 53 Fine Arts: visit to the galleries of Versailles in 1844, cont fr Wednesday, praises history paintings by Dupres, Gros pesthouse of Jaffa, Tannay, Shaffer. Review of Modern Painters, object is to overcome settled opinion of ages and estab new standard of judgment, admire his ingenuity, wasted on Turner’s meretricious school. Critical of Knickerbocker’s Crayon’s misc. won’t persuade men of sound judgment. p. 55 Visit to galleries of Versailles continues, if ptrs of our Am school want to remedy the defects with which it is chargeable, should compare to work of other countries not just native productions, won’t cope with more daring and universal spirits
skips to Mar 16: more fr Genoa. supports west point. no war for Oregon
jumps to Apr 15 (and goes thru Jul 15) (probably my scans at NYHS in June 2016 did not come thru)
p2 Henry Wikoff letter to ed re Herald’s blackmail. Apr 16 now price is two cents. more on Giotto, admiring. 18 more fr Wikoff, also fr Bibliophilos condemning newsp crit over puffing (Clark the mad poet?) 19 condemns puffery, but Justice writes in to praise Willis Gaylord Clark’s book 20 22 Fine Arts: Nat Gall of England, cites de Piles, exterior of bldg full of defects, mean and unworthy pepper castor domes not a temple for the arts, but some like it, Wilkie must be admired by all with taste for design 23,
24 NAD (Fine Arts), notice them in order in which they attract our attn. AH Wingler, Portrait of an Artist, admirable but seems scumbled over too much with white, color pleasing to general observer is v defective. Solitary Oak by Durand wld be mistaken for a beaut representation of sunset, oak is not v happily managed, overdone in yellow tinting, but cows and lscape beaut designed. v pleasing. M Livingston Clove rd Catskill interesting view, more touches of nature even more agreeable. VG Audbuon, Cuba, exceedingly clever but a few defects, cold effect of foliage and sky, crude. Edmonds Beggar’s Petition, admirable subj, cleverly treated, much power and fancy bold and spirited young female but want of expr in old man. Rothermel’s De Soto v pleasing, novel costumes, face of female out of drwg, warmth and cool clash. Dr Vermilye by E Mooney a likeness, coloring disagreeable, orig position. WS Mount port of Rev Seabury gd likeness but startling white curtain and position, need more subdued tone for subj. JG Chapman coloring too blue, rest approve, nearby is Ingham agreeable port of lady, strong individuality. Shaw’s view in Wales generally admireed, natural bold and clear, wants a little mellowness and depth. Blondell Catskill mtns effect of sunlight charming tone, loses effect for want of finish up close. Waldo’s port posit and arrangement gd, coloring crude. J Thompson don’t admire design of portrait of Miss Taylor, wants animated expression of original. Inman’s Bishop Moore v characteristic, lacks finish. His lady with a mask gd general design, but chalky coloring. Robt Havell pretty and clever Kaaterskill falls. M Livingston Ox Bow lake v questionable merit, nothing in lscape worthy of pcitorial representation, try to make something out of nothing, want of finish fr carelessness. CD Marchant agreeable port. Joseph Harper father of Mayor Elect by Waldo striking and characteristic, homely and benevolent.
25, 26 Wikoff letter on Herald and Bennett, guilty of all infamy, must notice his personal attacks on Ellsler (in context of attacking Wikoff). NAD continues: Cropsey view in Orange cty and Talbot view in White mtns, meritorious, former more natural tho coloring not sufficiently subdued, more depth of tone would relieve the eye, fewer objects would distract the attention, more value to more agreeable parts. Audubons scene on road, and Durand boy, are gaudy and puerile, trees too green, coloring and designs commonplace, child can see effect. Blondell portrait lady indiff colored, agreeable. HP Gray’s portrait lady and Magdalen nice subdued tone, well drawn, style of old masters, tho needs more repentant sorrow. Van Zandt First Sorrow admirable agreeable, dead bird, grief touching. Durand lscape compos and Gignoux view of Naples well ptd, talent. Clonney’s laughing negro begging at a hall door is excellent in its way and entitled approp New Year’s Call. GW Flagg Widow meek expression not in accord with poem by Willis that inspired it. HJ Boddington (?) English lscape charming, in keeping, finish remarkable, one of best in exhib. His Village school amusing, coloring not as good. View of Mt Wash by Wotherspoon not as clever but pleasing. T Wightman fruit excellent. CE Weir’s compositor setting type beaut finished, unique in its way, compositor is intelligent, copy illegible, beaut framed. Dodge clever miniatures of H Clay, his Andy Jackson striking. Audubon moonlight clever marine. C Curtis contemplation and Page’s child clever, Wotherspoon church excellent, Shaw’s Cornwall pleased exceedingly, S Lawrence gratified bold correct, also Misses Rainford. WJ Bolton descent fr cross bold attempt. Gignoux Coney island beach great talent, powerfully colored setting sun, accessories and figs leave nothing to be desired. Thomson’s Lavinia more fahionable than simplicity of poetic subj, ottoman and footstool ought not to be introduced. Waugh’s Brigand not much to say of coloring, compos admirable. Boddington’s Image Pedlar a Wilkie subj, grouping much better than coloring,wants delicacy, promising.
can’t notice all the really clever pics, few not promising. Too many portraits. Two beaut statues by Crawford of Geniuses. p. 3 lots on Washington Hall tyler Convention, with lots on LF Tasistro, seems to have a leadership role, promote John Tyler for Presidency (also there were Genl Henry Arcularius, LP Clover,)
27 29
May 1 1844 has more on galleries of England, love Hogarth May 2 p1 opinions of the Press on Bennett and Herald, p. 2 long diatribe on evils of Bennett p2 more fr Wikoff, he/Ellsler bribed the Herald 4 edited by John Ryan, p1 Demo Rev has well written article on legal wrongs of women, good sense re property, but whole society must be reformed to fix this. p. 2 death of Agate 6 big ad for the Picture Gallery, a new weekly (has profiles of Theo Frelinghuysen, Dr Mott, statue of Geo 4th, published at Republic office by James Mowatt) p. 2 admire Webster, would like him to be president. Pro free trade. Cites Sunday Times and Messenger that Bennett publishing Wikoff's letters, doesn't perceive that flattery of him was hints for a puff, Wikoff using Bennett to advance elssler. 7 p.2 Wikoff commenced legal proceedings agst Bennett, for interpolating fabricated sentences into the published letters. Thomas P Kettell doing their financial column. folly and wickedness of anti-slavery men. 10 John Jay of NYHS is anti racist. 14 p2 gives minutes of NAD annual mtg, re Agate, Edmonds asked to do notice of bio, Inman declined re-election as did Whitehorne. Cropsey elected an associate, TF Hoppin of RI an honorary member. Shumway and Shegogue and Hicks And VG Audubon the new hanging comm. Praise Macready at the Park. Approve of new Native Am party taking over city govt, think they will reform it. Thinks Trib is too timid in attacking the Herald. 15 p2 continues description of Nat Gall of England fr May 1, Constable had merit as ptr of locality, too much white. 16 p2 Exhib of oil ptgs at Granite bldgs, questions attrib but gives reviews. 17 Kettell's letter taking credit for success of Herald's financial column, said he consulted library of Freeman Hunt. F Hudson, Enoch Camp, JA Houston are all malicious, EW Hudson lying too. 18 Bennett sued editor Ryan yesterday for libel 20 Cass in favor of immed annex TX 19 p1 Bishop Hughes letter accusing Herald, Comm Advertiser, J of Commerce, Sun and briefly the Evening Post, for slanders echoed in sermons of Cheever and other clergymen, ahve deceived the people about Hughes 22 more on English Nat Gall, admires Benj West 25 Herald annoying Macready by summoning him to give evidence agst Wikoff 26 support annex of TX, but v critical of Tyler 29 publish Gouraud's defense agst plagiarism
June 1844
1 publishes Hughes' letter fr C&E addressed to Wm L Stone at Comm Adv, as misleading the public. Approve of Polk as nominee. 5 Demo nominee ratification mtgs inclu Campbell P White, Emmanuel B Hart, Henry E Riell, Ely Moore, Saml Osgood, Isaac townsend, Benj F Butler. Gansevoort Melville had letter fr Van Buren. Polke is the young hickory tree. Haven't seen NAD ads. 6 more on Nat Gall Engl 7 admire willis. Definitely on Bishop Hughes side. 12 p. 2 more on Engl Nat Gall. willis' lecture on fashion v critical of vast influx of men with levelling views, civil, polit or relig, render pub opinion a tyrant, caused the clerymen, the lawyer, the artist and even woman to tremble, need a fashionable aristocracy whose good opinion is more important and can shield the indiv fr the mobocracy. Whatever its basis, wealth, birth, intellect, morality, the Fashion of NY would give elevated tone to nat char. 13 editor agrees with Willis the rich are extravagant and prodigal, vanity and pride in love of display. Don't agree that his argument is anti-democratic, focuses on abuses that sap democracy; licentiousness of the press demoralizes pub opinion, don't follow sacred trust of guiding the popular mind, press needs legal controls. Covers Am Inst mtg. 15 praises Am AU for judicious purchases at NAD, great credit on their taste, Compositor setting Typ by C Weir, Solitary Oak by Durand, Clonney's NY call, and also some others very good, Talbot's Whtie Mtns, Cropsey's Orange County, Rothermel's De Soto, a Wotherspoon lscape, Bonfield marine, Waugh's Brigand, Gignou Switz, another C Weir, a JG Chapman, T Thompson, another Durand and Bondfield 17 C&E accuses Repub of symp with south too much 18 more on Eng Nat Gall, and on the 19, also publishes fr Eve Post letter fr Forrest on theater in Broadway (about this time the changeover fr Ryan to Kettell 21 now edited by TP Kettell, likes columbian mag by I Post 26 war over financial columns in Herald still continues. Friends of United Irish Repeal Association inclu Gansevoort Melville, Horace Greeley, Republic is v symp too 27 President Tyler in NY stayed at Howard's hotel, at church of the Ascension on 5th ave got married, J Lorimer Graham there, Rev Bishop Onderdonk performed marriage 29 condemns political caricatures destitute of pith or point, disgusting and disgraceful, ribald lithographs
July 1844
2 Wm Wallace at Washington Hall lecture on England and Ireland, has spoken at temperance mtgs as t he Kentucky Orator or Poet, also spoke at friends of Irish Repeal, good orator, rebuffed by Daniel O'Connell, , likes Father Matthew, Republic praises Wallace. JJ Ryan former ed is going to Liverpool 3 Accuses Express, Post and Trib for stealing their financial articles 4 praises New World 8 Natl Intellig cites the Republic a lot 13 critical of authorities in Phila for being too violent toward Native americans; also feels Trib uses too mean of language toward them.
mfilm ends there.
(May 1850 fr Eve Post: Alex C Bullitt and John O'Sargent’s notice of end of The Republic, 25,000 subscribers, too many diff with Taylor cabinet, Hall takes over Allen A Hall.)