Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1857-12-31
The New Hall of the House of
Representatives.

| The extravagant ornamentation Of the new |
hall has called forth considerable criticism, and |
opinion is divided as to whether the hall will full
ly equal The general expectation. A cores
pondent of the New York Herald gives the fol-
lowing descriptive criticism of the room, its
adornmenls, fixtures and conveniences
g have intimated my preference for the old
hall to the new. | am inclined to think that not
alone in the style of decora tions, which is alto
geihcr matter of taste, (and tastes will difer)
bus also in the matter Of fventilation, heal,hiess
and convenience, time will prove that the new
hall is by no means an improve ment on the old.
The latter was entered by fine, easy, broad
fight of spkes,ars, leading up on, the outside
of the main pile of building into the rotunda-
one of the chief attractions of the Capitol
with its panels hung with fine historical paint
ings, The new hall is reached by a narrow pas
sage, with handsomely tesselated floor, no
doubt, and rather fine colonade, (albeit not
lighted,) where members can retire to prome-
made and smoke. The passage leads to two
rather narrow stone starcases, one on each side,
which conduct to the chamber OF the House of
Representatives. The hall is on the same floor
as the old one was, but from the difference in the
arrangement of the approaches, you realize in
the new hall what you did not in the old-hat
i, is situated on the second floor of the iIding
That of course could not we'll be remedied even
if it had ever suggested Itself as an unde sirab lie
thing, because it would be out of order and
keeping to have the sweeping outside staircase
of the main pile repeated in each of tn. wings.
When you get into the new hall the first thing
that strikes you is the lavish display of gliding
and molding and frescong 1t has an unp cas-
ing effect at irst-this profuseness of decora ion
and gaudy colors-but after the eye becomes some
what familiarized and ] may say, reconciled to
he style of adornment, you begin to like it, just
: as you might like galy dressed Broadway be lie
y despite of her rouge, and her hoops and her
startling style of costume, and think tina PEI.
> haps they help to set her off But as in the one
y case this style of dress would not argue rein =
ed or cultivated taste on the part of the lady, so
I of the House of Representatives do not, in my
" opinion, say much for the taste Of the architect
or the superintendent or whoever is responsible
for the " making up A little more mplicity
u and little less establishment would have been
desirable.
In form the hall is an oblong square its
- breadth from east to west being greater than its
! length from north to south. The Speaker $
% chair corresponds in position with that in the old
y iiouse--i,as 10 10 say 10 Il .he cantra of the
south side of the chamber It is placed behind
a neat marble bAlu,trade, aud is, perhaps, fee
from objection on the ground of undue emb e l.
le ishments 1t is plain and simple enough to su i
$, the eye of taste. Immediately under it is the
'e desk for the clerks, supported by similar hand
some marble balusrade; and under that again a
IT. corresponding desk for the five official reporters
Nv of the House. The outside reporters have gal
- lery provided for them right ever the Speaker
r- chair, and have, besides. convenient retirl ng
room where they can write their dispatches free
nd from the noise and hustle of the House. be-
he lieve it is also in contemplation to provide a
er similar retiring room for the official reporters
re where speeches can be transcribed, and where
members can have an opportunity of revising
nd them. The convenience and even the necessity
of this, is obvious and apparent. The telegraph
ON operators have also a room where their appara-
rst us is set up, whence dispatches can be sent nd
where they Can be received.
" Each member has single writing desk and
chair, the same as in the old House, except tina
'' the new ones are got up in more expensive and
ne handsome style. The desks are of plain unvar
au nished oak the backs being carved in designs o
IT a national character, such as the shield of the
AZ Union with its stars and stripes, globe sur
rounded with band bearing the word "Americ;
Ice and so forth. The chairs are Of the anti qu
" style, handsomely fitted up in red morocco, ant
are altogether very easy luxurious looking al
ne tices, in which the quiet, easy-going members
40 may enjoy their otum cum dignitata most de
- lightfu lly.
nse There are ample accommodations for specta
his tors in the galleries that extend around the fou
sides of the square, but | believe that no ac
led commodatons other than the gall cries are prov
ded for the lobby members who, by the way
to are here in great force, having in their rank
half the ex-members of the last Congress
'h- The ceiling is comparatively low, good per
haps for acoustic purposes, but hardly SO we
adapted 10 pure ventilation. Here the embellis
Jul ments are most Extensively gaudy. The prevail
"' ing style OF holdings is the pineapple order
painted in extravaganlly bright colors. The or
the dinary descriptions applied to them are " gin
red gerbread" " gewgaw,' aud other such sug
ol gestive epilhe,s The centre square of the ce i
OF ing is formed of stained glass, through whic
alone, by sun or by gas, the hall is lighted. o
Ms the various panels of the lass ceiling ar pain
my ed the arms of the several States of the Unio
ack "a rather tasteful and pretty arrangement Th
he walls of the hall itself are marked out in pane
his the design being to have each panel painted
we'd fresco to represent some historical incident.
Irn- specimen painting is supplied in one of the par
ing els, but owing to the dampness of the mortar O
which the painting was executed, it is by n
means good specimen number. General L;
ION fayette who was principle figure in the grou
hus looks, according to the criticism Of friend VIII
U, pointed him out 10 me, as If he were sufferin
der from bad attack of the small pox. do not sa
sio- this, however, Interpretation of the work ise
which has been really we'll executed, but Cap
Meigs has been trying to hurry up things