The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-01-06
NEW Y0RK'S OLD CAPITOL.
THE HTSTORTC BUILDING THAT rs TO
HE tBtNDONED MORROW.

wal. that Have Echoed Fnuou, Voices md |
1ould Ter strange Tales some OF the |
N.mc. Associated with the old EdInce |
a, the Head Of state street. Albany.
Atp,Ny Jan 4-On Tuesday the Senate |
,rd Assembly will turn their backs on tho old |
sute Capitol mt Albany. and convene for the
prsi time in the far more imposing. though |
=. incomplete. now Capitol. This exodus from
Nh, ancient TO the modern awakens recollcc-
lions of tho many eminent men and important
events that have played their parts during the
mast throescorc years and ten in the venerable
,J.Gce which is now passing into history.
The old Capitol is landmark in the annals Of
Now York. Though. to our cultivated taste. it
is tho iarthcst remove tom stately struc-
turc il oomed NJ grandly before the eyes OF
ouraurest0rs when New York ranked rs the
fourth State in the Union. md its representa-
tom I'm Congress was just equal TO that Of Massa-
chusctt- and only double that OF South Caro-
Ina. The territory stretching west from the
saline springs Of Onondaga to tho cataract Of
Niagara was then little better than n wilder
ness Syracuse and Rochester and Buffalo
were not even dots on a map. Tho genius Of
Roter Fulton was graphing unsuccessfuly
with the problem Of steam navigation on the
Hudson. The remote possibility of n canal
from Lake Erie to tidewater was dim dream
otDe Witt Clinton. while railway for carrying
passengers and freight ut low rates by steam
uower had never been born Of tho widest imng-
nation.
In those days tho Dutch burghcrs who used
70 come down the Valley Of tho Mohawk to Al
b,ny their sleighs loaded with wheat. ready for
shipment TO the Manhattoes in the early spring.
looked with wondering eyes upon the new Capt.
tol "a; the head Of State street. and no doubt
thought its brown stone walls and fluted marble
Al.
scales. was a specimen OF architecture above all
Greek. above all Roman fame. They heard
with amazement that its erection had cost
Il06ss42.
Well. it was a stately structure for tho times.
There were probably not half dozen other
buildings in the state constructed Of brown
stone while q marble building was not then
dreamed Of. 1t WIS one Of the most imposing
ed.nces In the Union Those who would decry
the handiwork ~ our fathers must remember
that doom years after Its capstone was laid
the whole country went into ecstasies over that
architectural paragon the City Hall of New
York.
THEN AND NOW.
Marvellous changes have occurred in our
State since Daniel d. Tompkins first sat in the
Executive Chamber OF the old Capitol. Our
population was about three iourths Of a mil
lion. II is now upward OF i've million. Our
electoral vote then was l9-thc same rs that Of
Massachusetts-whie that Of Virginia WAS "a.
aud Of Pennsylvania 20. Four years later we
gained the ascendancy. and have ever since
ranked as the Empire state; and now We have
three times as many members Of Congress as
Massachusetts, and nearly three times as many
a. Virginia and West virginia combined.
Perhaps the great men who have figured in
the old Capitol attract our attention even more
than The wonderful growth OF the state during
iae seventy years Of is existence. II will be
Of this sketch. verdant youth from remote
Now England hamlet. spent day in Albany
uen known rs THE far West" He had never
seen State House. Legislature. or Governor.
straggng up the hlll his oye fsrl upon the
Capitol. Pictorial Biographies not having then
been discovered ne supposed THIS was the grand
iery yS Of the Assembly and listened TO the rapid
call of the roll by the sonorous voice Of Edward
Livingston. he regarded him as modern De.
between a dark-sknned man in the chair and
ared-faced man on the floor, He was told that
The tawny man was Samuel Young. the Speaker.
and the horid man was Gen Eristns Root. A
tan. handsome gentleman near the fireplace. clad
IL an elegant bottle-green coat, with glistentng
gilt buttons. made a short speech. This was Fran
CHS Granger. The visitor somehow got into the
senatr a Peni up ro S with heavy portrait
bill for constructing State road along the
southern tier OF counties, as an OFFSET to The
Erie Canal. then Just completed. He happened
T. stumble into what proved to be the Executive
Chamber. A large gentleman was discoursing
Lafayette. which adorned the wall This was
tn Governor The youth had been trained I'm
tn belief that Governor must needs be- mag
fl,s the measure Of his imagination.
More men 81 Ceminrnce nave PLAYED theii
Zee in the country except the Capitol at Wash
ingion.
Twenty-Five Governors have sat In its EN
ecuf.ve Chamber. Cherishing fondness ioi
the good old ways Of the fathers. the present
Governor will remain in the building TIL IN
close II his term. None Of his Predecessor
VINO Occupied those apartments exhibited .
fo T ths beRet of the Whole people than Lue
lt,bpson. One OF these predecessors, Martl
Ntn Buren, became President Two, Daniel J.
Tompk ms and Mr.. Van buren,. were Vice Prest
dents. the former through the eight years ad
niuisirntion of Monroe. while De Wit Clinton
H0ratio seymour and Samuel j. Tillen hav
hsen candidates OF their several parties Tor Ia
The State hns been wont 10 conyert her Gov
errors into Senators in Congress. Clinton, Iai
Buren,, Marcy. Wright. Dix. Seward. Fish, Nor
gan. and fentOn, received this honor. Clinto
AMI Marcy were in the Senate for only brie
periods. Van Buren,. Wright and Seward wer
ton. standing in the foremost rank rs leader
IN debate and in council when the chambe
shone with respendent talents.
VAN buren, Marcy Seward and Fish were Il
lhe State Department At Wash ngton twenty
Two Years. Marcy and SEWARD managed on
i?reign relations with skill at critical periods
Marcy was Secretary OF War during our con
nt with Mexico, and Dix became Secretary o
The Treasury when Howell Cobb threw up til
seals 70 Join in the rebellion.
In speaking thus particularly Of some OF IN
Governors who have sat In the old Capitol. II
not Intended to leave room for the lnierenc
worth.
But perhaps il is in tho legislative halls
the venerable edfce. rather than in its Execu
hyc Chamber that We must look for the me
who moulded the measures that have contrib
Pei so essentially TO the growth, grandeur. an
glory Of the State for tho past seventy yeari
W. can barely name the most conspicuous
Ilese measures and men.
NOTABLE LEGISLATION
Our canal system originated in the old Can
loL When rs corner stone WIS dedicated Wit
Imposing ceremonies central New York WI
sptrsoy settled. ami the whole territory Of tl
State west OF Seneca Lake WAS comprised in tll
counties oi Ontario and Genrsec. Natures Nv
outlets % the ocean for the flood 81 waters !
the great Northwest are the VI 80 ssippi and IN
81. Lawrence. whose mouths lie 5000 mile
apart The keen eye Of De Witt Clinton sa
hAt the only break in that chain Of mountain
which impeiled this wide separation Of ia
waters % the Northwest in their search for I'll
atlantic was through western and central Ne
fOrN and Town tho valley Of the Mohawk an
4" conceived tho grand idea Of an artill IL
channel from Lake Eric t. tide water on t
HUDSON. The Legislature caught the inspire