Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-01-16
THE VICE PRESIDENTS ROOM.
One OF the Best Appointed and Fur
nished Rooms in the Capitol.

The VICE PRESIDENTS ROOM.
One OF the Best Appointed and Fur
nished Rooms in the Capitol.
From, tho Washington Post.
Probably the best appointed and fur
nished room in the capitol is that occu-
pied by the President Of the Senate. and
known as ''The Vice Presidents Room
1t adjOins the celebrated Marble Room, in
which visitors to Senators are received.
| and is intended as the private office and
retiring room OF the Vice Pres dent Two
large windows facing north afford a mag
nlucent panorama, embracing the heights
OF ashington, among the features OF
which are the Soldiers Home, Howard
University, and the sweep OF country
! bordering Rock creek, made historic
during the late war by a long
chain OF Qualifications and a canvas
city which was the temporary abiding
place OF hundreds of thousands Of sold
lers. Lace curtains OF an exquisite and
rare pattern partially conceal the bare
outlines Of the window frames, and the
| heavy lam brequns are both costly and
magnificent in design and material. Car
pet OF Turkish combination covers the
/ floor, and its thickness is such that not a
football can be distinguished, no matter
how many persons may temporarily occu-
py the room. Luxurious looking mahog-
any chairs, of a substantial make and up-
holstered IN red leather, similar TO the
fashion so prevalent IN library furniture,
ornament the inches and corners while a
c&paclOus blue clOth-cOvered table is the
central object of attraction. On the COM
Portable leather lounge. which matches
tne chairs and is placed at the left Of The
Nice-Presidents table. Vice-Presi-
dent Henry Wilson, of Massachu-
] .F,YIT 4 l.
rounded by his associates of the
upper house OF the National Legislature.
An open fireplace, in which a blazing fire
of oak logs is constantly maintained dur
ing cold weather, adds to the cheerful
aspect of this apartment, and when the
! heat becomes too intense for the Vice
President Japanese three-winged screen
Is placed in position behind his revolving
cane-seat chair. When it becomes neces-
sary tor night work light is furnished by
drop from the gilt, bronze and crystal
chandelier Just over the table, and from
the same source the Vice Presidents sec
rotary obtains light for his desk, which is
| placed at right angles to the large table
and close TO the window in the northeast
extremity of the apartment.
over the marble mantelpiece is plate
glass mirror, occupying the entire space
| between the two windows, and the top Of
which touches the ceiling. This hand
some piece of decorative furniture is
fianked on either side by bronze figures of
sWOrded cavaliers. and the whole is in
! striking contrast to a simple gilt mirror
about 4 feet long by , wide, which is the
only piece OF antique furniture in the
room. There is history connected with
this mOrrOr, however, and although it
cost a trIfie over $40 when it was pur-
chased in the early days OF the republic,
it was characterized in the Senate cham
Der as "a piece of shameless eXtrava-
gance." President John Adams was the
offender, and he brought the mirror home
from Paris, and eventually had it put
up for his convenience in the
room used by him. At present
this mirror is IN the compartment con-
tanning a stationary washstand, and
its time-wOrn surface was not very fiat
| tering to those who avail themselves of II
for making an attractive toilet. OF all
the handsomely decorated and frescOed
rooms in the Senate wing OF the Capitol
that assigned TO the Vice-President is the
least conspicuous in this respect. The
walls are kalsOmimed white, and the only
relief to the mOnotOny is a single line of
green, not more than half an inch wide.
Visitors to TINS room are attracted by
large bust portrait of George Washington,
said to be the best picture extant of the
Father OF His Country. 1t was painted
by Rembrandt Peale, FOR whom W ashing-
ton sat, and the artist did the subject
simple justice, if the benign countenance
which looks down from the canvas is
any indication Of the character
of the sage of Mount Vernon.
1t is amid such surroundings that
the presiding officer OF the Sem
ate attends to his affairs, and the books of
reference which he finds so much use tor
are handlly arranged in tall mahogany
bookcase, the contents being protected
from dust and exposure by cardinal,
plated silk curtains, and glass doors.
Near the door which leads into the wash
room is placed pillar Of white marble
| surmOunted by a bust ofthe late Lafayette
K. ). Foster, formerly a Senator from Con
necteut, and President pro tenn. of the
Senate. Strangers who are taken into
this room by the Capitol guides are
charmed with interesting but not abso-
lutely historical stories about its former
occupants, and the bust of MIR. Foster has
done duty as the marble presentment of
every Vice President since the lndepend-
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