Mr. SUMNER. Very well; now I wish the Senator to be radical on this subject which he has particularly in hand. He, catching a phrase from ancient Rome, says, not that Carthage is to be destroyed, but the roof is to be destroyed. Now, I tell the Senator he does not go far enough; these walls are to be destroyed. The diflicultyis not so much with the roof overonr heads, as with the surrounding walls. This room must be brought to the open air; it must be brought where there can be windows that will look out to the light of day. Through those windows we can bag? a natural ventilation; and as this building 18seated high on an eminence, it is open to the air always when there is any air stirring. I think I do not go too for when I say there is no public edifice in the world which enjo s advantages of site equal to that of this Capitol: If anyone calls to mind the great buildings of London, of Paris, or of Rome, there is not one of them that can be compared in situation with this Capitol. Now, sir, when we voluntarily shut ourselves up in this stone cage with glass above, we renounce all the advantages and opportunities of this unparalleled situation. Let these walls be taken down, and by a radical change this room he brought to the open air. That will be a change that will accomplish at once all in the way of ventilation and everything else which the Senator so anxiously recommends. The proposition is more radical than his; it will be expensive, I fear very expensive, for this building as we all see is built for immortality. unless there is some not of legislation by which it is to be changed this room will continue uncomfortable as it is now for centuries. senators, centuries after us, unless some of us interfere to make the change, will be sittin as uncomfortably as ourselves. Now, sir, I think we owe it to those who are to come after us to initiate the change. I would call attention to 2 things which I think essential. I have alluded alreadyto one of them, and I will now individualize it again. 1st this room is to be brought to the open air by taken down thesewallsaud having Windows that sha I look out to the sky. 2nd ly, and that is not less important, the room should be not more than half its present size. Here we are in this room sacrificed to the galleries. In that respect we are not unlike the combatants in a Roman amphitheater, and here we are engngfd in our disputes to make, not “ a reman holiday, ” but a Washington holiday. It is on the occasion of aconsiderable discussion, or what is sometimes called “ a great debate, ” that these galleries are filled with 14 or 1500 people. I need not remind Senators how little the size of this room consists with the proper transaction of public business. It may do very well for a considerable occasion when some person is to occupy the whole day and to give himself to an occasional speech; but we all know that it is not consist cut with our comfort in the transaction of every da business. l do not know that Senators remember the testimony that was given by Sir Robert Peel before the committee of the House of commons when they were considering what should be the size of that room. He was summoned before the committee and interrogated as a witness is; he was reminded that the House of Commons consisted of 650 8 members; he was then asked what accommodation he thou ht, all things considered, should be provide for the House and specta tors, to which he replied, according to my rec ollection: true the House of Commons consisted of 658 members, but that number was very rarely in attendance; then the number of spectators was comparatively small; on common occasions, upon every day business, even a small house, he said, would notbe filled, and he thought itbetter to construct the new House of Commons with a view to the business of every day rather than with a view to those rare occasions when the House would surely be filled. He said, summing up his testimony, we had better be comfortable every day and stand a tight squeeze on those rare occasions. I think there is a great deal of philosophy in that. I think that the Senate ad better be comfortable every day and every hour of the day, when it is transacting its morning business, when it is considering theintroduction of measures, and occasionally stand a tight squeeze, rather than be uncomfortable every day, as it is through the unreasonable size of this Chamber. I! on all knoyv that when business is introduced or motions are made in a common tone of voice, it is difficult for us to hear them unless we give very special attention, and if there is any interruption.by conversation it is impossible. Now, I submit that the Chamber ought to be of such a sizs that a Senator making a motion in.a common tone of voice, or asking a question in a common tone of voice, would be easily heard throughout the Chamber. I think that should be the rule of the architect. No such rule has been employed; this has been constructed with reference to these spacious lleries, and our daily business, I may say our ddil life, is sacrificed to the accommodation of the galleries. I submit that if the galleries were halfthe present size, containing some 700 witnesses, with the reporter’s gallery which already exists, the whole theory of our institutions would be am ply fulfilled, the public would be in sufficient attendance, and our business would be transacted much more easily and advantageously than it is now. I say, therefore, there are 2 things to be accomplished; one is to bring this room into a smaller space and another is to brin it out to the open air; and in doing that all the object of my friendfrom Pennsylvania would he satisfactorily accomplished. We should have a new system of ventilation which would be complete; it would be a natural ventilation in the main instead of an artificial one, such as be prooses. I avethrown out these remarks as they come to my mind, believing that they are important for the consideration of the Senate, and further believing that it belongs to the older Senators of this body, those who have been the longest experienced in this Chamber, to take the lead in these suggestions. Of course Senators who have recently come into the Chamber will not consider themselves authorized by exerience to propose a revolutionary or a radica change in the room. Itwill be for those who have had a longer experience of the Chamber, and especially for those who have had an exerience of the other Chamber where we were cfore this, to insist upon this change. Why, sir, if it could be done by my vote, I would go back tomor row morning gladly to that other Chamber where the Senate sat for so many honorable years of it existence. There is no one who remembers that Chamber who would not refer to be there than here. For the transaction of public business it was infinitely superior to this room, and then on those rare occasions when there was a large attendance there were spec tators enough; the theory of our Government was amply satisfied, the public were not excluded, and there were always reporters to communicate from tly what was said.