The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-05-30
Original Capitol Design.

original CapilOi OeSiSn.
Editor of The Times:
Sir,-In view Of the proposition to re-
model the State Capitol some account
of the origin of the building as it stands
at present may be Of interest
In 1779 the General Assembly passed
an act transferring the seat of govern
ment from Williamsburg to Richmond.
because of its being more centrally 10
Gated and less exposed to hov.1le at
ia cks. In the preamble it is stated that
lit has also been found inconvenient III
the course of the present war, where
seats of government have been so situ-
ated as to be exposed to the insults and
injuries of the publicll enemy. which
dangers may be avoided and equal JUS
tice done to all the citizens of this Com
monwealth by removing the sea OF gov
eminent to the town of Richmond, IN
the county of Henrico. which is more
safe and central than any other town
situated on navigable water Inc act
provides for the appropriation Oh SIN
whole squares of ground. surrounded
each Of them by four streets, for the
use OF the necessary buildings. and pro-
vides for reasonable compensa ton to
be paid the owners of the land taken
for this purpose. A board of five mem
bers was to be appointed by the joint
ballot of both houses of the Assembly.
that should be known as the Directors
of the Publick Buildings" and to them,
or to any three of them. was delegated
full power to select the site. choose the
plans for the buildings. procure the
necessary materials, engage workmen.
superintend the construction and ito draw
on the treasurer of this Commonwealth,
from time to time, for such sums of
money as shalt be wanting; the plans
and estimates of which. shall be Sub
mitted to the two houses of Assembly
whatsoever called for by their joint
vote shall be subjected to their con-
troll" CHenning's Statutes at Large.
Vol. TO- page SD
a site for the capitol was selected on
Shockoe Hill. but temporary accommoda-
tons were found in a. three stored frame
building that stood on the corner OF 14th
and Cary Streets In March. 11s5. the
Directors of Public Buildings wrote to
Thomas Jefferson, who was then repre-
senting the United States in France.
asking him to procure for them a plan
for the Capitol. Mr.. Jefferson was in
high favor with the circle of naturallsts.
philosophers. poets and artists that made
the closing years of the French monarchy
so brilliant. and had just made arrange
merits with Houdon for the statue of
Washington that is now in the State
apitol and of which copy stands IN
the capitol of the United States as one
OF the two statues which each State is
allowed to- exhibit. 1t appears that the
directors also sent him plan that they
had under consideration. but it met with
his disapproval In a letter to Mcssrs.
Buchanan and Hay. dated Paris. August
II. 17ss. writings of Thomas Jefferson,
vol t. page 272, Charlottesville. iS2C.
he acknowledges the receipt of their
letter CT March the goth. and calls
attention to his reply. dated the day after
Il reached him. Dune 15th.) in which he
had said that it would not be practicable
to procure the plans and have than de-
!ivered in Virginia. by the first OF August.
He then says: '1 f1atter myself. how
ever they will give you satisfaction When
YOU receive them. and that you Will think
the object will not have lost by the delay.
It was a. considerable time before | could
and an architect whose taste had been
formed on a study of the ancient models
OF this art: the style of architecture in this
Capitol being far from chaste. I at length
heard of one. to whom I Immediately adj
dressed myself. and who perfectly fulf1lS
nv wishes. He has studied twenty years
in Rome. and has given proofs OF MS skill
and taste by a. publication Of some an
Identities of this country This was Nj.
L
of the antiquities of Nismes, and to him
Jefferson applied for a model OF the
"maiaon duarree." an ancient Roman tenn
ple in Nismes. The Corinthlan capitals
Of the columns were made more simple,
and the exterior changed slightly to ADAPT
it to a plan of the interior that was
drawn by Mr.. Jefferson himself. The de-
Law was not borne with patience in Vir-
.-inia and it seems that the building was
TO he erected without waiting for the
foreign designs. for in a, letter to- Edmund
Randolph. dated September 2otn 100.
Mr. Jefferson says: two days ago. i
received a letter from Virginia. inform
ing me the first brick of the capitol would
he laid within a few days. Pray
try if YOU can effect the stopping OF this
work" He gives the history of the
building from which his design was
taken. and says: We took for our model
what is called the Maison quarree 0i
Nisnes, one Of the most beautiful, II not
the most beautiful and precious morsel or
architecture left us by antiquity IL
vas built by Caius and Lucius Caesar
md repaired by Louis XIV, and has
the SURFACE of all the judges of archi-
lecture who have seen it, as yielding
70 no one of the beautiful monuments
of Greece. Rome. Palmyra. and Balbec
which late travellers have communicated
to US.
The Mans were 1Ol -" d. oed ~ A'hSs'Si D
Hay and Buchanan on January c6th 1856,
with a letter explaining them, and point
ing cut the use to which each OF the
rooms should be put. Fearing that some
other design had been adopted, ne wrote
u,f,er date Of February Sth to James
Madison. and urged him to exert his in
nuence in behalf of the plans procured
Al such pains The letter said: DO. my
dear friend. exert yourself to get the
rl,n hepun on, set aside. and that
adepted, which was drawn here. 1t was
taken from r:G;iel which has been the
adpira ton of sixteen centuries; winch
has been the object of a. many pllsrlmages
"a the tomb of NIahomet: which Will
Give unrivalled honor to our State. and
furnish model wherein to form the
tast, Of our young men. me eftorts SO
enlisted we're successful. and the plans
were adopted.
cHAs. MINOR BLACKBOARD, JR.:
NJ d.