Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1897-08-16

times that with which visitors have
been familiar. After the temporary
walls have been removed, the entire
chamber will be freshly painted. The
law especially provides that none of
the rooms vacated by the library shall
lie occupied for any purpose whatever
| until authority is conferred by con-
gress. The law library will remain in
| its present quarters, on the ground
| floor beneath the apartments occupied
| by the supreme court.
The departure of the congressional
| library from the capitol building marks
al epoch in the history of that struc-
ture, and it is an epoch which should
stand forth in future history. 1t is an
epoch which marks the growth of this
great republic.
Mark you! The capitol building is
the greatest and most magnificent leg
islative building in the world. There is
no congress, nor parliament. nor reich
stag, nor other parliamentary body in
the whole world which has such
palace. The congress of the United
States sits in the most roomy as well
as the most beautiful building of its
kind in the whole world.
But the congressional library has
grown so that it must be taken out of
the capitol building, and housed in a
splendid edifice erected for that pur-
pose alone. There is a lesson of pa
triotism in this fact.
The proper place for the congression-
al library is in the capitoi building,
where the congress convcnes and as
sembles. The congressional library
should naturally be placed in the same
building with the congress. Anybody,
even those who have never been in the
national capital, will see that this state
ment is correct For concreteness and
homogcneity the congressional library
ought to be close to the congress. Tor
the use of congressman; and therefore
il ought I o be under the same roof will
the congress.
Well, that was thought of by the
original architect Of the capitol; and
he set apart spacious quarters for the
congressional library. As matter OF
fact, in that early day, the architect
was criticised for having devoted so
much space to the library. But he was
a man Of travel and of learning, rs well
us one skilled in his profession, and he
foresaw the literary growth OF this ma
ton. He also knew that the library OF
congress would necessarily contain all
OF the great works of the world; and so
he set aside ample space for the library.
But the world of letters grew more
rapidly than even that astute architect
could foresee. Moreover Abraham Lin
coin appointed librarian who was
verttable book worm. He has read and
digested more books than any other IL
brarian in the world. Therefore Lii
brarian Spoford has omnivorously
cullcd from the worlds literature the
best and most valuable children of the |
brains of the greatest thinkers and |
writer's of all generations. Conse- |
quently, the congressional library grew
and waNed strong, until it was finally |
Eampered for elbow room. Librarian |
Spotford, for ten long years, begged the
congress to give him a new building. !
At last with the aid of two great men,
Senator Morrill,, of Vermont, and Sen
.ator Voorhees,, of Indiana, he succeeded
in securing the new building for the
congressional library. The congress. |
like the people of this country, may be |
slow; but the congress, like the people. |
does nothing by fractions. When new
library building was finally projected,
the congress was liberal and prodigal. !
The congressional library is now being
moved into the most beautiful building
ever erected by mortal man. Not even
the hitherto peerless Taj-Mahal, of the
| Upper Ganges, can vie-with this new
building in magnificence and beauty.
SMITH D. FRY.