"The Sons of Liberty preparing to have a procession, with Sir Jeffry Amherst's effigy, afterwards to burn it, as they say he proposed to augment the military forces in America, towards the more effectual forcing the Stamp Act. Also propose, erecting a statue of Mr. Pitt (as a friend) in the Bowling Green, on the identical spot where the Lieut. Governor's chariot was burned and to name that Green 'Liberty Green' forever." 2

Bowling Green, therefore, was first suggested for the Pitt statue, but afterwards the king's equestrian statue was given this imposing location while Pitt was placed at Wall and William Streets.

William Pitt enjoyed the favor and gratitude of the populace of both England and America. After the Repeal of the Stamp Act the news from London under date of April 22, 1766 stated that "a great number of rings, set with the head of Mr. Pitt, are intended to be sent as presents to some of the principal merchants in America, by their correspondents in this city," while on May 3, 1766 it was reported from London in the New York press that a handsome medal had been struck the size of a crown-piece bearing the head of Mr. Pitt with his name and on the reverse the inscription, "The man who, having saved the parent, pleaded with success for her children" and on the same day it was announced that the fine statue of Mr. Pitt to be placed in the Guildhall at Cork, Ireland, was finished by Mr. Wilton, at an expense of 500 pounds and that it bore the following inscription:

The Right Honorable William Pitt.

This Statue was erected by
The Corporation and Citizens of Cork,
As a lasting Memorial of Gratitude.
Anno 1766.

Nil oriturum alias nil ortum tale fatentes. Hor1

Whether this statue, which is still standing in the corridor of the Crawford Municipal School of Art, in Emmet Place, Cork, Ireland, was the original inspiration for the sons of Liberty to do

2 The New York Historical Society Collections, 1881, p. 353.

3 Holt's New York Gazette, July 3, 1766, Supp.

4 Weyman's New York Gazette, June 30, 1766.

5 Hart's Peale's Allegory of William Pitt, 1915, page 5.

likewise in the Colonies or the Citizens of Cork conceived the idea from the Colonies, is difficult to determine, but the fact is that the project was first carried out in Ireland and by the same sculptor, Joseph Wilton, who later executed the work for the Colonies. Following closely upon the completion of the Cork statue, South Carolina resolved on May 8, 1766 "that they will make provision, for defraying the Expense of procuring from England, a Marble Statue of the Right Honorable William Pitt, Esquire; to be erected in this Province" which (according to the Charleston press of the day) met with many adverse comments.

On June 19, 1766 a notice appeared in the New York papers stating that "the Freemen and Freeholders of the City of New York are requested to meet at the House of Mr. Richard Howard, To-morrow in the Afternoon, at five o'clock, in order to choose a Committee to instruct their Members to move in the House of Assembly, that provision be made for erecting a Statue to Mr. Pitt, in Testimony of the Grateful sense they entertain of his Services to the American Colonies; and to write Letters of thanks to all those illustrious personages who have so zealously exerted themselves in both Houses of Parliament, in obtaining the Repeal of the Stamp Act." 7

This meeting resulted in a petition dated June 23, 1766 which was presented and acted upon by the General Assembly of New York the same day it was dated. It reads as follows:

A petition addressed to John Cruger, Leonard Lispenard, and William Bayard, Esq's Representatives in the General Assembly of the Freemen and Freeholders of the City of New York read as follows:

"We, Freemen and Freeholders of the City of New York, assembled at the Coffee-House the 23d Day of June 1766, impressed with the deepest Sense of Gratitude to all the Friends of Liberty and America who exerted themselves in promoting the Repeal of the Stamp Act, think it our indispensible Duty to endeavour, by erecting a proper Monument, to perpetuate the Memory of so glorious an Event, to the latest posterity. .

We therefore earnestly entreat of, and strenuously recommend to, you Gentlemen our Representatives, that you will move in the

S. C. Hist. & Gen. Mag. Vol. 15, page 21, & Supp. N. Y. Gazette, June 12, 1766. "Holt's N. Y. Gazette, June 19, 1766.

THE STATUE OF MARCUS AURELIUS IN ROME, ITALY, USED AS A MODEL FOR THE
GEORGE III STATUE.

House of Assembly, now sitting, for a Vote of the Honourable House, to make provision for an elegant Statue of Brass of the Rt. Hon. William Pitt, Esq.; whom we regard in the sacred Light of having a second Time been the preserver of his Country.

Signed by Order, and at the Request of a considerable Number of respectable Inhabitants of the City of New York, assembled as above.

James DeLancey
William Walton, Jun.
John Thurman, Jun.

8 Weyman's N. Y. Gazette, June 30, 1766.

Isaac Low,
Henry White,
J. Harris Cruger."8

On June 23, 1766 Montressor states that subscription papers were being carried about for a Statue of Mr. Pitt to be erected here."

It will be noted that until now no aggitation had been carried on for a statue of George III and not even a mention of it had been made, until the General Assembly of New York acting upon the above quoted petition took "into consideration the innumerable and singular Benefits received from our most gracious soverign, since the Commencement of his auspicious Reign, during which they have been protected from the Fury of a cruel, merciless, and savage Enemy; and lately from the utmost Confusion and Distress, by the Repeal of the Stamp Act: In Testimony therefore of their Gratitude, and the Reverence due to his Sacred Person and Character;

Resolved, That this House will make Provision for an Equestrian Statue of His present Majesty, our Most Gracious Sovereign, to be erected in the City of New York, to perpetuate to the latest posterity, the deep Sense this Colony has, of the eminent and singular Blessings derived from him, during His most auspicious Reign."

Whereupon Mr. Cruger moved "That in consideration of the many eminent and essential Services done the Northern Colonies by the Right Honourable William Pitt, Esq; but particularly in promoting the Repeal of the late Stamp Act, and to perpetuate to the latest posterity, the grateful Sense this Colony entertains on that Account; provision might be made for erecting an elegant Statue of Him in Brass: whereupon it was

"Resolved, That this House will provide ways and Means to procure and pay for a Statue of the Right Honourable William Pitt, Esq; accordingly."10

The General Assembly which enacted these Resolves was prorogued on June 12, 1766 and took recess on July 3 having completed the business recommended to them by His Excellency Sir Henry Moore, Governor of the Colony of New York. In his Speech to the Assembly the Governor made no mention of the statues nor did he give his assent to the act passed providing for them." 12

9 N. Y. Hist. Soc. Collections 1881 page 374.

10 Weyman's The New York Gazette, June 30, 1766.

11 See Speech in Weyman's N. Y. Gazette, June 16, 1766.

12 See Four Acts assented to by the Governor in Weyman's N. Y. Gazette, July 7, 1766.