Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-02-19
From Our Regular Correspondent
Washington Letter.
WASHINGTON, D. c., Feb. IS. 1879

NdAAoual Shpttoi haNO nut ouiiSiSi~ SPssSN
for the accommodation of the vast piles OF
books and accumulations Of printed mat
Ter, and for the last four or five congresses
there has been n demand for Il new
library building. The bill providing ad,
ditional accommodation for the books wa:
again taken up this week and the debate
which followed it was interesting and i'm
portant in its suggestion Of a removal far
more important than that Of the library.
Senator Voorhees, said that he thought tho
day was rot far distant when the capital
would be removed to a more central
position.
The capital was established in this ma
larial sink when the population of Tho
United States numbered from five to seven
millions grouped in the states on the
All mite front. Gen. Washington selected
this situation mainly, it is supposed. be
cause it WAS convenient to his country
residence at Mt. Vernon. sixteen mile:
distant. Since the foundation of the CAPT
tai the gravity of population has changed
centre from New England to Ohio, and i
moving westward with accelerated vrloc
ity.
If the basis of apportionment remain.
unchanged, sixty-six members, it is csti
mated, will be added to the House O
Representatives, rs the result Of the mex
census. OF these, eleven are assigned Il
The eastern and middle states, forty to the
western states, and fifteen to the southern
states. The largest proportionate increas,
is found in the case Of Kansas, which
Jumps from II representation of three, tC
one IF seven. California increases from
four to seven, and Texas sends ten instead
of six. New York adds five 10 her mum
ber Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Missouri
Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin scnt
four additional members in each case, anC
the representations of Indiana and Mime
sofa are augmented by two each. On The
suppostion that the apportionment is cor
rect, the elect oral vote in 1881 will be di
vided sectionally as follows Eastern and
middle states, one hundred and twenty
four; western states, one hundred ant
sevenly-thrce; southern states, one hun
dred and thirty-eight.
Those who suppose that the west will
not avail itself ct its preponderating
strength, under-rate its enterprise and
mistake its temper. The argument tha
the capital WAS founded by Washington
and consecrated by Lincoln will have but
little influence upon people who are
growing every day more practical and les,
sentimental, and will be fl: out-weighe,
by considerations OF economy and health
isai1eSe congress would do much NOR,
TO improve the wretched sanitary condi
ton of the capital if it We're not for {;
vague impression of its instability, and Il
feeling that Washington is but little NOR,
than national caravsnsart, and that t,
spend large sums for the improvement o
Il camping place is poor economy.
But there must be fornd y place, ever
though it he bu, temporary, for the b oks
Senator Conkling made IN able speech il
favor of extending the capitol for this
purpose. After adverting to the difficulty
of referring to II library where each book
has TO be rclerre! to separately, he called
attention to Il plan which he held in IN.
hand proposing TO extend the capitol by
adding two wings east and west, which
would give ample room; this plan being
drawn after IL careful consideration and
study Of the grandest piles in the world
including St. Peters at Rome He said
The present building looks like II dome
with building under it, and not like Il
building witha dome surrounding it, The
dome is the building, rs seen from almost
all directions. and has ~ somewhat exlin.
gushing effect. 1t is extensive, it is colos-
sal beyond the demand which strikes the
eye" After describing The wings pro-
posed, their height, general appearance
and utility as rooms for II library. he add
ed: am inclined to think, though, that
lshould not be willing to devote those
lofty and airy rooms 10 q library, but
should rather prefer allowing the two
houses of congress to occupy them. |
would take those bodies out of these two
iron boxes, of which this chamber is one +:
Two iron boxes inside u building, in which
hundreds and thousands ARE kept daily,
Ike rats in IN exhausted receiver. Mr.,
President, there is noted man in this
country (MuletO who still lives, and has
been charged with great offences. If
had the prosecution of that man, one OF
the strongest indictments would be that
under his jurisdiction, inspection and d.
rcction two iron boxes We're made inside OF
Il building, in which men who have worl;
to do, and serious work to do, are kept
coopcd up in great numbers year after
year where they can never see the earth
or sky, or catch II glimpse of anything
flesh or natural. So now, if these wing,
could be constructed (and l don't know
that they cannot beg | would put the two
houses of congress there, next the air, and
where by pulling down or raising win
dows, we could get some circulation such
as nature provides, in place of bringing
in IN artificial air, pumped from among
the cloisters and foundations of the dome.
browning n building on one side of which
the sun never shines, pumping up air, too,
with all the gases in the meantime it
brings along with it to supply this hall
through holes in n perforated floor. am
inclined to think that the comfort and
convenience and the expedition of bust.
ness in the long years yet to come, in
the life of the constitution, and, differing
from the senator from Indiana. | hone in
the life of the continuance of this capi,ol
here. where it was founded in the heroic
days and by the heroic men of the repub-