The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1858-02-19
The Capitol Extension aud new House
of Congress-


House OF Representatives, at Washington,
in the old hall. We now present our read
crs with two iilustraticns-onc re respnting
the Capitol Will, the new extensions, and
the other the new HALL of Representative,
with the members in session.
The sensation of the visitor, on approach
ing the Capitol for the first time, is that of
disappointment, from the fact that he hehohls
1t from the west or rear which is tho least
attractive point of view When the city
was laid nn, the Capitol was made the cen.
tire. from which ratia,cd numerous broad
avenues. extending almost to the confines of
the "Icriit"rv of Columbia;' and as it was
! presumed that the most thicklv.sctled por-
ti"n OF the city would be on the hill, the
principal facade OF the building was placed
so as TO he presented To that section When
the present and many succeeding genera
lions shall have passed away !; when the
vast extent oft"rritory embraced within the
! boundaries of these United States shall have
been filled up with busy, active, ami ,hriv-
ing populations; when the city of Washing
ton shall have. become. in decd and in truth,
the ce"'re g nighticst nation on earth
-thc no Iour,r be an evil 'rb,.
prorh' 1f the Pater Purio'. looking
along the vista Of the future, saw the wider
ness of the West, where he had hunted the
Red man from his lair, tceming with ponu.
lat'on numbered hv millions; anu in lavine
out the capitol Of that great nation which
he saw mus arise here, AS the result Of free
institutions. he WAS governed by the wants
ot such a people, and his plans were cock
'cnSive. 1t was fortunate for tlla, nation
that to him was left the duty of select
ing the site and designing the plan;
that the partisan spirit which, even then,
had It's influence upon the councils of Con.
gress, did not override tie interests of the
future, an! limit that plan by narrow
minded policy, which shonld ever be cause
Tor regret and animadversion. Experience
has proved already the wisdom of his selec
ton, aud it is notablsssfact that many, if
not most, Of the Improvements in and about
the city, which areEnow being carried into
effect, had their origin in his mind -as, for
instance, the supplying the city with pure
and wholesome water from the Potomac a,
Little Falls. This WAS one Of the features
which probably recommended tile site, ,,and
the aqHeduct now being constructed proves
the feasibility ofthe design
The Capitol at Washington was CON-
menccd in 1893; the corner. stone was laid
on the 18th September .of that year by.
President Washington. But littae progress
was made toward, carrying ou, the original
plans. Accommodation was provided for the
national legislature; but the embargo and
lwassupervening, the work was suspended.
During the war, as is knewn, the interior
Of both wings of. the. Capitol was DESTROYED
,by the British. When Congress met, after
the Rsaie, it t'assembled in private building
proS3ed by the citizens of Washington. I
aT Tl6l5, Congress made an appropri;s-
ton for'rebuiiin.g tie Capitol. The work
was done under the auperintendsnce, first of
Mr~Latrobe, and subsequently, Of Mr.. Bull
finch; itawas completed in 1926 and cost
a sum Of So ,ooo,oeo. -
The old Capitol-as it must now beAeal.
ed-snfffced the Members of Congress for
twenty-five years. But before this period
c;flne to an end, there was general outcrv
for more, room. After much outside debate,
Senator Hunter, in 1850, took the initiative
in proposing that measures be actively taken
for the enlargement Of the Capitol. On his
motion the Committee of Public Buildings
was authorized to advertise for plans for the
work. Some thirty to forty designs were
accordingly submitted. Among these, the
one which was preferrcdby President Fill
more was one from Mr.. C.~F. Anderson, of
New York, whicia obtained the strenuous
support Of the late Daniel Webster.
Strange to say, after accepting Mr.. An
derson's design the President intrustcd the
duty Of carrying it'into effect to another
gentleman, Mr.. Walter. The cornerstone
Of the extension WAS laid on the 4th July.
1851 the orator of the day being Daniel
Webster, whose oration still fingers in many
memories. III 1853 the work, was trahs.
ferred from tIse1uterior to the War Depart
"ent, and Captain Meigs, Of the Engineers,
was.placed in control, Mr.. Walter, the arch.
iteut, continuing toaassist him wil,:hA coan.
sells. The number Of persons Who liaye thus
a'ad tlie mattef in hand has n6t, as.may. be
imagined, cenfipced to uAity. of purpose in
carrying out the work; many changes lave
beer egnade, and expssiihents attempted, at
PC. .sfghtcosts whethertbe result will be