The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1859-01-26
BALTIMORE.
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 26, 1859.

when the New Houses of Parliament were first
opened to the public, and for some time after they
had been in daily use by the Legislative Bodies
for whose accommodation they were designed, the
prevailing impression was, that the style of archi-
lecture adopted and the decorations introduced,
were not sufficiently in keeping with the character
of the building and the purposes for which it was
constructed. The Lords, in particular, complained
that their chamber was much too Gothic and Eccle-
siastical in the style of its appointments and alto
gether too Church-like-in short Itwas impossible
to feel at ease they sad to speak or sit at ease
beneath the shadow of its sombre arches or in the
dim religious Light of its painted windows
The effect Of its rich and massive decorations was
to inspire awe in place of confidence, and to
impose an unnatural restraint upon the delibera-
tons of the House and the freedom of debate.
Laughter seemed almost profane within those SOL
emn walls, and the customary cry of "Hear Hearl''
re-echoed through them with the guilty and sac
religious sound of ''Tally-ho'' among the tombs
and crosses of graveyard In fact, the Peers
felt as if they were all the time in church. and ex-
pected each moment to hear the organ peal, or the
invitation to prayer issue from the Right-Reverend
lips of some Episcopal Member of the House.
Whether their Lordships have since gotten over
these feelings of awe and diffidence sufficiently
to enable them TO transact their business
without embarrassment-we do not know; il is
certain, however that their sessions continue to be
marked by degree Of dignity and decorum which
we may not be wrong, perhaps, in ascrbing in
part at least to the effect of the composing and
restraining influences of the place in which they
are held. At all events, we cannot help regrettng
that similar style Of architecture not adopted
in the CAPITOL at Washington. The effect, both
upon Congressional morals and manners, we
doubt not, would have been highly beneficial.
Suppose, for example, the new Senate Chamber
had been made to look less like bar-room or the
saloon of steamboat and more like Chapel-can
any one doubt that personal difficulties and alter
cations would C much less frequent than they are?
How often does anybody hear of one British Peer
giving the lie to another in debate or of Noble
DUKE pomlnelling Noble MARQUIS, on the floor of
the House? 1t is true, we did read the other day
something about the Duke of BEAUFORT cudgelling
horse-doctor, and calling him many bad names
besdes-but that was upon the race-course at
Brighton In his place in the British Senate, we
are quite sure that the Noble Duke would be
wholly above any such behaviour We have
often been at loss for explanation of the differ
ence in point of manners and good breeding be-
tween English NJ. P's and American NJ C's We
think we have found one 1t is referabe altogether
to the difference in the architectural tastes of Mr.
BARRY and Captain NIEIGs. Had the Senate
Chamber possessed one 1.-THE of the sancti6ed and
hallowed air of the House of Lords, we are conf
aOt of oh L,,-o
It's walls, as is reported to have occurred the other
day IN Executive Session, between Senators
DOUGLAS and FITCH. Men would be ashamed to
fight, and abuse each other like pick-pockets in
such place. They would wait until they were
fairly out Of doors before they would give vent to
their angry passions, and by that time perhaps,
their angry passions would be so far moderated, as
to cause them to refrain from such unseemly
exhibitions altogether. Nay more-by the exercise
of little skill and judgment in decorating the
Chamber, wholesome effect might be produced
upon the minds and consciences of Senators, COM
mensurate with the salutary influence likely to
be exerted over their conduct. If Congressional
manners are bad-Congressional morals are worse
The Ten Commandments and the Golden Rule
appropriately displayed in Gothic windows, or
blazoned upon the WALL might go far to check that
''lust of territorial aggrandsement'' of which our
legislators have recently given such alarming
symptoms. With the Divine injunction not to covet
our neighbors' goods and to do unto others as we
would they should do unto US soemnly
staring them IN the face from above
the Vice-PREsIDENT's or the SPEAKERS chair, Sem
ator SLIDELL and Mr. BRANCH would scarcely have
ventured to introduce such bills as they presented
in their respective Houses on Monday last; nor
would fifty Honorable members that we could
name, have dared to make the speeches which they
are reported to have delivered, since the COM
mencement of the session. Realy-the expert
ment is one worth trying-even at the cost of
building new CAPITOL. If any improvement can
be thereby effected in the tone of our National Leg
isature, and in the department of the men who
compose it, million or two of dollars expended
in crockets and fnias-in lancet windows and
Early English decorations, would not be misap-
Piled Should the experiment fall however, and
the standard of Congressional morality continue
as low as ever the only alternative is to send, in
future, to both Houses of Congress-statesmen and
gentlemen, in the place of demagogues and brawl-
ers.