St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1859-01-27
st. Charles City, Iowa, Jan. 81, 1859.
The Old Senate Chamber.

The Old Senate Chamber.
On Tuesday, the 4th of January
the vacation of the old Senate Cham
Der in the United States Capitol a
Washington, and the removal of tn,
Senate to the new Hall, were the oc
caslon of very interesting cercmo
MES. Despite the inclemency of the
weather, the gallery was thronged
with ladies, and the floor of the cham
Der crowded by members of the House
of Representatives. Precisely at l2
the Nice-President gave the signal OF
order prayer was offered and the
journal read. These formaltes being
finished, the report of the committee
OF arrangements was presented
Mr.. Crittendcn then arose and on
moving the adoption of the report,
adverted in an eloquent and impress
| slvc manner to the associations Of the
hall which the Senate were about to
abandon. The parting from this Cham
Der, he thought, was an event of much
solemnity. Many associations, many
of them pleasant and proud ones, bind
us to this Chamber. 1t has been the
scene Of great events. Questions of
the American Constitutions, questions
Of great national import, questions of
peace and war, have been debated in
this Chamber Great men have been
the actors. Within these walls he
had seen men whose name and fame
had not been surpassed in Greek or
Roman history. Here he had seen
Clay, Webster, Calhoun, Lee, Wright,
and others. They seem to have left
on these very walls the impress of
their fame-this majestic dome yet
seems to echo their voices. There are
others, too, whom he would not dcsg-
nate, for they had not yet fulfilled their
political services, but whose names
are in NO danger of being forgotten
When Senators remove to the new
chamber, they will carry with them
the inspiration of their illustrious pre-
decessors-thcy will leave behind
them no iota of patriotism or attach
ment to the Constitution these, our
household gods, are carried with us
The new hall will be the scene of the
past. There they will ever remain,
the Senate of the United States-thc
great rreservative body Of this great
nation-conserving the sovereignty
of the States and the integrity of the
Union.
The question was submitted, and
the report accepted by unanimous
vote. After announcing the result,
the Vice President addressed the SEN
ate, giving historical sketches of Con-
gress at the various seats of govern
ment until its location at Washing
ton. He then narrated the burning of
the Capitol by the British army, the
assembling thereafter Of the Congress
in Blodgett's Hotel, on the site now
occupied by the General Post Office,
and finally the assembling in 1919 in
the present building. He then went
into an interesting comparison of the |
character of the Senate in the early |
days of the government and now.
Then it was almost wholly an cxecu-
tive body, and much Of its business
was transacted with closed doors.
The President often took part in the
debates, and it was not for many
years that galleries were provided for
spectators.
He spoke of the great mission the
nation has fulfilled, and is destined to
fulfil urged upon Senators a due ap-
probation of the responsibilities rest
ing upon them and reviewed the
career Of the great dead,
whose achievements and services in
that Chamber illuminate our history.
The address has been the subject of
universal and enthusiastic applause.
In the selection of its topics, the finish
of its style, the effect of its more i'm
passioned passages, and the grace and
dignity of its elocution, it was indeed
an admirable performance. It's i'm
preston on the audience was very
conspicuous. We copy the perora-
ton:
The Senate is assembled for the last
time in this chamber. Henceforth it
will be converted to other uses vet
it must remain forever connected with
great events, and sacred to the mem
ories of the departed orators and
.tatcsmen, who have engaged in high
debates, and shaped the policy of
their country. Hereafter the Ameri-
can and the stranger, as they wander
through the Capitol, will turn with in.
stinctive reverence to view the spot
on which so many and great mate
rials have accumulated for history.
They will recall the images of the
great and the good, whose renown is
the common property of the union
and chiefly, perhaps, they will linger
around the seats once occupied by the
mighty three, whose names and fame
associated in life--dcath has not