New-York tribune., 1896-12-06
GOSSIP OF THE CAPITAL.
"A o1roRuN OF MEMBERS OF CONGRESS
ALREADY ON HAND.
THE CONGRESSIONAL LIBRARY AND il'
THE ORIGIN OF THE MARINE bAND-
- co,>,r Avn MRS SARTORlS.


THE ORIGIN OF THE MARINE BAND
MRS. GRANT AND MRS. sARToRis'
1,osh,rg.on Dec , (SpeclaD.-There Is quo
rum of both houses Of Congress IN towi' i"u'
% the official roster were called ie" "o"'0
found missing and tie city, which only
short weeks ago was like deserted 'ii'"ee' -
now busy. bustlng centre. II Is happS I'M
FOR the local hotel-keepers. For Gays l"eS ''
been engaged in active preparations io' Wv
cention of the servants OF the peopie
Clark the architect Of the Capitol wh'ci ''' '"'
the recess has undergone extensive rep""s' ""N
in which new lighting. heating ana
,ro,rs has been introduced. announces 'ha'
his work is finished and the Duiiui"e 'O'''
for the Soons. .
carotor Morrill, after his time -honored cus'o'"
~ leaving Vermont before the weather pe0o"''
verv severe arrived early on the scene anu N
been settled in his Washington nome io' SUM-
,yeaks The result of the election. the conp"
,nant NJ reelection by his constituency ""'"
no usual. was without even pre'ehce Vi e'io,
ON bis mart and the CONGRATULATIONS Vi ii''
friends and colleagues on this occurrence nav
been gratifying to him. and the opening VI Oo"
gross finds the venerable Senator IN the pe9' "a
health and spirits. There are some suoJeo'' '
have been before the Senate in which 'he "e'"''.
Morrill, has taken an active interest. Inc '"'e'
n, these is the Congressional Library anu "e eN
nresses great satisfaction at seeing II 30 ne"'''
completed.
For the last two weeks public atteh'Ioi' mas
,oo, occupied with the deliberations of the JONI
,,>,,,.ao of Congress on the library. To those
who have pride in this department OF the "o'-
ions that 1t should be adequate expression Vi
>-,;o,o, ,ntellpence and scholarship. the fac'
A.. &c administration is being Thoroughly III
s,,c,,od and its affairs arranged on a ne"
,acis ,s no less a satisfaction than the peautiu
,,. buildinr Mr. Spoford who mas peeh 'i'e
,,,rarian Of Congress for more than thirty years
having heen appointed TO his present post ~
1,ro.;a.n, Lincoln at the time OF the war; haS
ao his utmost with the means at his corhinai'"
.ra tho Limitations thrown about him. he "oiheu
constantly and with indomitab.e perseverance
for many years for new building lor 'he ''o'"
ond thera is no question thai ne Is ue>o''U " ~
interests but there is much 10 cri''cis' III '''0
practical working of II.
That its scope is so limited. tha' co"'pai"
en- few peopIc enjo. its privileges tha' 'i'e ="
,a,ion of lis books is so circumscripeu ~ Ia"
and that there is no arrangement oS P'"'
~.u,.os,onaance or otherwise by which students
o,sida of the city can beneh by It's BOOKS OF REL
o,srce are matters for regret ana lreque"' 'o''
,nent The work in the copyright department "
,.o,rs behind and the very object OF i's eN's''"0
l. defeated by the absence OF an up-'o-ud'e O
o,oeue or record of copyrights III Is not pos''''.
IN ask at the library concerning 'he 0op'
O hook OF recent issue and receive any H'''
Information on the subject; ana With us "'"''
million volumes the library Is very poor III sum-
denartments Not lcng ago meinoer "a Oo"
gross complained that he sent Tor ana cou'u "o'
e,,.ai, translation of The Cid" and to per-
son entitled tc draw books from the library
.rans,a,,on OF Cicero was refused because there
was only single copy.
7, hoe hoen Mr.. Spofford's boast. and there Is
reason for his pride in this particular 'ha'
hook when called for can be had in much less
time at the Congressional than at any OF 'he lor-
.,en libraries. This is true in some instances
but If must be remembered that the demand loi
hooks in this library in groove, that there
-, hoa, raither space nor conveniences for
s,udv and research in the library and the dust
covered volumes which students ferret out 10
,rove a theory or establish historical fact, as
IN the british Museum and its sister libraries IN
Europe are rarely asked for
That tho circulation of books should be so re-
s,r,cted is very unfortunate. AS the rule stands
now. only members of Congress and their fami-
lies and those persons known to the librarian or
properly vouched for. who deposit Slo are en-
titled TO take books from the library The JOINT
committee has had all these matters under con-
alteration, and it's report. which Will be an IN
terestjng one will cover all points.
naval officer who has the history of the SER
vice at his tongues end. says that the Marine
Rand owes its existence to the eccentricities OF
ore Cap ain Mcneil. who was gallant II pecu-
liar officer in the United States Navy at the be-
ginning of this century. The story goes that
Captain Mcneil. when in command OF the Bos-
ton. off the coast of Sicily. engaged band be-
longing to a regiment quartered at Messna 10
play on his ship. and that when 1t was safely
aboard he sailed away with 1t to America, and
so the Marine Band was acquired
What became of this band Is not written. but
later inst before the War of 1872, another naval
officer OF reckless and venturesome spirit when
cruising along the coast Of Italy. sent boat
crow ashore with instructions to impress band
Of strolling musicians American seamen. This
was done, and the poor stolen Italians were
brought TO this country. President Madison
failed to appreciate the humor OF this escapade'
and ordered the musicians returned to their own
country They were, accordingly. placed on
man-of-war bound for the Mediterranean. but on
the way out this vessel met and captured Brit
ish warship. and. having to return with the
prize. brought the men back to New-York with
her. This victory. perhaps inspired the Italians
with an admiration for the service. for 1t seemc
they abandoned the idea Of returning home. en-
listed shortly afterward. and subsequently were
formed into the Marine Band There is no doubt
some truth In this story. although 1t is not much
more than a tradition. for the early records OF