The Republican journal., 1876-02-17

hall. sit Tom. Dick and Harry-the rag
tags and loafers of Washington and vicin
ity, whom Cox denominates the "lazza-
roni' of the galleries, and who help along
the proceedings by their frequent admir-
ing applause.
And since | an in the descriptive busi-
ness, may as we'll 60 on and tell you
that under these broad, massive galleries
are cosy little apartments known as cloak
rooms, prettily carpeted and glowing with
bright open fires of white oak, (the Gov
ernment never purchases anything else
with which to warm its feet, no matter
how it may look out for it's stomach)
where legislative dignitaries hang their
hats aad coats, smoke, lounge, talk and
mediate Outside these galleries and
cloak-rooms, across spacious, roomy cor
ridors. are a portion of the various com
mttee rooms, the remainder being in the
story below, all fitted and adorned in the
most magnificent manner possible, with
every convenience and luxury of well-ap-
pointed libraries, with the richest, thick
est carpets underfoot, costly paintings,
rich trescoes and statuary i'll every direc-
ton, carvings and mouldings in bronze
and marble at every turn These, all re-
produced in similar magnitlcence upon
the Senate side, together with the almost
numberless other grand works Of art
scattered about this magnificent capitol,
makes it place where one may go for
days and days, and always find some
thing new to study and admire, and be
only able to describe in detail by multi
piled pages Of manuscript In addition
to all these surrounding splendors, the
comfort and convenience Of Congress
men, newspaper correspondents and Wis
itors are further provided for by tee-
graph offices, restaurants, bath rooms.
barber shops, and elegant reception and
Wating-rooms
The richest and by far the most beau
titul of the reception rooms, is that deyot-
ed to the use of the President, whenever
he visits the capitol. 1t is one of three
large rooms, known as the Presidents
room, the Vice Presidents room, and the
Marble room, on the north or Senate end
of the building, and separated from the
Senate Chamber by Il wide, richly fur
cd bn l0I
by. The outlook from this room is not 50
fine rs from many other portions OF the
capitol, and almost the only object of in
terest to be seen from the deep, lofty
windows is Edgewood, the residence OF
the late Chief Justice Chase Inside
everything is on most magnificent and
effective scale. y costly velvet carpet Of
richest crimson hue, bordered with pat
tern of trailing vines and darker crimson
and oak, covers at present the beautifully
tiled floor; deep. luxurious chairs and
sofas of crimson Turkish leather are scat
comfortable repose; curtains OF rare, rich
lace, draped and shielded by folds Of
heavy silk damask in the same prevail
ing, warm, reddish tint, fall gracefully
from ornate cornices to the soft and dain-
ty carpet beneath; ponderous chande-
her, gorgeous in bronze, gilt and glass,
depends from the ceiling rare ornaments
furnish the table and wide marble man
tie; the whole reflected back again in
added brilliancy and beauty by three full
| length, magnificent mirrors, set like pan
els in the walls. The walls and ceiling
ings and trcsco, all the work of Brumidi,
who has grown old and gray in the task
of decorating this grand and magnificent
building; nearly all the paintings and
trescoes, from the great allegorical repre-
sentation in the lofty doom to the wreath
ing vines that embelIish the supporting
columns on the lower floor, being the de
sign OF work Of his hand For the allie
gorical frescoes in the dome he received
$50 900, and | do not know how many
more thousands from time to time ior his
other efforts, and yet it is said that he is
as poor in this worlds goods rs when he
first began. At present he is engaged in
embellishing panel Just beyond the door
of the Senate Committee on Military
Affairs He is q fine, erect, venerable
looking gentleman, with snowy hair,
and bright eyes that look sharply but
pleasantly at you from behind sheltering
glasses Two irescoes in which he takes
especial pride are to be found i'll the
arches of the room devoted to use of the
Senate Committee on Military Affairs,
one representing the Boston Massacre of
177O, and the other Washington ut Val
ley Forge, with Il l-length figure of
Washington in the foreground, with La
Fayettc on his right and Greene on his
left. These frescoes Of figures are done
from portraits, and are said in nearly all
instances to be correct likenesses. All
these ornamentations, together with the
many costly paintings and other rare
works of art. make the capitol of the
United States one of the most interesting
Of structures, and one of which every
American has reason to be proud