The advocate., 1897-10-06
ABOUT sTATUARY HALL.


In the Capitol building at Washing
tOn Is hall devoted to statuary The
hall is entered at the south door from
the rOtunda. This beautiful hall was oc-
cupied by the House of Representatives
until the new legislative hall, in the
House extension was completed. 1t is
ninety-fVe feet long and sixty feet high
to the top of it's magnificent painted
dome. 1t has colOnnade of twenty
six massive columns and pilasters OF
the variegated Potomac marble called
"breccia," and wide sweeping arch
1t was designed by Latrobe to resemble
the ancient Greek theaters, and for it's
OrnamentatiOn he secured the services
of number of prominent Italian artists,
among whom were the Franzoni broth
ers, and Valperti and Causici. After the
British troops had partially burned the
hall, LatrObo reconstructed it in finer
proportions, adding the marble columns
and works Of art. 1t was declared 80
perfect and so grand" that a writer
early in the century quantity said, "Its
defects of construction with reference to
acoustics Is a happy circumstance for
the worthy fellowship of fault-fnders,
who would otherwise have to hang
themselves from the galleries in de-
spair." The Congressman who used 1t
found it was badly constructed hall
for public speaking, as 1t had very pro-
voking echoes and at certain points a
whisper scarcely audible to the ear into
which 1t was breathed would resound
over the entire hall.
But with all it's bad acoustic proper
ties, many of the most eloquent and
effective speeches ever heard in the halls
of Congress have been delivered in this
old legislative chamber by renowned
statesmen whose names will live forever
in the annals Of the republic.
Under the arch near the dome is
large plaster figure of Liberty, by Cau-
sici, and beneath it is an American
eagle with Outspread wings, sculptured
In stone by Valperti. Over the main en-
trance Is marble statue Of History re-
cording the events Of the nation, while
rolling over the globe is winged car,
the wheel Of which serves as a clock
This was executed by Carlo FranzOni,
and is known as "FranzOnis Historical
Clock"
When the House of Representatives
removed to its new hall it was sug-
gested by Senator Morrill,, Of Vermont,
then member of the House, that the old
hall should be taken for a National Gal
lery Of Statuary, and that leach State
should be permitted to send the etigies
of two Of her chosen sons, in marble or
in bronze, to be placed permanently
here" The suggestion was adopted and
the States were invited to send contri-
buttons of statues.
The first to respond to the invitation
was the State OF Rhode Island, which
contributed a statue of Roger Williams,
her "Great Apostle Of Religious Free
DOM" and a statue of Gen. Nathaniel
Greene, distinguished soldier Of the
Revolutionary war. Connecticut fol-
lowed with statues of Governor Jonathan
Trumbull, the last Colonial Governor Of
the State, to whom Washington famil-
iarly applied the sobriquet Of Brother
Jonathan" and Roger Sherman, one of
The signers of the Declaration Of Inde-
pendence. New York sent statues Of
George Clinton, Vice President of the
United States In 1904, and Robert J.
Livingston, who, az Chancellor Of the
STATE Of New York. administered tbs