Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-12-09


and look as II they had done service i'm
Jersey bar rooms fifty years ago. To fill
the panels with uniform paintings Of the
nomists would stand aghast. Indeed, their
gorge arises when they reflect that once
every two years the House Is newly car
peted. The wall of the chamber beneath the
galleries is dirty. and the frescoes and cary
ings need attention.
The leather sofas in the back of the hall
and in the cloak room shine with age and
use. and the chairs are patched and Grip
pied. AS the member from North Dakota
remarked. the chamber itself is simply
ceived comes through a glass ceiling. This
ceiling has the coats of arms of many
states in colors- None of the states admit
ted in the last ten years are represented.
Case of shabby Genteel.
When a person enters the variety theaters
In the Bowery or elsewhere he always finds
chairs with leather cushions and easy
backs. When diplomats, clergymen. ladies.
workingmen and others visit the galleries
of the House Of Representatives they sit
upon hard, uncushioned benches with
straight backs, showing a woeful lack of
paint and comfort. Yet there is gorgeous
ness in the hall A great golden eagle pro-
jects from the reporters gallery behind the
Speaker, with dusty American nag in his
talons. Then there is a gilded magnificence
and a mirrored vista in the Speakers lob
by behind the chamber. His desk is ideal
and regal being made of the purest Italian
marble. At its foot sit the stenographers
of the House. Above them in the first
marble tier are the reading and tally clerks.
SurmountIng all sits the Speaker in an easy
chair armed with an ivory gavel. There
are also frescoes in the lobby that might
we'll grace the home of Vanderbilt or
Aston Yet even this gorgeousness shows
a lack of care and attention. The golden
eagle has lost his freshness and looks as
though he had received the siftings of an
ash heap. If alive, he would dash direct
for the Potomac in search Of bath. The
frescoes need retouching. and the tiled floor
in the retiring room ought to be Overhauled.
Many of the expensive colored tiles are
cracked and broken and should be replaced.
The bronze private stairways, marvels of
workmanship years ago, are badly mutt
lated.
SO much for the condition of the hall of
the House of Representatives Observant
visitors might overlook what has been de-
scribed. Their attention is attracted to
the members. and very few inspect the
hall. The first object to attract their atten-
ton outside of the Representatives is the
mace of the sergeant-at-arms. 1t always
occupies a malachite pedestal at the right
of the Speaker when the House is In Ses-
sion. AS soon as the Representatives go
into the committee of the whole the mace
is withdrawn from the pedestal. This in
strument is curiosity. The pages call it
1.-The Speakers goose" 1t is a Roman
faSces SurmOunted by silver ball not
quite as large as the crown OF derby hat.
A silver eagle is perched upon the ball.
When members are turbulent, and refuse
TO come 10 Oruer on tne call OF the speaker,
the sergeant-at-arms seizes the mace with
both hands and carries ii among the
wrangling groups They recognize the
symbol of authority. and silently resume
their seats. No one has ever defed the
serseant-at-arms when bearing the mace.
Even in the most turbulent scenes in the
Fifty-first Congress. Speaker Reed could
always bring the House to order by direct
ing the sergeant-at-arms to carry the
mace among the members. This mace
was made during MOnroes administration,
and has been in service nearly seyenty-hve
years.
a Cheese-Paring Policy.
Economy in the House is hardly a
synonym for cleanliness. 1t would be easy
at a little extra expense to keep the hall
bright, healthy and clean. 1t is now swept
and kept in order by the BARRIERS. the cloak
room and other servitors. These men are
always in attendance upon the sessions.
Ii the House remains in continuous session
for days and nights, the BARRIERS, cloak
room attendants. boot blacks and others
are kept at work. When the House adj
journs, however, these attendants unlike
the members cannot go directly to their
beds. They are turned into the hall with
brooms and mops and are set to work to
clear away the litter. They must wash
the cuspidors, dust the chairs and desks,
and do much routine work. And all this
for 5000 year.
The Senate has special employees to keep
their chamber clean. In their wing of the
Capitol everything is neat and in order,
presenting the strongest contrast to the
wing occupied by the House.
The first speech made in the hall of the
House came from the lips of Sunset Cox
1t was his maiden speech. delivered on De-
cember Ii, 1851. With other members of
the House he marched out of the old shad-
owy chamber into the new hall. Mr. Cox
describes 1t thus:
THE scene is intense and of rare dramatic
quality. Around sit the members upon
richly covered oaken chairs. Already ar
rayed upon either side are the sections in
mutual animosity. The republicans take
the left of the Speaker and the democrats
the right. James l.. Orr of South Caro-
lima, a full roseate-faced gentleman of
large build and ringing metallic voice. is
in the chair. James G. Allen of Illinois
sits below him in the clerks seat. Rev.
Mr.. Carruthers offers appropriate and
inspiring prayer. a solemn hush succeeds
the invocation. After some legislative rou-
tine the members retire to the open space
in the rear to await the drawing of seats
A page with bandaged eyes makes the
award. One by one the members are seat
ed Then, by the courtesy of the chairman
of the printing committee. Mr. Smith of
Tennessee, young member from Ohio is
allowed to take the floor. He addresses
the Speaker with timidity and modesty
amid many Interruptions by Humphrey
Marshall. Thomas ). BOcOck, Judge Hughes
George w. Jones and Gen. Quitman each of
whom bristles with points of order against
the speaker. But that young member is
soon observed by quiet House. Many
listen TO him, perhaps to judge of the acous-
tic qualities of the hall, and some because
of the nature Of the debate. And then
after a few minutes, all become excited
Again and again the shrill tones of Speaker
Orr are heard above the uproar. He ex-
claims, This is a motion to print extra
copies of the Presidents message. Debate
on the subject is therefore in order upon
which gentleman hos
floor"
Cox's theme was the Lecompton constitu-
ton. The House was in great commotion
and the first opening of the chamber was
signalized by as bitter debate as was ever
heard in the years following.
Such was the first speech heard in the
Hall of Representatives.. If one could fore
cast the future and describe the last speech
that will ever be heard in the same hall
1T would excite far more interest.
AMOS J. CUMMINGS
The Tables Turned;