National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1872-11-28
CONGRESS.
PREPARATIONS FORTS RECEPTION

Parutus - Special Oruameuiatlon-Pro-
posed I.eaIslniIon-Tbe supreme Court
The Rio Grande-The Indian Policy
Appropriation BILLS.
Next Monday the INST day NJ December, the
third and last session Of the Forty-second Con-
gresa will convene. on the 9TH Of March, 1879,
the session will terminate, and 1t is not expected
that there will be another general session Of Con
gress untn December 1873. II Ia stated by mem
bers already here that the session will not a.
sumo much Importance, and that the tarin legis-
latIon will consist only Of some minor amend
ments OF the internal revenue law; however,
after the holidays, II viii bring thousands Of
strangers to the city who have amall matters TO
look after.
During the recess, Mr.. Clarke, the architect,
assisted by Mr.. Clinton Lloyd chief clerk Of the
House, has directed very many important useful
ADD ornamental improvements. On entering the
Capitol, the members will nnd that
THE WALLS or THR CORRIDORS
have heen painted in what Ia called French
gray; the nOOrs all neatly scrubbed, and every
thing wearing new, bright and cheerful ap-
peamnce. The committee rooms have also been
subjected to a rejuvenaton, several Of them he
ing handsomely, hut plainly, frescOed and others
more deliberately adorned The room Of the
Committee on Appropriations has been beauti-
fully finished in a style called the Greclan
ambesque. In the room occupied by the Com
mittee on Military Affairs, paintings Of Fort
sumter before aud after the bOInhariment; Forts
! TomElna and WadswOrth. Forts New York and
Kittery, TTumbull, lafayette, Smelling, and West
! Point, all painted by General Eastman, have
The sPEAEERs ROOM
The Speakers room has received special stten-
| ton. ID has been Ornamented with newly-up-
| hostered and rpyafnished furniture; has ad,ii-
| tional bronze and marble ornaments, beautiful
carpet aud massive tables and rich sofas, and
altogether 1t Ia made as cosy and comfortable as
| need be.
In the hall Itself, the winter carpet has been
| put down, and the desks all arranged in their
! places, after having been reyarnlshed, and
many o. them newly covered. The sofas aroqnd
| the hall are In position and have been made TO
look as good as new. Even the snuf has been
put in the boxes on the speakerS desk.
| HEATING AND VENTILATION.
| The right degree Of heat and wholesome ven
! tilatiOn for the hall has always been q dinicult
| problem to solve, and many complaints concern
Ing the matter have been Justly made o i Is
! has at last been found and that trouble on that
score will cease. Indeed IL Is thought that the
ventilation Of the hall Ia now as perfect as can
| well be obtained. The exhaust fans are working
| admirably Fifty thousand cubic feet Of air per
minute Is their e1hausting capacity, enough to
take the wind out Of Geo. Francis Train. To
| those who have never seen them, these fans are
| great curiosity. They work at the bottom q
! nues twelve feet square, which have outlets In
the space between the ceiling and the roof OF the
| building right over the hall Now, when the
fans are put in motion they create a vacuum In
the nnes, which draws down the impure atmos-
phere and eNpels u thrugh another hue out OF
The heating apparatus Ia now extended to the
\ centre Of the Capitol, from the House wing, and
Of course this has caused the removal OF the old
furnaces that used to be In demand there. Much
new machinery was needed for this purpose, hut
II has all heen put up and thoroughly tested, In
GLIDING new boiler Of the size OF the old four
| A Knowles force pump has been substituted fol
the WorthingtOn pump previously used
THE OLD HALL
] In the old hall, which for years has been made
naIntsrS, and the fTightiul cSricatnreS Of 40
called sculptOra, the COrnlCe has been repainted
aud other improvements made, which give II
rguch more inviting appearance than lt had lasl
year. "
on the Senate side OF the Capitol the changes
and improvements are quite as marked as on th'
other. The carpet, nearly as good a. new, has
been put down again, hut new and splendlt
Brussels carpets have been put down In the NOR,
important committee rooms, and their furnitur,
has been reyarnished and repaired. The desk
In the Senate chamber are all IN place, and every
thing within Il Is In complete and ample Orie
for the session. In
THE GRAND RECEPTION ROOM
much OrnAmentatiOn Ia going on, principally by
the artist Brumidl, who has there an unhnisheS
picture Of Washington, Hamilton and Jefferson
and by next year the panels Of this room will h
onAmented with portraits Of eminent Vice Presi
dents. Mr. MOrans great picture Of the Yellow
stone Il framed, AMI hung over the eastern stair
WY 70 Aht NNhhNt kNllflgs
HELrISG OF TIiE SENATE SIDE.
Registen have been placed 10 the galleries Il
equallze the temperature Of the chamber. Here
tGfOTe In the lobby back Of the chamber Their
has been q tremendous aggregation Of foul air
Il has been necessary to Keep gas burning In th
lobby To furnish light. Perforated plates hayl
been inserted In the ceiling Of the lobby over thu
chandeliers, and alr-ducts have been cOnstructe,
from these TO the nues leading out OF the build
ing. Another hue leads from the heating de
paTtment below TO the space under the CALLER
and through that hot and cold air Il IDrfRf
up to that space, and thence into the chamber
The galleries have always been much hotter thai
the door below, but now these improvements viii
make the temperature equal.
THE REIOHTERs GALLERY.
The reporters have not been forgotten. New
registers have been placed in their gallery, tn,
piasters handsomely reEilded, and the who'll
otherwise Improved. The OficiA reporters viii
occupy the old stat emery room, which has beeT
removed down 70 nrst floor, and the room thel
used to have will be turned over to an unlmpOr
tAnt and small committee.
PROPOSED I.EGfsIATIOH.
In conversation yesterday with prOmlnen
and very intelligent member Of the House, III
following information was obtained. lie salt
the Committee on Appropriations are alroad,
here and hard at WORK on the billa for the mex
nscal year ending June 20, 1879. Before thu
Senate and House Appropriation Committee
more than 1900 hills are pending, and II Is I'm
probable that more than 100 OF them will eyel
THE INDIAN Foley.
Il was stated also that the President will mol
be likely to ask for new Legislation on the In
dian policy, but that a. II stands II Is To be en-
forced to the very letter Of the law. Uenera
Howard and GARFIELD both favor II Is Understood
the continuance Of the employment Of QuaEen
AMERICAN rOSNAGK, Eru.
revival OF American tonnage II much talEel
about by the members, and there can lie llttlI
doubt but what powerful effort VIII be male Il
have Congress do something for 1t.
IL Ii also strongly surmIse,i that the President
will recommend the plan Of the Postmaster Gen
eral for union Of the telegraph and the pOsta
systems, and II IL believed that the Secretary o
the Treasury viii request legislation enabling
him 10 continue refunding the debt Of the Unite,
States, and some legislation for the better pro
t'ctiOn uf the MeNiran border along the RI
GEhde Will probably he effected.
THE sUPREAE COURT.
Il II was also learned that u hill will come bcfOr
7 Congress this winter making u radical change Il
A the working Of The supreme Court, by the bn
II Is proposed 10 create an intermediate cour
pOssesslng the ordinary powers OF the SupTem
argued The Justices Of the Supreme Court ar
to be relieved OF circuit duty, which II to he per
formed by the Judges Of the Intermediate couri
which shall not conatrne any law, bot decid
cases In accordance with constructions place
upon laws by the supreme Court
PRIVATE CIAIMa.
! A great many private claims and special bill
: of relief will lie urged this session, pruminen
Z among which II the French HpOllAtlOn claim
which Is to he revived with all possible force.
= WASHINGTON,
Members Of Congress will md on the Openn
day OF the session a city that has rapidly NJ
yanced In general and special improvement
since the last adjournment. They will nnd cit
! Aens, almost without dissentient voice, hearth
| approving Of what has been done, and only TO
| anxious 10 have the Board Of Public Works Hu'
talned until their great plan Is complete In II
fruitiOn; aud besides, all members Will hnd IN
| citizens Of Washington never so generous an
willing 10 do their part towards building up Oh
Clty, and ln IL endowment Of schools, COllegei
| academies of art and science, and In iu OrnameI
tatiOn with all that goes 10 make public avenue
and streets and reservations grand aud beant
full.
TIIR HIBERNIANS.
Ball aud Flag Presentation.