1844                Address Unknown, Washington, D. C.

1844 May 14.  New York Daily Tribune.  (New York, New York.)  May 14, 1844, Vol. IV, No. 32, Whole No. 963, P. 2.

From our special correspondent, Washington, May 12, 1844….

Mr. Clay will leave for his home tomorrow, probably.  He is in excellent health and spirits; a most beautiful Daguerreotype likeness has just been taken of him by young Mr. Edwards, for his great “National Miniature Gallery.”

By-the-bye, let me say a word or two, en passant, about this splendid Gallery.  I have been watching the progress made all the winter by two young men, Messrs. Edwards and Warner, (of the firm of Anthony, Edwards & Co.) in taking likenesses of all the great public characters resident in and visiting Washington.  This has been done to form a great National Gallery; and it is indeed a Gallery worthy of the name.  Go yourself, and tell your readers to go, over to this Gallery in Broadway, near the American Hotel, (whither these portraits are all sent weekly,) and feast their eyes.  I see frequent advertisements of Daguerrean Galleries, &c. &c. which are collections of likenesses of any body that happen to be left on the hands of the Artists, but here we have the real material of a National Gallery.  Messrs. Anthony, Edwards & Co. have in their collection accurate Daguerreotypes of several hundred persons whose names are part of their Country’s History, and are continually increasing the number.  Mr. Edwards has been passing the winter here and will remain until the adjoinment for this purpose, so as to make the collection in New York as complete as possible.  Appended to the likeness is the autograph of each individual, thus increasing the interest.  This is the only Gallery of the kind in the country, and as it cost nothing, should be seen by every one in New York and here.  The only remuneration expected by these gentlemen for their great outlay of time and expanse is the increased patronage of those who desire their own likenesses, and I am sure their modest request will be appreciated.  I have examined the collection of all those who are eminent in this line of the country, and unhesitatingly pronounce their Miniatures to be unrivaled in execution, in accuracy, and in scenic effect, and many distinguished foreigners here have stated that there is nothing superior, if equal to them in Europe.  The improvements in this art made by them this winter are astonishing, giving as they do all the strength and color of a painting with the fidelity of Nature itself.  As you always love to foster modest merit, and undoubted talent, I commend the Gallery to your critical attention.