170 Print of the Declaration of Independence. 
this is as near an approximation to the horrid realities of 
actual conflict, as the mild and peaceful genius of the 
present period will desire ;—but, since such things have 
been.—since our soil was, often, deeply imbued with the 
most "generous blood of its valiant sons ;-—-since thousands 
have bled whose names perished with them, and hundreds 
more have died, whose individual deeds are registered in his- 
tory, it is certaiily very desirable, that every authentic ves- 
tige of their features, or of their actions, should be presery- 
ed,and that thus posterity should be made to realize the mag- 
nitude of the price which was paid, and of the efforts which 
were made, to secure the liberties of this country. We deem 
it,therefore, not presumptuous to indulge the hope, that the 
government and the country will secure, while it is in their 
power, all the materials, for historical pictures of the rev- 
olution, which Col. Trumbull’s zeal and patriotism haye* 
accumulated ; and that, while his life and faculties (ma- 
ture in abundant experience and fame, without abatement 
f energy) are continued, these great works may be fin- 
ished by the only artist living, who possesses the materials 
and the personal knowledge, combined with the talents 
and experience, which are necessary tothe accomplish- 
ment of this great national work. 
Should the government not continue to patronize the 
design, we cannot doubt, that the artist himself would 
hazard little in executing the remainder of the series on 
his own account—especially as the sister-art of engraving 
has; in this country, attained to a high degree of excel- 
lence. Our first historic painter has no reason to be dis- 
satisfied with the copy which has been recently made, by 
Mr. Durand, of his great Picture of the Declaration of In- 
dependence, his print we contemplate with much satis~ 
faction, both because it is, at once, a correct and spirite 
representation of the original, and because it is a speci- 
f the progress and state of the art of engraving 19 
this country, which does us much honor, and encourages 
the fairest hopes for the future. As to the fidelity, both 
of the painter in copying, and of the engraver in preserv- 
ing the portraits of the members of the congress, which 
declared the independence of these States, no testimony 
can be more decisive, or gratifying, than that of the illus 
trious friend of this country, and of Washington, the Mar- 
