Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-10-17
ticket In New York. headed by Hi. and
It would warm all Democratic hearts II
Mr.. Cleveland would do likewise, at once.
Tho opSninx Of the state Library.

matter or opening the new HDrary buiiu-
ing. Are we not 10 have some ceremo-
MES on that occasion? Or will the State
officers move themselves and their books
into 1t dry So" az the saying Is?
In our judgment the event will be we'll
worth celebrating. The officers OF our
Commonwealth have been quartered in
the Capitol for about century. but now
many OF them are to give up their old
rooms TO enter into new and better ones
in the library building. Books and papers
with the dust OF hundred years upon
them are to be moved out. too. The
Supreme Court OF Appeals. which has had
naught but a temporary home since Its
courthouse In the Capitol Square was de-
stroyed by fire on the morning or the
evacuation of Richmond. April .. 1865. Is
to have n permanent abiding place there
too. And then We are 10 have a spacious
library hall and annexcs: a splendid fire.
proof home where Virginia's store OF
books and archives may be safely housed
and made more than ever accessible and
useful TO the public, since by concerted
action on the part OF the General As
sembly and our city Council the library
is hereafter 20 be open to visitors from
A. NJ. until midnight instead OF from
3 4. NJ. until =. NJ. as at present.
Are these not things well worth COM
memoratng and rejoicing over especially
as we are 10 have n building OF rare
architectural beauty. erected not merely
within but considerably within the limit
Of the appropriation made therefor by the
General Assembly?
The library building will not be entirely
finished for some weeks or months yet,
but VIC think II is none too soon for those
in charge OF the work TO begin considering
how 1t ought 10 be opened. This. we take
It, is a subject in the province Of tine
gentlemen constituting the Board Of Id
brary Building Commissioners, ard
we accordingly ask their early
and favorable Judgment thereon. 1t
will be a matter OF small cost
and little trouble TO arrange a programme
Of exercises. simple and dignnAd, which
will not only signalze the opening Of the
building to public use, but prove inter
esting and instructive to the people Of
the state.
Let no one imagine that our old Capitol
building is about to be deserted; on. not
at all. The Governor and the Secretary
OF the Commonwealth will still have their
Offices there, and the Senate and House
of Delegates will continue TO hold their
l.,
many years. Neither house OF our
General Assembly has ever enjoyed
the ownership Of a committee-room.
The legislative committees have had
to meet in rooms occupied by
the auditors. Treasurer, etc The need
OF committee-rooms. no less than the
lack of a lre-proof home for the library
has been long felt, and when at last the
General Assembly was able to dispose Of
some unproductlve State property and
it very wisely concluded TO accomplish
both aims in one legislative act. Not
only this, but 1t determined to pro-
vide at the same time a good home for
the Supreme Court OF Appeals and its
valuable library OF law books.
AS we have said, this court met Of old
in the courthouse which stood In the
Capitol Square near where Franklin street
runs into Twelfth. After this courthouse
was destroyed room in the Capitol was
given the court. The putting Of this
court in the Capitol resulted In the dread
full Capitol disaster OF April Il. 1870
in which sixty-hve men were billed and
about 200 wounded.
The courtroom was Immediately over
the Hall OF the House of Delegates, and
n great crowd attended court to hear the
Judges opinion In the case OF Chahoon
vs.. Ellyson, case involving the title to
office of the Mayor Of Richmond. Without
any warning the floor gave way and
dropped the crowd into the hall beneath
When the General Assembly provided
for repairing the Capitol building 1t was
resolved by it that quarters for the Court
OF Appeals should be secured elsewhere.
Just about that time the congregation of
Sycamore church had built what is now
kIOWll tNt StNSillH-SlIteL NHl
church, at the southwest corner Of Grace
and Seventh streets and their old place
OF worship was for sale. This the State
bought, and there the House OF Delegates
met for months. and there the Court of
Appeals was installed and has remained
since the winter Of 1870.
We can very well see should the
State authorities resolve to have a cere-
monial opening Of the library building that
much might be said by properly-chosen
speakers which would be a valuable con-
tributon to our knowledge of the early
days OF the library and Of the Court Of
Appeals. And while there are many rea-
sons favoring the idea we present. there
are none, SO far as wa know, on the
other side. unless. indeed, the trouble OF
arranging and executing a programme Of
exercises be so considered