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1993 .AN APPEAL
TO
THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES
IN BEHALF OF
THE GREAT STATUE,
Liberty Enlightening the World.
NEW YOKE, 1883.

Evening Post Job Pbinting Office, N. Y.LIBERTY ENLIGHTENING THE WORLD.
Evening Eqst Job Printing Office.THE GREAT STATUE.
AN APPEAL TO THE PEOPLE OP THE UNITED STATES.
During the summer of 1875 a society was formed in France in order to take
part in the coming commemoration of the hundredth anniversary of our National
Independence. It was called the “ Union Franco-Americaine de France,’' and
the way in which it proposed to bear witness to its sympathy in the great event
about to be celebrated in the United States was by the erection of a colossal
statue in the harbor of New York representing “ Liberty Enlightening the
World.”
Such a statue had been already projected by the eminent sculptor M. Bar-
tholdi, and the Franco-American Union undertook to have it executed, and, when
finished, presented to the people of this country. According to the design of the
sculptor, this statue, representing the figure of Liberty, crowned with stars, and
holding in her uplifted hand a torch, which diffuses broad rays of light, will be
about one hundred and fifty feet in height. It will require a pedestal of nearly
equal height, making together an imposing object three hundred feet high—
higher, in fact, than any of the colossal statues of antiquity—higher than the
enormous towers of the Brooklyn Bridge, and as high even as the steeple of
Trinity Church, which is the loftiest in the City of New York. Such an object,
by its rare artistic proportions, as well as by its stupendous dimensions, will add
another to the “ Wonders of the World.”2
At a banquet, inaugurating the project, eloquent speeches were made by
several of the most distinguished citizens of France, recalling the ancient alliance
of the French and American people, and the grand results which have made it
so memorable for modern civilization.
M. Edouard Laboulaye, whose pen has been so often employed in the service
of liberty and progress, was chosen President, and among the members enrolled
were found the names of Oscar de Lafayette, Marquis de Noailles, Marquis de
Rochambeau, Count de Tocqueville, Cornelius De Witt, Henri Martin, Paul de
Remusat, and others whose ancestors participated in the momentous struggles of
our Revolution, or who have since proved themselves the earnest admirers and
the steadfast friends of our country and her institutions.
In their first appeal to the French nation these gentlemen said: “ Our design
“ is, in remembrance of a glorious anniversary, to raise an unequaled monu-
“ ment. We propose to erect in the middle of the fine harbor of New York, on
“ an island belonging to the States of the Union, opposite Long Island, where
“ some of the earliest battles of independence were fought, a gigantic statue,
“ whose frame on the horizon shall be the great cities of New York, Brooklyn
“ and Jersey City. There, on the threshold of the continent so full of a new life
“ —where vessels from all parts of the world are constantly passing—it will rise
“ from the bosom of the waves and represent ‘ Liberty Enlightening the World.*”
It was a noble and beautiful conception, and the appeal in its behalf was so
generously answered from all parts of France, that the work was at once begun
by M. Bartholdi, after his design for it had received the approval of the most
competent artists and of the public.
The citizens of New York promptly responded to the movement in Paris,
and at a meeting held in the Century Club in 1877, they appointed a committee to
present this great undertaking to the citizens of the whole country, to procure
the necessary legislation as to the reception and inauguration of the statue, and
to take means for raising the funds that might be requisite. Of this committee,
Mr. William M. Evarts was chosen Chairman, Mr. H. F. Spaulding Treasurer,
Mr. Richard Butler Secretary, and the following gentlemen are members:MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE.
Wm. M. Evarts, Chairman, 54 Wall Street.
Parke Godwin, 19 East 37th Street.
Samuel D. Babcock, 50 Wall Street.
Wm. H. Wickham, 338 Lexington Avenue.
John Taylor Johnston, 8 Fifth Avenue.
Henry F. Spaulding, Treasurer, 15 Nassau Street.
Frederick R. Coudert, 68 William Street.
James W. Pinchot, 120 Broadway.
Wm. H. Appleton, 3 Madison Avenue.
John Jay, New York Hotel.
John T. Denny, 6 West 34th Street.
Anson Phelps Stokes, 45 Wall Street.
Samuel P. Avery, 88 Fifth Avenue.
J. Seaver Page, 13 West 47th Street.
Worthington Whittredge, 51 West 10th Street.
Richard Butler, Secretary, 33 Mercer Street.
John Bigelow, 21 Gramercy Park.
George Wm. Curtis, 331 Pearl Street.
Joseph H. Choate, 50 West 47th Street.
George W. Quintard, 43 West 33d Street.
Charles Lanier, 30 East 37th Street.
Clark Bell, 1 East 39th Street.
Theodore Weston, 7 West 47th Street.
Cornelius Vanderbilt, 319 Fifth Avenue.
J. Pierpont Morgan, 6 East 40th Street.
General Edward F. Noyes, Cincinnati, O.
George noadley, Cincinnati, O.
John W. Garrett, Baltimore, Md.
Daniel C. Gilman, Baltimore, Md.
Geo. W. Childs, Philadelphia, Pa.
C. P. Huntington, 63 Park Avenue.
Frederick A. Potts, 39 East 39th Street.
Andrew D. White, Cornell Univer., Ithaca, N. Y.
Robert Tannahill, 101 Pearl Street.
Com. H. H. Gorringe.
M. B. Fielding, 39 E. 72d Street.
Jno. H. Inman, 20 W. 56th Street.
Ames Van Wart, 20 E. 48th Street.
Henry C. Eno, 281 Lexington Avenue.
Horace B. Claflin, 55 Pierrepont Street, Brookl’n
S. S. Fisher, 115 W. 47th Street.
Gen. J. Warren Keifer, Springfield, O.
Chas. W. Constantine, Springfield, O.
Louis B. Gunkel, Dayton, O.
Geo. W. Houck, “	“
Rich. C. Parsons, Cleveland, O.
Henry B. Paine, Cleveland, O.
Chas. Foster, Columbus, O.
Allen G. Thurman, Columbus, O.
Gen. John C. Lee, Toledo, O.
Donald Mackay, 16 Nassau Street.
Joseph W. Drexel, 103 Madison Avenue.
S. B. Chittenden, Pierrepont Street, Brooklyn.
W. R. Grace, 31 East 38th Street.
Frederick Billings, 279 Madison Avenue.
George F. Baker, 258 Madison Avenue.
Henry G. Marquand, 21 West 20th Street.
Wm. H. Guion, 5 East 45th Street.
George I. Seney, Remsen Street, Brooklyn.
Samuel McLean, 47 Pierrepont St., Brooklyn.
Marcus L. Ward, Newark, N. J.
George William Ballou, 504 Fifth Avenue.
Judge Noah Davis, 44 West 56th Street.
Joseph W. Harper, 562 Fifth Avenue.
A. S. Barnes, 533 Clinton Avenue, Brooklyn.
Judge John R. Brady, 19 West 33d Street.
W. W. Shippen, 126 East 17th Street.
Courtlandt Parker, Newark, N. J.
Charles Seidler, Jersey City, N. J.
Levi P. Morton, Paris.
C. E. Detmold, Brevoort House.
Wm. L. Strong, 25 West 30th Street.
Brayton Ives, 4 Broad Street.
George C. Magoun, Kidder, Peabody & Co.,
Wall and Nassau Streets.
Cornelius N. Bliss, 198 Madison Avenue.
Louis de Bebian, 22 East 73d Street.
Charles S. Smith, 25 West 47th Street.
George G. Haven, 18 Wall Street.
C. C. Baldwin, 17 East 35th Street.
R. G. Rolston, 22 West 45th Street.
Gustav Schwab, 2 Bowling Green.
Norvin Green, 26 East 37th Street.
Vernon H. Brown, 4 Bowling Green.
F. W. J. Hurst, 615 Fifth Avenue.
Henry Hentz, 8 So. William Street.
Eugene Kelly, 43 W. 51st Street.
L. H. Smith, 23 William Street.
V. Mumford Moore, 44 W. 48th Street.
Wm. H. Fogg, 359 Fifth Avenue.
Danl. F. Appleton, 28 E. 36th Street.
Theo. Leggett, 128 Franklin Street.4
Edw. E. 0. Young, Jersey City.
A. M. Palmer, 56 E. 14tli Street.
Julian T. Davies, 60 W. 56th Street.
Algernon S. Sullivan, 74 W. 11th Street.
Geo. R. Blanchard, 16 Fifth Avenue.
Wm. C. Browning, 552 Fifth Avenue.
Maj. G. L. Gillespie, U. S. A., 114 Lexington Av.
M. W. Cooper, 14 E. 28th Street.
Leonard Hazeltine, 50 E. 61st Street.
A. D. Juillard, 16 W. 57th Street.
Jesse Seligman, 2 E. 46th Street.
A. J. Vanderpoel, 1 W. 16th Street.
Percy R. Pyne, 25 E. 22d Street.
Sami. Sloan, 21 W. 17th Street.
Charles H. Scribner, Toledo, O.
Gov. Albert G. Porter, Indianapolis, Ind.
Thomas A. Hendricks,	44	44
Joseph E. McDonald,	44	44
Gen. Benj. Harrison,	44	44
E. B. Martindale,	44	44
E. M. Colver, Sandusky, O.
Fred’k W. Alvord, Sandusky, O.
A sub-committee of this general committee, consisting of Messrs. Wm. M.
Evarts, Ex-Gov. E. D. Morgan, Parke Godwin, Clark Bell and J. W. Pinchot,
was charged with the duty of procuring the necessary legislation, and obtained
from Congress, on the recommendation of President Hayes, the passage of the
following joint resolution:
Joint Resolution authorizing the President to designate and set apart a site
for the colossal statue of “ Liberty Enlightening the World,” and to
provide for the permanent maintenance and preservation thereof.
44 Whereas, The President has communicated to Congress the information
that citizens of the French Republic propose to commemorate the one hundredth
anniversary of our independence by erecting, at their own cost, a colossal bronze
statue of “ Liberty Enlightening the World,” upon a pedestal of suitable propor-
tions, to be built by private subscription, upon one of the islands belonging to
the United States in the harbor of New York; and
Whereas, It is proper to provide for the care and preservation of this
grand monument of art, and of the abiding friendship of our ancient ally;
therefore, be it
Resolved, By the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States
of America in Congress assembled, that the President of the United States be
and he is hereby authorized and directed to accept the colossal statue of
“ Liberty Enlightening the World,” when presented by citizens of the French
Republic, and to designate and set apart for the erection thereof a suitable site
upon either Governor’s or Bedloe’s Island, in the harbor of New York; and
upon the completion thereof shall cause the same to be inaugurated with such
ceremonies as will serve to testify the gratitude of our people for this expressive
and felicitous memorial of the sympathy of the citizens of our sister Republic ;
and he is hereby authorized to cause suitable regulations to be made for its
future maintenance as a beacon, and for the permanent care and preservation
thereof as a monument of art, and of the continued good-will of the great nation
which aided us in our struggle for freedom.”5
In pursuance of the power thus entrusted to him, the President authorized
Gen. Wm. T. Sherman to designate one of the two places mentioned, which he
should think best fitted for the purpose, and Gen. Sherman, after a careful
inspection of the locality, fixed upon Bedloe’s Island, not only as well, but as
admirably suited to the design.
Subsequently the island, in accordance with the wishes of Congress, was
relinquished by the Executive Government of the United States to the posses-
sion and control of the Executive Committee of the General Committee,
consisting of Mr. J. W. Drexel, Chairman, Mr. Parke Godwin, Mr. J. W.
Pinchot, Mr. V. Mumford Moore, Mr. F. A. Potts, and ex-officio the officers of the
General Committee, Mr. Evarts, Mr. Spaulding and Mr. Butler. By this
committee General Charles P. Stone, formerly of the United States Army, was
appointed Engineer-in-chief of the undertaking, and Mr. Richard M. Hunt the
Architect-in-chief.
Owing to the occurrence of political troubles in France, the collection of
funds for the statue was for a time delayed; but all obstacles have since been
overcome; the necessary money, about the sum of two hundred and fifty
thousand dollars, has been secured, and the statue has been completed and will
soon be shipped to this country.
It only remains for the American people, in recognition of this noble expres-
sion of regard and sympathy on the part of the French people, to provide for
the reception and inauguration of a work of art which will at once form an
impressive ornament to the entrance of the commercial metropolis of the Union,
and answer a useful purpose as a beacon or a signal station, and prove for the
entire nation an enduring record of the early, existing, and, let us hope, lasting
friendship of the two great republics of the nineteenth century.
The undersigned were appointed a committee to commend the project to
the concurrence and co-operation of their fellow countrymen. In order that all
classes of citizens may be enabled to take part in this grand, patriotic enterprise,
subscriptions to any amount, however large or however small, will be gladly
received by the committee. Not only individual citizens, but Chambers of Com-
merce, Boards of Trade, Exchanges, Tradesmen’s and Mechanics’Associations6
and Social Clubs, and other legal or voluntary organizations, are particularly
requested to interest themselves in the furtherance of our object.
The committee feel assured that the American people will be only too eager
to testify their grateful sense of the friendliness of this magnanimous offer on the
part of the French people, and to reciprocate the kindly and liberal sentiments
in which it originated, by a prompt acceptance of it and an active prosecution of
the labors that may be required to give to the statue an appropriate setting and
pedestal.
Upon a careful inquiry, under the most competent and trustworthy advice,
the committee are of opinion that the erection of a pedestal, comporting with
the vast proportions of the statue, and in solidity and dignity worthy to be its
enduring support, in whose structure every unnecessary expense will be spared,
will cost about an equal amount with the statue. The contribution by our people
of its moiety of the munificence of the two nations is alone needed to crown the
splendors of the great harbor of this continent with this imperishable monument
and decoration.
Although the cities, New York, Brooklyn, Jersey City and Hoboken, which
surround the grand harbor chosen for the site, are primarily interested in the
success of what we have every reason to believe will become a new Wonder of
the World, the subject addresses itself also to the patriotic sentiment of the
whole nation. Having recently celebrated at Yorktown the achievements of
French and American valor in the War of Independence, it will be a fitting close
to those imposing ceremonies to give permanence, we might almost say eternity,
to the memories awakened on the occasion, by the erection of this stupendous
image of
“ Liberty Enlightening the World.”
WM. M. EVARTS,
EDWIN D. MORGAN,*
PARKE GODWIN,
Committee.
* Since this paper was first issued, Mr. Morgan, who, as an ex-Govemor of the State of New York, was deeply
interested in the enterprise, has died.