WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1858
44
suit very well for laborers in the swamps of the South. That is one of the most queer and ridiculous things that I have even seen to represent human nature. I have never seen a wax figure that was not equally graceful, and rather more beautiful and artistic in its appearance. Then, there is an Indian woman, or squaw, to be more tech- nical, seated on a slab of marble. That statue may be very well , executed; but she has a little papoose in her arms, and its little head is sticking out like a terrapin's [laughter], without reclin- ing gracefully on the mother's arm. She has a blanket, or some- thing-, holding it up; and its little neck is without the least curve or grace; it is very stiff, like an apple stuck on a stick. [Laugh- ter.] Now, sir, think of it, that throughout all ages, as long as this Capitol shall stand, or this Union exist, which I hope will be forever, that poor little Indian has to sustain a heavy head on that little neck, and without a mother's aid to hold it reclining on her arm. [Laughter.] Any person who will look at that must be agonized. Sir, the scenes around this building ought to inspire cheerfulness and·pleasure. Instead of that, a contemplation of this figure will inflict agony on every human being of sensibility. And then, there is a poor Indian boy, who looks to be of Oriental stock. He has a large shell on his shoulders; and in this agonizing attitude, water is to spout continually on him. He is in the most servile, miserable, cruel, agonizing attitude in which I ever saw a creature. It will inspire us with feelings of anguish whenever we see those figures displayed about the Capitol. I should like to have the gentlemen of the Senate to go and see them before they are placed in a situation, from which they will have to be removed, for it will cost something to place them._ I insist that, at least, there ought to be an amendment for the purpose of providing curtains to hang in front of them, so that they shall never be seen. I am a man of sympathy; I feel for human suffer- ing; and I could not contemplate any one of these three figures without extreme agony. They are in torment; you would suppose that they were representatiom of some criminal that had com- mitted an unpardonable offense, for which he was doomed to perpetual agony. I object to their going into this Capitol, or being about it. I do not know the artist; I could not say whether he is a native--no, sir, I know that he is not a native; for a native artist, observing nature as it is in our forests, and in our wilds, for we all, more or less, pass through forests and see nature, animals, vegetables, and materials, all around us-could not have
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