The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-03-13
IMPROVEMENT OF THE HALL.

Ii va dwell with a great deal Of earneslness upon
the change in the Hall Of the HOUSE OF Retfe-
sentatives, il is because we are deeply impressed
with the Importance Of the innovation, IL is import
ant to the order Of the House, to the distinct hear
ing, and the improved eloquenes Of the speakers
IN fact to the whole character and efficiency Of its
proceedings We shall continue, therefore, to de-
vote portion of our columns, occasionally, 10 the
architecture of the Hall. But the pen Of Mr.. Owen
is dedicated this evening to the subject and he pre-
ssnts at once the projected change to the sight in the
two diagrams which he has devised for the purpose.
We trust the committee will soon report plan to
the House, and that the House will take some de-
finite action upon it.
SUGGESTIONS REGARDING A NEW HALL on a
. REPRESENTATIVES. Tr -
To the Edsi~ eftae Onion .-.s. .s
SIR: AT your suggestion furnish, for the Union
some details OF the plan contemplated Ia the rs.olu-
ton regarding new Hall Of Representative intro
dueed BY myself some weeks since, and referred 10
the COMMITTEES on Public Buildings. And do this
the more willingly, because know the difficulty of
obtaining tbs ear Of the House in debsts on such
subieei as this, until It's attention has previously
been awakened to the importance Of the suggested
nsfsm.
Reform /. not too strong word TO use hers You
took the tus yicw Of the subject, whsn you ssssrt
ed, that neg Hell was essential 70 me improve
branch Of cur lsgislamrs. Not the manner only,
but the very spirit and tone OF debate in our House
is essentially and most injuriousiy indusnced by
the form Of the Hall. but W defiance Of every pnh-
eips Of acoustics, in which we speak and lisssn
II encourages noisy defamation: A TRADE aFulf or
sound and fury, signifyng nothing" seems in place
amidst its resonant echoes, A calm, deliberate ar
gument addressed TO the dspassionate reason, III
not wholly swallowed up in It's vortex Of sounds,
appears as much out Of character there as if were
delivered in an open cattle market. Nor is this all.
Half the business transacted by what in courtesy is
called dslibenuye body passes wholly unnouced
by the large majority OF members, from sheer iol-
possibility TO hear, from their seats, what il going
on. And who shall reckon up the tedious hours
that consumed in endless inquiries and explana-
tons, between MEMBERS from the chair, all from
the same source venture the assertion that there
lie not 10 be found in Christendom a deliberatiye
hall more snowy in outward form, more misera-
bly, adapted, in point OF fact TO the purposes for
which II is used.
There is not an old member of the House but
will admit the truth Of all this, and the importance
that il should be remedicd. The necessity of some
remedy has prompted, from time to time, efforts TO
improve the hall; all resulting, you have recently
shown in your columns, IN proof that its defects
lncurable.
You have also alluded to plan from the Topo-
graphical Bureau, made in reply TO a resolution Of
the House, which proposes h0O wings, each about
100 feet by $50, on the North aAd South extremi-
ties Of the present Capitol, at estimated expense
Of nearly 100000; one wing only being necessary
for a new Hail. and other being added for the sake
Of uniformity. This Of ITSELF is sufficient to Justify
the rejection Of the plan If there not other con-
elusive objections to II; as, that the wing added
the south of the present Hall would shut up all it's
south windows; and that access 10 that wing, from
the Rotundo, could only be had by passing through
the present Hall
A iudicous plan to add new Hall of Represen-
iauves ought to fulfil the following conditions:
lst Its expense should be moderate; and it should
occupy no more than space for the Hall, with some
additional committee rooms, much wanted.
ID. 1t should not injure, but If possible improve,
The present appearance ofthe Capitol, as viewed in
different aspects.
Sd. The new Hall should be as near to the Libra
ry Of Congress and to the Senate il the present
chamber, and should be of easy access, il possible,
directly from the Rotundo. -.
There are yet other objects to be attained. The
present Library Of Congress- its committees have
repeatedly reported, too small even for the books
already placed there. About thousand volumes
lie at this moment exposed on the floors of its gal
cries and elsewhere, for which there is no room,
and can be made no room, on Its shelves. And the
evil is yearly increasing, as the annual epproPria-
ion swels its catalogue. We must, before long,
Again, the Supreme Cturt room, locatedin dark
and damp basement, Is admitted by all to be i'll
adapted to the accommodation Of the dignifed body
10 which it is assigned and its scanty seats cannot
receive small fraction Of the large audiences
that throng its doors during the argument on an
important case. The necessity Of this change is
not, indeed so great in the case Of our Hall or
of the Library; but yet another and more suit
able Supreme Court room would be great accom-
both to the bench and to the public.
In view Of these various considerations, proceed
to submit to you plan, originally suggested, be-
heve, By Mr.. Rober, Mills, an architect of your
city; and which, in my opinion, better fulfls the
conditions above alluded to than any other which has
come to my notice.
You are aware, that the Capitol has projection
(of about 80 fee its western front; but cores
pondng projection, nor, except the colonnade and
steps, any projection at all, its eastern front; and
you may have remarked, if you have viewed it
from the north or SOUTH the lop-sided appearance
which, in consequence, it presents, aggravated by the
heavy dome. The plan to which allude proposes
to carry forward the eastern portco and steps, about
ninety feet, so to permit the insertion between
them and the main building Of a projection SINH
lar TO that on the west front. The Capitol would
then present the form of Greek cross; and in its
northern or southern elevation the dome would APP
pear CENTRAL Gas in the eastern western elevation
it now does) and not, ss at present, on one side.
According to this plan, the present Chamber of
may be converted into the Library
of Congress, and the Supreme Court room moved
up into the present library.
The proposal will be better understood by an in
spection Of the following diagrams:
Plan No. shows the Capitol as it is; A being
our Hall; B, the Senate Chamber; c. the Library Of
Congress; D, the Rotundo, and E E the eastern and
western porticoes, thus:
lsS;EIIIiae355