Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1859-01-08

whero the city was I" lie. Contemporary accounts
| represent IL dcsolate in the exiromc, with it's
| long unopened avenues and streets it's deep mo-
rasscs. aud it's ynst covered with trees instead
| OF houses. II is enough 10 say, that Washington
projected the whole plan upon a scale of centuries
and that time enough remains to fll tho measure
| of his great conception.
| The Senate continued to occupy the north wing
and the House Of Representatives the south wing
| of the Capitol until the oath Of August, 1914
when the British army entered the city and burn
ed the public buildings. This occurred during the
| recess. aud tho President Immediately convened
tho Congress. Both Houses met in n brick build
| ing known as Blodgets Hotel, which occupied q
| part of the square now covered by the General
Post Office. But the accommodations At that house
being quite Insufficient q number of public spir-
| ted citizens erected more commodious building
| on Capitol Hill, and tcndercd II to Congress; tho
offer accepted and both Houses continued TO
| occupy it until the wings of the Capitol were
| completed, This building yet stands ON tho street
opposite 10 the north eastern Of tho Capitol
| square and has since been occasionally occupied
10y persons employed in different branches of tho
| public service
On the 9th of pccemlcr 1872 the Senate ns-
sembled for tho first time in this chamber, which
| has boon the theatre Of their deliberations for
more than thirty-nine years.
Aud now the strcs and uncertain ios of the past
| are finished we see around us on every aide the
proofs Of stability aud improvement; this Capitol
is worthy of the Republic; noble public buildings
meet the view on every hand--trensurcs of science
| and tho arts begin to accumulate. AS this -four
ishing city cnlarCes. it te-hes to tho wisdom and
forecast that dictated the plan of it. Future gen
ern,ons will not be disturbed with questions con-
ccrning the centre Of population or Of territory.
since the steamboat, the railroad and tho telegraph
have made communication almost instantaneous.
| The spot is sncrcdhy thousand memories. which
| are mnny pledges that tho city of Washington.
| founded hy him mud bearing his reNcred nnme.
with it's beautiful site bounded by picturesque
cmincnccs. and the broad Potomac, and lying
within view Of his home md his tomb. shall re
man forever tho political Capital OF the United
| States
It, would be interesting to note the gradual
changes which have occurred in the practial work
| ing of the government since the adoption of the
Constitutions and it may he appropriate, to this oc
cason to remark Of the most striking Of them
At the origin OF the government tho Senate seemed
to he regarded chiefly rs nm executive council.
| The President often visited tho chamber and CON
ferred personally with this body. Most of its bust
ness was transacted with closed DOORS and il took
comparatively httlc rnrt in the legislative deba
| tcs.
! Tho rising and vigorous intollccs of the coun-
| try snnglt tho arena Of tho House Of Represent
ativrs tho appropriate theatre for the display of
! their powers, Mr., Madison observed ON sonic oc-
cnsion that being young man. and desiring to
increase his reputation, he could not afford TO en-
ter the Scrnte. and il will bc remembered Tint 40
late M 1872, the great debates which preceded tho
! war. and aroused the country to the assertion Of
| its rights took place in the other brnnrh of Con
| grcss. To such nm rxtcnt was the idcn of seclu-
sion carried, that when this chamber compile
ted no seats prepared for the accommodation
| of the public: and II was not until many years
afterwards TINT tho semi circular gallery was cree
ted which admits thc rcorl" Ia be witnesses Of
your rrocccdings. Bur row the Senate, besides
4
of the government, assrin"- its full 'hnre ot duty
as n equal branch u tho l.cgjaintur": indeed
! from til" limited number 1t 1t mrnl rrs. aud for
other obvious reasons, the most important ques
tions, especially. of furcIg policy nre apt 10 pnss
| first under discussion m this body and to he
member of il is Justly regarded ono Of the
highest honors whrh be conferred
! American statesman
| II is scarcely necessary 10 point out the causes
| Of this change. or to say TINT it is n concession
both to the importance nnd individuality Of the
States, and to the free and open character Of the
| government.
In connection with this easy hut thorough trans
ition, it is worthy Of remark that il has been ef
| fected without II change from any quarter. that
| the Senate has transcrndcd its constit utionnl
spherc-n tribute Mt once 10 the moderation of the
Senate, and another proof to thoughtful men Of
the comprehensive wisdom with which the frnmers
| of the Constitution secured essential principles
without inconyeniently embarrassing the action of
the government.
The progress Of this popular movement, in one
| aspect of it, has been steady and marked At
| origin of the government. no arrangements in the
Senate were made for spectators; in this chamber
about onethird Of the space is allotted to the pub
lie, and in the new apartment the galleries cover
two-,hirds of its area. In all free countries the
admission Of the people 20 witness Legislative pro-
cccdings s an essential element Of public conf
dence, and it is not to be anticipated that this
wholesome principle will ever be abused by the
substitution of partial and interested demonstrn-
tous for the expression ot II maurcd and enlIght-
ened public opinion. Yet it should never be for
gotten that not France, but the turbulent specta-
tors within the hnll, awed and controlled the
| French Assembly. With this lesson and its con-
sequences before us, tho time will never come
when the deliberations of the Senate shall be
swayed by the Establishments or the thnnders Of
the galleries. .
| like this crowd of reflections our own past
| history, and of speculations on tho future. The
| most mengre account Of the Senate involves n
| summary Of the progress Of our country. From
| year to year you have seen your representation
! enlarge; time and again you have proudly vel
| coined new sister unto the Confsderacy, and the
occurrences of this day are material and impres
sive proof of the growth and prosperity Of the
| United States Three periods in the history Of the
| Senate mark in striking contrast three cpochs in
| the history Of the Union.
| On the Bird of March, 1889, when the govern
| msnt was organized under the Constitution tie
| Senate composed Of the representatives Of
eleven States, containing three millions OF people
On the 9th Of December 1879. when the Senate
met for the first time in this room it was ccmpo-
scd of the representatives oftweny States con
tanning ninc millions Of people.
To-day, it is composed OF the representatives OF
81 States, containing more than twenty eight mn