, 1840-08-15

present appropriation, but was a distinct bill,
which he would ask might be considered at
a proper time. In that bill the Committee
on Public Buildings proposed giving the Pres
ident 500 10 increase the furniture. The
$500 in the present bill did not apply to the
furniture, bnt exclusively to repairs for the
house.
Would gentlemen ask what part of the
House they intended to furnish7 He would
tell them. What was the state Of the re-
ceiving room! There was not mirror, even
a common sev~en.by-nine mirror, in it; there
was not a single table, except an old pine
table in one corner, which, under the ham,
mer of the a%uctioneer, would not fetchise-
twenty-five cents, and an old worn out sofa.
The whole lot would not fetch S.: and yet
this was the ante-room into which foreign
ministers, and visitors of evsry dessriPr:-~,
were introduced to see the President. Now
what did the committee intend to do with
the S7OO? They did not intend to furnish
the house like a palace, but to supply it with
good, simple, and substantial furniture, Of
home manufacture. They designed the pur.
chase of good, substantial chairs, for the &C
commodation of ~visiters, and Of gentlemen
when accompanied by ladies'; and it was but
reasonable to suppose that most ladies', before
being introduced to the President, would b,
DESTROYS of adjusting their bonnets, etc.
[laughter.) Therefore, the committee design
ed to purchase a plain mirror, Of suitable d.
mensions.
The committee thought that an ante-room
for the reception of foreign ministers, with
its common chair and old cast-away sofa, was
hardly the proper thing, or consistent with
the dignity Of the American people. 1t
might be said, however, that what the COM
mittee proposed doing was not Democratic,
nor in accordance with the principles Of our
Republic. Such was not his opinion. On
the contrary, he held that it was Democrat
ic to supply the President with necessary
furniture, and conveniences for the house in
which they had appointed him to live.
TMr. l.. here made some allusion to his
own political career, which was not distinct
ly heard.]
He maintained that the supplying Of prop
er furniture to the White House could have
no anti Republican tendency. He held that
it was consistent with the puresl Republic
canism to keep the house in repair, so that
it might be fit for the reception Of General
Harrison when he should take possession
of it
Mr.. l.. then addressed himself TO the
chairman, mfr. CAsEY,] and said: Sir, won-
der if the occupancy Of that chair for the
last few days, with its crimson drapery and
other appendages, has had any tendency to
affect your Democratic and Republican prin-
ciples. You have the crimson curtains
hanging over your head, and you are eleva-
ted above US all, and yet | cannot conceive
for a moment that it has affected your prInci.
plies, or done you any harm. So far as my
observation has extended; your occupancy
Of that high seat for the last six or seven
days, has made no alteration in your demea-
nor, or in your usual courtesy and gentle
manly demeanor to your fellow members
No. do not believe that the trimmings of
that chair have affected your mind, or made
any alteration in your Democratic and Re-
publican sentiments, let them be what they
may.
Mr.. l.. then alluded to the circumstances
under which the curtains and other appen-
dages around the chair had been placed there;
and he took that opportunity Of saying, that
if there was any objection to them, he was
responsible for it, inasmuch as he, as a men,
Der of the Committee on Public Buildings,
had reported the appropriation for it. 1t
was true, the late Speaker had the direction
Of it, so that the chair might be in keeping
with the rest Of the House; but he (Mr. L.)
was responsible, as he had made the report
recommending the appropriation. If it was
proper to nave a splendid dome on the Capt.
tol, it was also proper to have every other
portion of the building in keeping with it,
As it has been determined to have mahogany
desks, mahogany chairs, with cushions, for
members, he would ask whether it would be
in keeping with the other parts of the hall,
TO put an Indifferent pine table in front OF the
chair. He was sure nc gentleman would
contend that it would. They would all a.
gree that it was necessary to have one por-
ton Of the hall in keeping with another
Now the same principle which applied to the
chair and to this Capitol, would also apply
to the Presidents House. If the furniture
and appendages Of either were considered
too costly, it was not the fault Of members,
or of the President. II, said Mr.. L. any bo-
DIV is to be blamed, it must be your ances-
tors-those patriots who thought proper to
construct s1ch buildings. II gentlemen felt