Washington, its sights and insights [1909]Monroe, Harriet Earhart
History
Washington, its sights and insights [1909]
Monroe, Harriet Earhart
Washington (D.C.) -- Description and travel
The Senate Chamber is 112 feet in length, 82 feet wide, and 30 feet
high. The floor rises like that of an amphitheater; the walls are white,
buff, and gold in color, and the ceiling consists of panels of glass,
each one bearing the coat of arms of a State. Opposite the main
entrance, on a platform of dark mahogany, are the desk and chair of the
President of the Senate, who is the Vice-President of the United States,
or, as in the present administration, a Senator elected by his
colleagues to preside over them when the office of Vice-President has
become vacant. Below the President is a larger desk for the use of the
Secretary of the Senate and his assistants.
The heating and ventilating of the Senate Chamber is said to be very
good. In winter, however, the room seems to be too warm. After an
absence of fifteen years, I find men who have been in the Senate during
that time have aged much more in appearance than their contemporaries
outside.
The mahogany desks of the Senators stand on a moss green carpet, making
a good color combination. The room is surrounded by a gallery which
seats about a thousand persons. This gallery is divided. There is a
private gallery for Senators' families and friends, one part of which is
set apart for the family of the President. It is seldom occupied by the
dwellers in the White House, but often by visiting friends. The
reporters' gallery is over the Vice-President's desk. There sit those
busy, bright men who keep you informed of what the Senate is doing. The
gallery opposite is for the diplomats. It is always interesting to watch
the faces of these distinguished foreigners as they scan this body of
lawmakers. Besides these there are the gallery for ladies, or for
gentlemen accompanied by ladies, and the public gallery for men.
The Senate is the citadel of American liberty. Its great debates have
defined our constitutional rights and duties, and prevented many
violations of fundamental law. Here Clay, Calhoun, Webster, Benton,
Chase, Sumner, Seward, Harrison, Edmunds, Evarts, Ingalls, Logan, and
Wade Hampton, with hundreds of others equally eloquent and equally
patriotic, have stood for the right as they saw it, or sold their souls
for the mess of pottage.
The Republicans sit on the Vice-President's left and the Democrats on
the right. Although differing in ideas of governmental policy, we must
believe both sides are actuated by a love of country.
The world is beginning to expect the United States to be the final court
of appeals in behalf of the lesser nations, especially the other
American republics. It is the Senate's natural destiny, because of its
treaty-making power, to facilitate a better understanding between
nations, to prevent wrongs, to increase commerce, to secure
international peace, and thus to improve the governmental powers of the
world. So will our republic be the bridge over which the nations of the
earth will enter on a period of universal education and modified
self-government.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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