Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1859-04-27
Congressional UphOlstery.

The Opposition organs are engaged in casting
up accounts for curtains, carpets, towels. combs,
brushes looking glasses SOFAS soap and other arii-
Giles used in furnishing the committee rooms in the
south wing Of the Capitol at Washington. They
charge 1Ir ALLEN, clerk of the House. with pur-
chasing mirrors at 1915, and carpets that cost some
one or two hundred dollars. Our Opposition
friends are perhaps ignorant Of the fact that they
are really lashiDg their party, while they think
they are inficting seTere blows upon the Denoc-
racy.
The Capitol extension was commenced in very
exiravagant style under The administration of Mr..
FlLLMoRE, and the construction of the building was
placed in charge Of Captain MBids, who is a
member of the Opposition, under whose direction
all the expenditures for the completion Of he work
have been made. With what economy and prudence
the matter has been conducted, our readers can
Judge from the following letter which We clip from
the columns of tho Nashville Banner, copied by
that paper from tbs New York Express, the Know
Nothing organ of that STATE:
ssThe New OaPiGoI-COsI, Plans, q.
TCOrrespoadsrx oflEs New York Express
WASHINGTON, May 4, 1858 An official commu-
nieation from the War Department TO the House
Committee on Expenditures on the Public Bald
ings ststes the total cost of the Capitol Extension
from July, 1851 to March 81, 1858, to be s. 263,
S85 At this rate the whole Cost of the Extension
including the dome, will probably exceed six mil
hon dollars This large sum judeiOusly expended
ought TO secure The construction CT an edifce not
inferior to the most superb modern structures OF
Europe.
candid and unpreludicsd critic will answer in the
ba fori 10 all of Fer
resentalves. 1t is emphatically lgRobis. and so
pronounced Yesterday By distinguished artist
who saw il for the first time, and who has exam
ined with critical eye the finest buildings in En-
rope"
This very unnecessary and expensive improve
ment originating under an Opposition administ:a-
ton, and carried on by an Opposition architect, has
already cost the government over four millions of
dollars, and will probably coat as much more before
it is completed. This large sum accordiDgto Oppo-
sition authority has been very iejudiciousy and
extravagantIy expended by the aforesaid superiu>
tendent, and after the Opposition have wasted six
or eight millions on the work. the Opposition them
selves are very far from being satisfied with it..
The new Hall is the work of Mr.. FnLMoRE's ap-
pointee and his own friends admit that he has I'm
ished the room in a tawdry extravagant style alike
offensive TO good taste and to all just ideas Of econ
omy.
The letter copied by the Banner continues.
" The appropriation for the Capitol is exhausted,
in consequences OF the extTavagant expenditures on
the Southern wing The furniture of the House of
Representatives has cost S18,O00-on an average of
SGS per pieoe-as there about 500 desks, chairs
aud other articles About dozen of these are
sofas, which ought not TO have cost more tn an S75
apiece as they far from being superior specs
mems of cabinet work. In q few days Capt Meigs
will eppy for appropriation, unless he prefers
to await the passage OF the general appropriation
bill The Senate Naval Com
mittee Room cost SlO0oO for painting alone.
These desks, sofas, and chairs amounting to the
round sum of 600 were purchased out Of an ap-
preparation of S2270 600 for the capitol extension
made by the opposition House OF Representatives,
of which WILLIAM CULLoN, Of Tennessee was clerk.
We iud on page 800 of the report of the committee
appointed to investigate "the official conduct and
accounts of WILLIAM CULLoM late clerk of the
House of Representatives" the following statement
made on oath b. Capt. MEIGs before said committee
In reply TO question from the committee with ref
erence to the purchase Of cIrpet for the new Hail.
Capt. MEIGs said:
Just before l was to close the bargain, General
il his province TO furnish the hall After some con-
versatiou in which he told me that he had a fund
appropriated by Congress at previous session. out
of which he could pay for this carpeing said that
l had no desire to interfere with what he seemed TO
consider portion Of his duty"
Again on page 8O2. Capt. Macs says:
Gle General CullOml said by rule Of the
House, all matters pertaining TO the furnishing of
the House cane within his province, clerk of the
IF atty nd at I mud gnab
it, l would be interfering with his duties"
CULLoM knew that furnishing houses with two
millions of dollars TO draw on, was a profitable
business, and he made his purchases according to
his means. We find in his account that this carpet
cost the government 50, 4l5,-enOugh to buy a very
Handsome little home for some poor man in the
country He furnished the committee rooms in the
same elegant and luxurious style.
The following little neeessaries were purchased
by General CULLOM out Of his two millions of pubs
lie money for the room of the committee on public
buildings, and at the following moderate prices