Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1859-01-28

establishment here was due IN large meas
ure, 10 his Influence; il was his wisdom and pru-
deuce that composed disputes, and settled con-
Aietiug titles, ind II was chiefly through his
| personal influence that the funds were provided
to prepare the buildings for the reception of
the President aud Congress.
The wings Of the Capitol having been sufi-
GENTLY prepared, the government removed to
this District, on the 18th of November, 1900.
Or, IS Mr.. Walcott expressed it, left the com
forts Of Philadelphia ssto 60 10 the Indian place
With Abe long name, 10 the woods on the Poto-
mac Twill not pause to descsibe.the appear
ance at that day Of the place where the city
was 70 be. Cotemporary accounts represent it
as desolale IN tbs extreme, with It's long uno-
! penel avenues aud streets, It's deep inorasses,
1 and vast area covered With trees instead OF
houses. 1t ~ enough TO say, that Washington
/ protested the whole plan upon scale Of eentu
ries, and that time enough remains TO fill the
measure Of his great conception.
! Tie Senate continued to occupy tue north
wing, and the Hausc of Representatives tie
south wing of the Capitol untiI the 9th Of
1 August, 1914, when the British army entered
/ the city aud burned the public buildings. This
oecarFed during tie recess, aud the President
/ Immediately convened the Congress. Both
HoGses met 10 q brick bnilling, known as
i3lodges's Hotel, which occupied part Of the
squaEe NOW covered By the General Post OF
Gee. But the accommodations 10 that house
I icing quite insufficient, nunfbeI Of public
spirited .cltizeHs erected more colnmadous
building on Capitol Hill, and rendered IL TO
! Congress: the offer was accepted, and both
! Houses continued to occupy it until the wings
| of tLs new Capitol we're completed. Tbis build
| lug get stands on the street opposite the north
eastern coruer of the Gapitel square, aud has
/ siace been occasionally occupied by persons
4 elnploged in different branches Of tic public
segytss.
j .Da he 9Th Of December, 1919, the Senate
I aszenlled for the frst time in ;ais chamber,
! i7isiea has been the theatre Of their deiioera-
! lions fUf moro than thifiy-nine years.
And now the sfFifes aud uncertainties Of the
past are finished; VIC see aronnd Us Gu every
! sI'lc tdG proofs oi s:4bilsty aud iSAPiU7cuei.t
this Capitol is worthy Of the Republic; noble
! public buildings ;leet the view on every hand !;
4 treasures Of science aud the arts begin 70 ac
cunuIate. As this Ruuas..i8g city enlarges,
; il tesfifes to lie TIsd0m AM forecast th4: die
! ta;ed Tie plan of it. Future generations viii
( oct be disturbed with questions eoncerUiag she
centre oE pop,.iabiJn 0i tergitoTy, since TIC
+ steamboat, the railroad, and the telegraph have
! made communication almost instantaneous.
/ The spot is sacred By thousand memories,
Hhish are so many pledges that the city Of
/ Washington, founded by aim aud bearing bis
reyered name, with its beautiful site, bopnded
by picturesque eminenceS, aud the broad Poio-
mac, and lying within view Of his home and his
toab, shall remain forever the political Cap
toll of the U. States.
1t would be interesting to note the gradual
changes which have occurred 10 the practical
working of the government since the adoption
of the Constitutions; and il may be appropriate
to this occasion to remark one Of the most slfi
king Of them. At the origin OF the govern
ment the Senate seemed to be regarded chiefly
as an executive council. The President often
visited the chamber and conferred personally
with This body. Most Of lis business was trans
acted with closed doors, and II took conlpara-
lively little part in the legislative debates
The risingand vigorous intelects of the couo-
trY sought the arena of the House of Represen
tatives as the appropriate theatre for the dis
play of their powers. Mr.. Madison observed
on some occasion that, beiug Young man, and
desiring to Increase his reputation, he could
not afford to enter the Senate and it Will be
remembered that, SO late as 1872, the great
debates which preceded the var, and aroused
tie country to the assertion Of lts rigats; took
place in the other bFaneh Of Congress. To
such an extent was the idea Of seclusion car
ried, that when this chamber was completed,
no seats were prepared for the accommodation
Of the public; and it was not until many years
afterwards that the semi circular gallery was
erected which admits the people to be witness
es of your proceedings, But now the Senate,
besides its peculiar relations 10 the executive
department Yf the government, assumes its full /
share of duty as co-equal branch OF the Leg
islature; i0deed from the limited number OF It's
mumbers, and for other obvious reasons, the
most important questions, especially OF foreign
policy, are apt to pass Grst under discussion IN
this body, and TO be q member OF it is justly
regarded as one of the highest hoUois which
can be conferred on IN American statesman.
It is scarcely necessary to point out the causes
of this change, or to say that Ii Is concession
both to the Importance aud individuality of the
States, ana to the free and open character of
the government.
In connection to tbls easy but thorough
transition, it Is worthy of remark that it has
been effected without charge from any quar-
ter that the Senato has transcende4 It's eoustt-
tutional sphere--a tribute at once to the mode
ration of the Senate, aud another proof VI ;!
thoughtful men of the comprehensive wisdom
with waicl, the trainers of the Constitution se-
cured essential principles without iuconvenient-
lv embarrassing the action OF the government.
The progress of this popular movement, IN +
one aspect Of il, has been steadily aud mark
ed At the origin Of the government, no ar
ranpements in he Senate were made for spec-7
tators: in this chamber about one-thir,. ct the I
space is allotted to the public, and iu the new /
apartment the galleries cover wo-thirds OF It's
arena. In all free countries the admission OF