The Amistad Case and Final Years
January 1839 - February 1848
page 676
page 677
th.— July 1846—
- Causten James. G.
The time for the morning bath, in the Potomac now suits exactly, for five
oclock in the morning but I am discouraged, by admonitory symptoms,
r. Healey the Painter, and
went with him, to Plumbe’s Gallery,
where they took two, Daguerreotype full-length likenesses, of me. Both
very indifferent Mr. Healey wanted to
introduce me as a spectator into the Historical Picture of Daniel Webster answering Robert Y. Hayne in the United States
Senate on Footes Resolution in
1831—which picture he is to paint for certain Whigs of Boston to be
suspended in Fanuel Hall I told Mr. Healey,
that I must decline being introduced into that picture, not having been
at that time, in the Senate, nor in public Life at all, nor present in
the Senate chamber at the scene I was residing in this City in private
life from 3d. March 1829. until December
1831. when I first took my Seat as a Member of the House of
Representatives— Healey told me that he was engaged also, to paint an
Histor677ical Picture of John. C. Calhoun, in some Oratorical
attitude as a counterpart, to this illustration of Daniel Webster, to be
hung up somewhere at Charleston South Carolina, and that these two
works, would be henceforth, a great labour of his life— He said he
should leave this City next Thursday—and after stopping at Philadelphia,
to paint a copy of Inman’s portrait
of Chief Justice Marshall, he
should proceed to Boston and embark, in the Steamer of the 16th. of August to return to France, and after
thus accomplishing, his Commission from King Louis Phillipe, he intends to come back here, to
execute his two great Historical pictures. I met Judge Burnet at Plumbe’s— He was a
Member of the Senate at the time of Foote’s resolutions, and is to form
a prominent figure in the picture It was strange, that he told me, he
did not meet me last Friday or recommend to me the young Artist from
Cincinnati— I returned to the House— They were on the point of
adjourning— The Supplementary Appropriation Bill for Congressmen and
Indians, the Senates amendments to the Second Army Appropriation Bill,
the Navy Pension Bill, and the special order, on the public printing, of
Congress, were discussed, by Garrett
Davis and others— I came home, very unwell, and more—