“I hereby certify, that the persons whose signatures are affixed to the
certificates here below, by Mr. +Catlin+, are officers in the service
of the United States, as herein set forth; and that their opinions
of the accuracy of the likenesses, and correctness of the views, &c.
exhibited by him in his ‘+Indian Gallery+,’ are entitled to full credit.
“J. R. POINSETT, _Secretary of War, Washington_.”
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“With regard to the gentlemen whose names are affixed to certificates
below, I am fully warranted in saying, that no individuals have had
better opportunities of acquiring a knowledge of the persons, habits,
costumes, and sports of the Indian tribes, or possess stronger claims
upon the public confidence in the statements they make, respecting the
correctness of delineations, &c. of Mr. +Catlin’s Indian Gallery+; and
I may add my own testimony, with regard to many of those Indians whom
I have seen, and whose likenesses are in the collection, and sketched
with fidelity and correctness.
“C. A. HARRIS, _Commissioner of Indian Affairs, Washington_.”
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“I have seen Mr. +Catlin’s+ Collection of Portraits of Indians,
east of the Rocky Mountains many of which were familiar to me, and
painted in my presence: and as far as they have included Indians of
my acquaintance, the _likenesses_ are easily recognized, bearing
the most striking resemblance to the originals, as well as faithful
representations of their costumes.
“W. CLARK, _Superintendent of Indian Affairs, St. Louis_.”
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“I have examined Mr. +Catlin’s+ Collection of the Upper Missouri
Indians to the Rocky Mountains, all of which I am acquainted with;
and indeed most of them were painted when I was present, and I do
not hesitate to pronounce them correct likenesses, and readily to be
recognized. And I consider the _costumes_, as painted by him, to be the
_only correct representations_ I have ever seen.
“JOHN F. A. SANFORD,
“_U. SS. Indian Agent for Mandans, Rickarees, Minatarees,
Crows, Knisteneaux, Assinneboins, Blackfeet, &c._”
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“We have seen Mr. +Catlin’s+ Portraits of Indians east of the Rocky
Mountains, many of which are familiar to us; the likenesses are easily
recognized, bearing a strong resemblance to the originals, as well as a
faithful representation of their costumes.
“J. DOUGHERTY, _Indian Agent_.
“_November 27th, 1837._ J. GANTT.”
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“We hereby certify, that the Portraits of the Grand Pawnees, Republican
Pawnees, Pawnee Loups, Tappage Pawnees, Otoes, Omahaws, and Missouries,
which are in Mr. +Catlin’s Indian Gallery+, were painted from life by
Mr. +Geo. Catlin+, and that the individuals sat to him in the costumes
precisely in which they are painted.
“J. DOUGHERTY, _I. A. for Pawnees, Omahaws, and Otoes_.
“_New York, 1837._ J. GANTT.”
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“I have seen Mr. +Catlin’s+ Collection of Indian Portraits, many
of which were familiar to me, and painted in my presence at their
own villages. I have spent the greater part of my life amongst the
tribes and individuals he has represented, and I do not hesitate to
pronounce them correct likenesses, and easily recognized: also his
sketches of their _manners_ and _customs_, I think, are excellent; and
the _landscape views_ on the Missouri and Mississippi, are correct
representations.
“K. M‘KENZIE, _of the Am. Fur Co. Mouth of Yellow Stone_.”
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“We hereby certify, that the Portraits of Seminoles and Euchees, in
Mr. +Catlin’s Gallery+, were painted by him, from the life, at Fort
Moultrie; that the Indians sat or stood in the costumes precisely in
which they are painted, and that the likenesses are remarkably good.
“P. MORRISON, Capt. 4th Inft. H. WHARTON, 2d. Lieut. 6th Inft.
J. S. HATHAWAY, 2d Lieut. 1st Art. F. WEEDON, Assistant Surgeon.
_Fort Moultrie, Jan. 26, 1838._”
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“Having examined Mr. +Catlin’s+ Collection of Portraits of Indians
of the Missouri to the Rocky Mountains, I have no hesitation in
pronouncing them, so far as I am acquainted with the Individuals,
to be the best I have ever seen, both as regards the expression of
countenance, and the exact and complete manner in which the costume has
been painted by him.
“J. L. BEAN, _S. Agent for Indian Affairs_.”
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“I have been for many years past in familiar acquaintance with the
Indian tribes of the Upper Missouri to the Rocky Mountains, and also
with the landscape and other scenes represented in Mr. +Catlin’s+
Collection; and it gives me great pleasure to assure the world, that on
looking them over, I found the likenesses of my old friends easily to
be recognized; and his sketches of Manners and Customs to be pourtrayed
with singular truth and correctness.
“J. PILCHER, _Agent for Upper Missouri Indians_.”
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“It gives me great pleasure in being enabled to add my name to the list
of those who have spontaneously expressed their approbation of Mr.
+Catlin’s+ Collection of Indian Paintings. His Collection of materials
place it in his power to throw much light on the Indian character,
and his portraits, so far as I have seen them, are drawn with great
fidelity as to character and likeness.
“H. SCHOOLCRAFT, _Indian Agent for Wisconsin Territory_.”
“Having lived and dealt with the Black Feet Indians for five years
past, I was enabled to recognize _every one_ of the Portraits of
those people, and of the Crows also, which Mr. +Catlin+ has in his
Collection, from the faithful likenesses they bore to the originals.
“_St. Louis, 1835._ “J. E. BRAZEAU.”
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“Having spent sixteen years in the continual acquaintance with the
Indians of the several tribes of the Missouri, represented in Mr.
+Catlin’s+ Gallery of Indian Paintings, I was enabled to judge of the
correctness of the likenesses, and I _instantly recognized every one of
them_, when I looked them over, from the striking resemblance they bore
to the originals—so also, of the Landscapes on the Missouri.
“HONORE PICOTTE.”
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“The Portraits, in the possession of Mr. +Catlin+, of Pawnee Picts,
Kioways, Camanches, Wecos, and Osages, were painted by him _from life_,
when on a tour to their country, with the United States Dragoons. The
_likenesses_ are good, very easily to be recognized, and the _costumes_
faithfully represented.
“HENRY DODGE, Col. of Drag. D. PERKINS. Capt. of Drag.
R. H. MASON, Major of Ditto. M. DUNCAN, Ditto.
D. HUNTER, Capt. Ditto. T. B. WHEELOCK, Lieut. Drag.”
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“The Landscapes, Buffalo-Hunting scenes, &c. above-mentioned, I have
seen, and although it has been thirty years since I travelled over that
country; yet a considerable number of them I recognized as faithful
representations, and the remainder of them are so much in the peculiar
character of that country as to seem entirely familiar to me.
“WM. CLARK, _Superintendent of Indian Affairs_.”
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“The Landscape Views on the Missouri, Buffalo Hunts, and other scenes,
taken by my friend Mr. +Catlin+, are correct delineations of the scenes
they profess to represent, as I am perfectly well acquainted with the
country, having passed through it more than a dozen times. And further,
I know, that they were taken on the spot, from nature, as I was present
when Mr. +Catlin+ visited that country.
“JOHN F. A. SANFORD, _U. SS. Indian Agent_.”
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“It gives me great pleasure to be able to pronounce the Landscape
Views, Views of Hunting, and other scenes, taken on the Upper Missouri
by Mr. +Catlin+, to be correct delineations of the scenery they profess
to represent; and although I was not present when they were taken in
the field, I was able to identify almost every one between St. Louis
and the grand bend of the Missouri.
“J. L. BEAN, _S. Agent of Indian Affairs_.”
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“I have examined a series of paintings by Mr. +Catlin+, representing
_Indian Buffalo Hunts, Landscapes, &c._, and from an acquaintance
of twenty-seven years with such scenes as are represented, I feel
qualified to judge them, and do unhesitatingly pronounce them good and
unexaggerated representations.
“JNO. DOUGHERTY, _Indian Agent for Pawnees, Omahaws, and Otoes_.”
LETTER—No. 2.