The National tribune., 1897-08-19
THE NATIONAL WASHINGTON c. THURSDAY AUGUST 49,

end with striking composition illustrative
of War and at the other of Peace. They are
by Carl Melchers, and notable alike for their
strength of composition and power of sugges-
tiOn.-
War is represented by barbaric chieftain,
mounted on a great white horse and crowned
with laurel, returning from his conquest, over
desolate country, his retainers mounted and
on foot trailing after him. Three men carry
stretcher bearing the body of dead warrior;
one Of the soldiers holds leash of blood
hounds; trumpeter sounds the approach.
In one corner woman kneels over wounded
soldierwho has dropped by the way, as woman
has done from time immemorial ever since
brothers went forth to kill brothers.
Peace is the central figure of o religious
procession Of prehistoric Greece. The pro-
cession has halted for the blessing Of the
priest and in the rear a boy leads bull
wreathed with garlands for the sacrifices.
Tablets above the doors and the windows bear
the names of famous Generals of the world
Cyrus, Alexander, Hannibal Cesar, Charles
Martel, William the COnqueror, Frederick
the Great. Charlemagne, Eugene, Marlboro,
Napoleon. Wellington, Nelson Washington,
Jackson, Scott, Grant, Farragut, Sherman and
Sheridan.
No apartments in the new library build
ing are looked upon with more admiration
by the visitors than the two assigned for the
use of the members of the Senate and
House of Representatives, in which the fire.
places alone will cost what many persons
consider a small fortune. Members of Con-
greSS had no reserved seats in the old library.
They had to take their chances, when wish
ing to consult volume, with others at the
generally crowded tables, or have the books
taken to them in committee rooms. When
they wished to consult with that oracle of
literature, Mr.. Spofford, they could only do so
in narrow, dingy alcove. Now they are to
have their own well-lighted and superbly-
| decorated rooms. Hereafter, if they wish to
personally interview Mr.. Spofford they can
go to his room which is also to be very hand
some in all of its appointments.
No attempt has been made at descriptive
writing in this series of articles on the Library
of Congress, only the salient points having
been touched. So noble is the edifice, so rich
in the treasures of architecture, sculpture,
and painting: so symbolic of what America
has done in the single half century towards
| which her attention has been turned to the
fine arts, and so prophetic of what the future
shall be, that one can only beh Id and mar
vel, and repeating the message which was
first flashed across the electric wires from this
vast land of promise to the land of compile
ton, beyond the sea, when the Atlantic cable
was completed, say again: Behold, what
hath God wrought
The renewal of the books in the old Ii
brary has begun, and will require several
weeks labor. Almost all the library force
is employed at this There are AZ classes of
books in the hbrary-history, biography,
America, etc. One class at time will be
removed, so as to prevent confusion.
AS to the old library, there is probably
not another which had so many visitors.
Day after day, except Sundays, might be
seen readers and writers bending over their
work, almost hidden behind stack of books
to which they referred from time to time
Many of the faces of these folks were so often
seen in the reading-room that the clerks
knew them and what they wanted before
they asked for books.
There will be contest for possession of
the old library quarters in the Capitol. The
law passed at the last session expressly pro-
vided that no one should occupy the quarters
made vacant by the removal Of the library
until authorized by Congress. 1t is under
stood that the Supreme Court has an eye upon
the space, and will try to obtain possession of
portion of the room. The Senate and the
House can each find use for the rooms, and
their disposition will probably be settled
by the Appropriation Committees next ses-
sion.