1. [John Trumbull], Description of the Four Pictures, from Subjects of the Revolution, Painted by Order of the Government of the United States, and Now Placed in the Rotunda of the Capitol (New York, 1827; Shoemaker description begins Richard H. Shoemaker, comp., A Checklist of American Imprints for 1820–1829 (11 vols.; New York, 1964–72). description ends 30844). For Trumbull’s commission from the U.S. government, see his letter to JM, 26 Dec. 1817, PJM-RS description begins David B. Mattern et al., eds., The Papers of James Madison: Retirement Series (4 vols. to date; Charlottesville, Va., 2009–). description ends , 1:188–89, 159 n. 1.

2. “During this period [1794], his work attracted so much attention, that it was proposed to employ him to execute the entire series for the nation; and this proposal failed to be carried into effect, not through any opposition from any quarter to the propriety or fitness of the object, but because the nation then possessed no building proper to receive such decorations, and because doubts existed then, as since, in the minds of some gentlemen, whether Congress possessed the right of appropriating the public money to such purposes” (Trumbull, Description of the Four Pictures [Shoemaker description begins Richard H. Shoemaker, comp., A Checklist of American Imprints for 1820–1829 (11 vols.; New York, 1964–72). description ends 30844], v).