THE GEORGE CATLIN INDIAN GALLERY. 747 



means of restoring so valuable a collection to our country and fixing it there amongst 

 its records. 



Interesting to our countrymen generally, it is absolutely necessary to American 

 artists. The Italian who wishes to portray the history of Rome finds remnants of her 

 sons in the Vatican ; the French artists can study the ancient Gauls in the museums 

 of the Louvre ; and the Tower of London is rich in the armor and weapons of the 

 Saxon race. 



Your memorialists, therefore, most respectfully trust that Mr. Catlin's collection 

 may be purchased and cherished by the Federal Government, as a nucleus for a na- 

 tional museum, where American artists may freely study that bold race who once 

 held possession of our country, and who are so fast disappearing before the tide of 

 civilization. Without such a collection few of the glorious pages of our early history 

 can be illustrated, while the use made of it here by French artists, in recording upon 

 canvas the American discoveries of their countrymen in the last century, shows its 

 importance. 



The acquisition of the collection will also secure to our country the continued serv- 

 ices of its author, whose ambition seems to be still to labor for its enlargement, and 

 whose ability to do so with success and with profit to his country we think is well 

 attested by the collection he has made, by years of toil, and often hardship, entirely 

 unaided by public or private patronage. 



And your memoralists will ever pray. 



Jno. Vanderlyn, Thos. P. Rossiter, Benj. Chamney, Wm. M. Hunt, Wm. C. Allan, 

 Geo. C. Mason, W. B. Chambers, H. Willard, Thos. Hicks, J. F. Kensett, 

 C. G. Edwards. Paris, June 12, 1846. 



OPINION OF G. P. A. HEALY AND S. F. B. MORSE. 



July 2, 1846, George P. A. Healy (seconding the efforts of Prof. S. F. 

 B. Morse and others), the distinguish ed American artist, writing to Eev. 

 E. R.Gurley, of Washington, an intimate fri end of Mr. Catlin, says : 



I have read with pleasure Professor Morse's letter to you respecting Mr. Catlin's 

 extensive and unique collection of Indian portraits, custumes, &c, the extent and 

 interest of which are known to the Old as well as to the New World through the 

 characteristic energy of our distinguished countryman its author. I entirely con- 

 cur with Professor Morse and all other artists in the hope that Congress may secure 

 to our country this precious collection, aye, and that, too, this very session, that it 

 may be made the nucleus of a national gallery, which in time may be to every Ameri- 

 can, and especially to every American artist, what the Vatican is to the Italian, the 

 Louvre to the Frenchman, and the Tower of London to the men of England. 



Permit me to add, sir, that I personally witnessed in London the excitement pro- 

 duced by Mr. Catlin's exhibition. Mr. Leslie and Mr. Mulreadyf whom I consider 

 two of the greatest living artists, said to me that every painter should see Mr. Cat- 

 lin's works. They added, " We consider them as possessing very great artistic merit." 

 I have the honor to remain, my dear sir, your most obedient servant, 



Geo. P. A. Healy. 



R. R. Gurley, Esq. 



REAL VALUE OF HIS PICTURES. 



The value of Mr. Catlin's pictures does not depend merely upon their 

 artistic merit, but upon the question as to whether they are correct por- 

 traits of persons and dress and of scenes and events. That he himself 

 had an eye to this question is evidenced by the fact that he obtained a 

 certificate from a responsible and reliable person — usually an official 



