The Medallic History of the United States of America Part 81

[_Free Gift of Steamship Vanderbilt._]

A GRATEFUL COUNTRY TO HER GENEROUS SON * * * CORNELIUS VANDERBILT * * *.

Undraped bust of Cornelius Vanderbilt, facing the right. On edge of bust, S. ELLIS. F. (_fecit_).

America, personified as Minerva, stands, leaning with her left hand on the American shield, and holding in her right a sword which rests on her shoulder; to the right the American eagle; to the left, the genius of the maritime cities imploring her aid and protection. In the background, in the open sea, is the steamer Vanderbilt under steam; above, a cloud with thunderbolts. Exergue: BIS DAT QUI TEMPORI DAT.[118] (_He gives twice who gives in time._) 1865. ELLIS SC.

(_sculpsit._) LEUTZE DEL. (_delineavit._)[119]

[Footnote 118: The Latin proverb is BIS DAT QUI CITO DAT.]

[Footnote 119: See INTRODUCTION, page viii.]

EMANUEL LEUTZE, who designed the reverse of the medal to Cornelius Vanderbilt, was born in Gmunden, Wurttemberg, May 24, 1816. His parents emigrated to America while he was still a child, and settled in Fredericksburg, Virginia. In 1841 he went to Europe, and studied art at Dusseldorf under Professor Lessing. He returned to America in 1859, and took up his residence in Washington. Among his princ.i.p.al paintings, which are mostly historical, and relate to America, are: Columbus before the Council of Salamanca, Columbus in chains, Columbus before Queen Isabella, Washington crossing the Delaware, Washington at Monmouth, and Washington at Princeton. One of his last works is the fresco in the Capitol at Washington, "Westward the star of empire takes its way." He died in Washington, July 18, 1868.

CORNELIUS VANDERBILT was born on Staten Island, New York, May 27, (p. 407) 1794. He went to New York city early in life, and engaged in the shipping business, in which, by his energy and perseverance, he in time acquired wealth, and became owner of several lines of steamers, running from New York to places along the coast. In 1851 he established a line of steamers to California, and in 1855 another to Europe. In March, 1862, he presented to the United States Government the magnificent ship which bore his name, for which generous gift Congress gave him a vote of thanks and a gold medal. He was made president of the New York and Harlem Railroad Company in May, 1863; of the Hudson River Railroad Company in June, 1865; and of the New York Central Railroad Company in December, 1867. In November, 1869, the two last were consolidated, with a joint capital of ninety millions of dollars. He died in the city of New York, January 4, 1877. Cornelius Vanderbilt was, at the time of his death, one of the richest men in the world. Among his charities was a gift of one million dollars to the "Central University of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South," in Nashville, Tennessee, which, in consequence of this munificence, was named, in honor of him, Vanderbilt University. He was known by the sobriquet of "Commodore."

_____

ORIGINAL DOc.u.mENTS.

_Resolution of Congress Voting a Medal to Cornelius Vanderbilt._

_Whereas_, Cornelius Vanderbilt of New York, did, during the spring of 1862, make a free gift to his imperilled country of his new and staunch steamship "Vanderbilt," of five thousand tons burthen, built by him with the greatest care, of the best materials, at a cost of eight hundred thousand dollars, which steamship has ever since been actively employed in the service of the republic against the rebel devastations of her commerce; and

_Whereas_, The said Cornelius Vanderbilt has in no manner sought any requital of this magnificent gift, nor any official recognition thereof; therefore,

_Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress a.s.sembled_: That the thanks of Congress be presented to Cornelius Vanderbilt for this unique manifestation of a fervid and large-souled patriotism.

SECTION 2. _And be it further resolved_, That the President (p. 408) of the United States be requested to cause a gold medal to be struck, which shall fitly embody an attestation of the nation's grat.i.tude for this gift; which medal shall be forwarded to Cornelius Vanderbilt, a copy of it being made and deposited for preservation in the library of Congress.

Approved January 28, 1864.

_____

_The Secretary of State to Cornelius Vanderbilt._

To Department of State, CORNELIUS VANDERBILT, Esq., Washington, April 17, 1866.

New York.

Sir: I have to inform you that the Congress of the United States, by a resolution of the 28th of January, 1864, an attested copy of which is herewith sent, offered you their thanks for your generous gift to the nation during the last war, of the steamer "Vanderbilt," and requested the President to cause a gold medal to be struck and forwarded to you, commemorative of that gift. It is now my pleasing duty to forward the medal to you accordingly.

I avail myself of the occasion to express a hope that it may prove acceptable, and also to congratulate you upon the proud consciousness, which you cannot fail to cherish, of having, by the act referred to, rendered your country a signal service at a critical period in its history.

I am, Sir, your very obedient servant, William H. SEWARD.

_____

_Cornelius Vanderbilt to the Secretary of State._

To the Honorable William H. SEWARD, New York, May 3rd, 1866.

Secretary of State, Washington, D. C.

Sir: Your communication of the 17th of April ult., informing me that the Congress of the United States had, by their resolution of the 28th of January, 1864, tendered to me their thanks for the gift of the steamer "Vanderbilt," and requested the President to cause a gold medal to be struck and forwarded to me in commemoration of the gift, has been placed in my hands.

I have also received the medal, together with an attested copy of the resolution in compliance with which you have caused it to be transmitted.

You have been pleased to express the hope that the medal would be acceptable to me, with your congratulations for the consciousness which you consider I cannot fail to cherish of having, by the act which its presentation commemorates, rendered a service to my country at a critical period in its history.

Permit me, Sir, to return my acknowledgment for this (p. 409) national recognition of the act referred to, and to express the satisfaction with which I have received this generous token of remembrance. It may not be inappropriate for me to refer to the transaction which gave rise to the resolve of Congress which your Department has now so gracefully executed.

About the year 1856, I formed the design and commenced the work of a steamship for the purpose of demonstrating that individual enterprise could, without the aid of governmental encouragement, place upon the ocean steamships equal at least in magnitude, power and speed, to any which had been constructed under governmental patronage and protection in any part of the world.

An expenditure of about one million of dollars produced the steamship "Vanderbilt," which carried the flag of our country across the sea in a lesser s.p.a.ce of time than any national banner had been hitherto borne.

On the 16th of March, 1862, I received at my residence in this city a letter from the War Department enquiring if I would undertake to prevent the Confederate steamer "Merrimac" from coming out of the harbor of Norfolk, and urging my immediate attention, as the danger was most imminent and "there was no time to be lost." I answered by telegraph that I would go to Washington the next day. On the morning of the 17th of March I called at the War Department, where I saw for the first time Mr.

Stanton, the Secretary of War. He requested me to accompany him to the executive mansion, where I was introduced to Mr. Lincoln, to whom I was then personally a stranger. The President asked me if I thought I could, with the aid of my steamships, do anything to prevent the "Merrimac" from getting out of Hampton Roads. I replied to him that it was my opinion that if the steamship "Vanderbilt" was there properly manned, the "Merrimac" would not venture to come out, or if she did, the chances were ten to one that the "Vanderbilt" would sink and destroy her. Mr. Lincoln asked me to name the sum of money for which I would undertake the service; I replied to him that nothing would induce me to become a speculator upon the necessities of the government, and that I would not mention a sum as the value of her charter, but that I would make a gift of her to the government for the service proposed. The President replied, "I accept her." I left him promising that the "Vanderbilt" should be at Fortress Monroe properly equipped and officered under my direction within three or four days at the farthest, and she was there within the time.

The requisite instrument of transfer was subsequently executed by me and transmitted to the War Department.

The resolution of Congress of which you have informed me truly states that I have in no manner sought requital for the gift, and the recognition of it, which in the discharge of your official duty you have given me, was altogether unsolicited. I shall proudly preserve the splendid token of appreciation which you have transmitted to me, and it is my hope that those who come after me, as they read the inscriptions of the medal and are reminded of the event in their father's life which caused it to be struck, will inflexibly resolve that should our Government be again imperilled, no pecuniary sacrifice is too large to make in its behalf, and no inducement sufficiently great to attempt to profit by its necessities.

I am, Sir, your very obedient servant, C. VANDERBILT.

No. 75. (p. 410) PLATE LXXV.

_April 16, 1865--March 4, 1869._

Andrew Johnson, President of the United States 1865. [Rx]. Peace.

PRESIDENT ANDREW JOHNSON.

[_Seventeenth President of the United States of America._]

ANDREW JOHNSON, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES 1865. Undraped bust of President Johnson, facing the right PAQUET, F. (_fecit_).

America is giving her hand to an Indian chief, before a mausoleum, upon which, in a crown of laurel, is the word PEACE. The mausoleum is surmounted by a small undraped bust of Washington, facing the right; to the left, at the feet of the Indian, are the attributes of savage life, and behind him a buffalo hunt; to the right, at the feet of America, are the emblems of civilization, and behind her a railway train. PAQUET. F. (_fecit_).

ANDREW JOHNSON was born in Raleigh, North Carolina, December 29, 1808. He settled in Greenville, Tennessee, 1826; was a member of the State Legislature, 1835 and 1839; State senator, 1841; member of Congress, 1843-1853; governor of Tennessee, 1853-1857; and United States senator, 1857-1863. He remained true to the Union when his State seceded, and was appointed military-governor of Tennessee, 1864; became vice-president of the United States, March 4, 1865; President, after the a.s.sa.s.sination of President Lincoln, April 16, 1865-1869. He was an unsuccessful candidate for the Senate of the United States in 1870, and for Congress in 1871; but was elected to the Senate in 1875.

He died July 31, 1875, near Elizabethtown, Carter County, Tennessee.

No. 76. (p. 411) PLATE LXXVI.

_December, 1853._