The Capitol [antikvár]

Foreword The Joint Committee on Printing is pleased to present this ninth edition of The Capitol, which contains history of the Capitol and the Congress of the United States. Publication of this book was initiated during the 84th Congress by the late Sam Rayburn of Texas, Speaker of the House of Representatives. Then, as now, it focuses on both the Capitol as a historic edifice and the Congress as a living and dynamic institution within our Federal Government. The Capitol, with its massive cast iron dome, commands worldwide attention as the symbol of our democracy. Its construction was begun in 1793, when President George Washington laid the cornerstone on Jenkins Hill, a spot that was described by Major Pierre Charles L'Enfant as a "pedestal waiting for a monument". It was first occupied in 1800, when the national government moved to Washington from Philadelphia. Since those early days, the Capitol has been destroyed, rebuilt, restored, extended, domed and re-domed. The Capitol is the place where Members of Congress meet to form the laws of our Nation, where our Presidents are inaugurated and where the President's annual State of the Union message is given. The great rotunda is revered as the place where deceased national leaders and fallen heroes lie in state. However, in addition to housing our national legislature and other official functions, the Capitol is also a museum filled with artistic and historic treasures. Great national events and past political leaders are depicted in the many paintings and pieces of statuary throughout the Capitol. These are inspiring reminders of our forebears and their contributions to the growth of this great Nation. Millions of tourists from every State in the Union and around the world visit the Capitol each year. The Capitol belongs to each and every one of them as the home and emblem of a free nation. On behalf of the Members of the Joint Committee on Printing, we hope that you will find this publication to be both an enjoyable and an informative depiction of this important national symbol.