The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1872-01-26
CHARLESTON.
The Leg lslaturc and the Capital
RuildinR.

i The Cincinnati Commercial OF thu
25th contains letter from Charleston
correspondent giving the following
pleasant account of matters and thing
at the permanent seat"
4 This is the fourth day the Legislature
has been in session, but they have moi
yet succeeded in doing anything. The
interests Of the State would be bes
served if they would pass an appropria
lion bill and go home. But there is nc
danger that this idea will strike them
or that they would act upon the sug
gestion lift did.
went up to the Capitol to day to SEE
how the law makers get along. The
Capitol is some three squares back
from the main street OF the city. The
street leading to it has some eighteen
inches of mud upon its surface, but az
that is the common coating Of streets
in this country, comment is not required
You will know how it is yourself If you
come here, and if you don't you will lose
a good chance to see mud.
The Capitol building stands back
from the street some fifty yards.
noticed upon a tree near the gate a
medicine sign telling the passer by
whose liver regulator to take. So much
of this valuable information as is iu'
tended for members Of the Legislature
is wasted, as they select liver regulator
to suit themselves. and have it sweet,
ened to order.
The Capitol itself, was built by the
city OF Charleston, and looks more like
modern female seminary than any
thing else. 1t is of brick, built in i'm
proved style, three stories high exclusive
Of basement, with large arched windows,
tin roof, and surmounted by tower or
observatory. Nineteen men out OF
every twenty brought to it blindfolded
would say thatit was female seminary
, if any of the bald heads OF the Legisla
tors were sticking out OF the windows,
they would be taken for professors OF
ancient languages airing their gigantic
intellects.
Invent in the main entrance and was
still more forcibly struck with the
female seminary appearance Of the
interior. | almost expected to see a
side door open and a class Of young
ladies come ont, it would have suited
the looks of the building so We'll. But
from the next story heard the sound
OF the roar of oratory, and knew that
instead Of a structure used for purposes
of teaching,the young idea how to shoot,
it was shooting-oft place Of old IDEAS,
and very stale ones at that
One end of the second story is devoted
to the Senate, and the other to the Low
er House. | entered the Senate, and
noted two small crowds of men separated
only by a light wooden bannister. |
hesitated about taking a position, for
fear of getting into the wrong crowd.
There is nothing to distinguish the Sem
ators from the Spectators. There is no
gallery, no platform, no place for re-
porters, all are on level equality.
A Senator jumped up to make mo-
ton, or do something with a motion
already made, about bill OF two hun
dred and nineteen dollars, that had been
presented for flag STATS. That was
the only thing under consideration
while | was in. 1t will probably be
taken up again next week. 1t takes
the Legislature long time to get
through with short matters, and when
they get hold OF as long one as hag
pole it will be apt to stick some time.
The Senate is small body, number
ing only some twenty-five members.
They look like an average collection o.!
farmers and Justices OF the Peace, who
had put on clean shirts and lett the
endearments OF home for season.
Their compensation is a little money
and a good deal OF honor, enough OF
the former to pay board, and OF the
latter to make them walk with dig
nified Observation-Disclosures" air
1t can never be charged that any of the
members of the West Virginia As
sembly are attracted to the position by
the pay. As paying business, the
proprietorship OF peanut stand, or the
POSITION Of deck. hand on a Kanawha
saw-log raft, is preferable.
Simplicity and economy stick ont all
over the Senate Chamber There has
been no ring work in its arrangements,
and, indeed, the whole Government OF
West Virginia, from top to bottom, is
remarkably free from rings and mer,
cenary combinations.
This has been accounted for upon the
grounds that there is nothing TO steal.
1t seems to me that once heard some
thing about the unsatisfactory result OF
irving to squeeze blood out OF turnip,
not that it has peculiar applicability
here, but l thought l would mention it.
The Senators are warmed by stove
OF the shape Of goose egg, though
somewhat larger, and their feet are
kept from the floor by the sort of car.
petiug material that coffee-sacks are
made of. They sit in plain dining-room
chairs, in front of plain desks, and write
Cd ordinary paper with pens worth three
cents dozen. The Clerks desk is
small family dining.table. The Speak
er's stand is small centre-table with
crooked legs, back OF which is a chair
that was probably borrowed from some
insurance agent or railroad clerk, being
one of those black leather horse-hair
affairs that turn on pivot Upon the
table was dictionary. Bible, gavel
and bottle OF ink, all probably Dor
rowed for use during the session.
The hall of the House of Representa-
tives is room at the other end OF the
building Of the size OF the Senate Cham
Der. 1t is as plainly furnished as a
rural Methodist class room. Nowhere