Public building that has hosted the oldest elected lawmaking legislature active in the western hemisphere today. In terms of architecture, since we are the First AmericanState Capitol to open after the revolutionary war and since we are the first monumental roman temple style public building in the modern era its influence on other State Capitols, county courthouses and public buildings that are very famous in washington, d. C. , cannot be underestimated. I have heard an architectural historian describe the iconic government buildings in washington, d. C. , as the sequel to the virginia State Capitol back here in richmond. Well, we started off with our First Political center at jamestown, which is the oldest English Speaking settlement in north america. And that was used throughout the 1600s. There were multiple buildings, public and private, used for government meetings. When we moved to williamsburg we built a capitol in the english colonial tradition which burned down in the middle of the 1700s and we rebuilt a second one. It was the second capitol in williamsburg that we left behind when we moved here to richmond during the revolutionary war. Interestingly, mr. Jefferson, who had introduced the bill to relocate to richmond, when we moved here he was he serving as governor and oversaw the process. The primary author of the capitol was thomas jefferson. When we were getting ready to break ground for a new public building in richmond in 1785 jefferson had left state service and was our American Ambassador to france. He was living in paris. Nonetheless, richmond authorities reached out to jefferson in 1785 asking for his help as an absentee advocate for a properly designed Capitol Building. He turned to the architecture of antiquity. He was fascinated by the temples of greece and rome. In paris he was able to meet and collaborate with a professional french architect who was a published authority on roman antiquities. They got]a z together, and i lio think of jefferson as the author of our original Capitol Building and the architect as the editor. They looked to a building in the south of france. When jefferson was planning the virginia State Capitol to look like a classical monumental roman temple, he followed the advice of people who studied the architecture of antiquity and he put the capitol on top of a major hill. It became, by design, the centerpiece of our city, likely the first thing you would see that would make an impression on you would be this civic temple on the hill. It faces south with a great view back in the old days of the james river. And the front of the building has eight ionic columns, they are over 40 feet tall. It has a triangular pediment and a substantial portico. In the words of one architectural historian, the south portico is like a frontists piece to all virginia. The records are incomplete but we know in the course of the 13 years of construction there was a combination of free labor and slave labor involved in making the capitol. Skilled and unskilled workers. Local artisans and traveling itinerant artisans, some of whom, after working on the virginia capitol went to washington, d. C. , and began work on the subsequent United States capitol. When you have a really Good Building thats accumulating important history and has important people and events associated with it you dont give up on the building. For over 100 years we used the capitol as first built. It was a rectangular roman temple style building with the south portico of the by 1984 we realized it needed renovation. It was too small for 20th century purposes. Rather than give up on the building what we did was gave it a new roof. We gave it monumental front steps, leading up to the south portico and we added to balancing, classically styled wings. The west wing became a senate wing and the east wing became a house wing. We are presently located in the 1906 era Entrance Hall. Before the 21st century, the general public could come up the exterior front steps onto the portico, enter through double doors in front of me and walk down this Entrance Hall and be greeted by none other than George Washington himself standing lifesize, meticulous marble masterpiece placed here in the center of the capitol back in 1796. Its the only fulllength statue of washington that he personally posed for. It was shortly after the revolution. He was 53 years old. He had voluntarily resigned his military powers to go home to private life on his farm. The statue that visitors see today is the most accurate depiction of George Washington available. Inside that room where you see George Washington are marble busts of the other virginia born president s. We have a total of eight. We have a surprise guest. This is an additional statue of a Major General in the American Revolution fighting on our side against the british. A french volunteer. We have a pediment style, temple style aline roof. Once you are inside the building and enter the hall of president s and you look up, you discover a dome, which is what you had been expecting all along. The dome inside our building has an oculus or a skylight. Directly above that dome skylight above it is an additional skylight on the outside roof. We are now inside the old hall of the house of delegates, usually referred to as the old house chamber. This room is filled with memories, rich and rare. And its also filled with statuary that honor americans and virginians, prominent legislators. Executives, leaders. Military commanders, scientists, inventors, so on. In this room, this is where the public pulse of the capitol first came to life in october of 1788 when the house of delegates convened here. For about 116 years this was the historic setting for great debates and defining decisions that would shape the destiny of virginia and influence the history of the United States. The virginia State Capitol and the constitutional of the United States were born in the same year, 1788. The constitution is just a few months older than the virginia State Capitol. The American Revolution put richmond on the map as a new capital city for a new commonwealth. In 1861 the American Civil War put richmond on the map as a new National Capital for the Confederate States of america. Virginians took a long time to decide whether or not to secede from the union and subsequently join the confederacy. We are actually standing in the room where virginians ultimately changed their minds and voted to secede from the union. Once the decision was made the Confederate Congress was brought to richmond from alabama, and for the next four years between july of 1861 through march of 1865 the virginia State Capitol was multitasking. It hosted not only the ongoing meetings of the virginia General Assembly and the activities of our state governors but it also hosted simultaneous meetings of the Confederate Congress. Well, the American Civil War came to a dramatic end in virginia right here at richmond in spring of 1865. The confederate government decided on the 2nd of april to evacuate the city and the Virginia State government made the same decision. They both pulled up stakes and left richmond in a hurry. In the confusion of these evacuations of the confederate government and the Virginia State government, orders were given to military authorities to set selected fires at government warehouses to destroy military and naval property and to literally burn their bridges behind them crossing the james river. Unfortunately, for richmond, the selected fires set by confederate soldiers retreating quickly got out of control. And within hours you had a large portion of the financial and commercial and industrial waterfront of richmond going up in flames. The descriptions of the great conflagration of 1865 are harrowing. Fortunately for history, the historic Capitol Building and the historic Governors Mansion behind it were situated in this open Capitol Square public park which served as a fire break and protected the buildings from the raging fires that came right up to the south border of the capital square. When union troops came into the city on the morning of april 3rd, 1865, they were able to come marching and galloping into the grounds of Capitol Square. They immediately replaced virginia flags and confederate flags over public buildings, including the capitol, with United States flags. Conveniently the virginia State Capitol became a Perfect Office building for military occupation. The federal troops wasted no time organizing volunteer firefighting companies and brigades to go out and sub dew the flames to prevent further damage. There is a powerful historical irony that confronts people when they sit or stand in this historic room. As it happens, on the 17th of april 18 61, this is the room where elected virginia leaders chose to secede from the union. Exactly seven years later on the 17th of april, 1868, a new group of virginia leaders meeting in the same room put their finishing touches on a new Virginia State constitution written during reconstruction. The purpose of the new constitution was to get virginia readmitted into the union. What made this Constitutional Convention interesting was, for the very first time, you had a biracial convention. The suffrage had been extended to black men in virginia as a consequence of the civil war, and there had been an election october 1867 among white and black male voters of virginia to decide should we hold a cons tugtu tutional convention to get virginia back into the union. Virtually on the power of the newly enfranchised black vote the decision was the affirmative and white and black men chose delegates to come to the room and craft a new constitution. There were 104 people who sat here in this very chamber, 24 of whom were africanamericans. Once they finished their handiwork on a new constitution, ten of those africanamerican delegates went on to be elected for service either in the house or the senate of the virginia legislature. It was all over the newspapers. And you had a full range of opinion on what was happening. But the results are important and indisputable. When the constitution was submitted to congress, it was approved. And in january of 1870, virginia was readmitted to the federal union over the signature of thenpresident ulysses s. Grant. When people come inside the hall of the house they are immediately struck by the presence of an unusual object, and it is staged front and center. Virginia has an honesttogoodness, authentic mace. The mace, you can see on display in this case is made of english serling silver. It has a 24karat gold finish. It was presented to the house of delegates in 1974. It was made in the 1930s. In keeping with the tradition of maces, we actively deploy our mace during each day of session on the floor of the house of delegates. The sergeant at arms of the house will come into this old museum chamber, put on white gloves. He will take the mace out of its display case, carry it out into the hall of the president s, make a left turn at the Washington Statue and head down into the east wing where the house delegates convenes. When the speaker gives the nod, the sergeant at arms holds up the mace in front of the members and says, the Virginia House of delegates is now in session. Right now we are standing on the floor inside the Virginia House of delegates chambers. We are located in the east wing of the virginia State Capitol, and ever since 1906 this room has been the Meeting Place for 100 lawmakers, chosen by the people of virginia. The lawmakers in the house of delegates have a twoyear term, and they are eligible for reelection. This is also the room where we have joint sessions of the virginia General Assembly. We know we will have at least one a year, every january, when the governor presides and delivers his state of the commonwealth address. To the people of virginia who are with us tonight or who are watching from home, thank you for the honor of serving as this equali commonwealths 72nd governor. Thats an interesting phrase. We have a state of the commonwealth address in virginia because we refer to ourselves officially in our constitution as a commonwealth. Get asked questions about that all the time. A commonwealth, according to websters dictionary, is a form of government which relies on the consent of the people, on the rule of law, and on lawmaking for the greater good of the population at large. So every year in january, well have a joint session, 40 senators are given temporary seatings along the back side of the house chamber, the 100 members of the house are sitting here at their desks and their chairs. And we listen to the presentation of the governor of virginia. This is also the goto room for other joint sessions of the legislature when we receive important guests bein, often fr other parts of the world. In 1946 during the General Assembly we held a joint session to receive sir Winston Spencer churchill who came to us in his capacity as a private citizen and made a very well received address. That was just two days after his famous speech in missouri about an iron curtain descending upon europe after world war ii. We should stand together in malice to none, in greed for nothing, but in defense of those quarters which we hold dear, not only for our own benefit, but because we believe they mean the honor and the happiness of long generations of men. [ applause ] in more recent years we have received in joint session margaret thatcher. Mr. Speaker, mr. President , governor allen, members of the General Assembly. Thank you for that splendid reception. It is one one rarely receives in ones own country. [ laughter ] who, of course, was the first female Prime Minister of the united kingdom. And just a few years ago, to mark the 400th anniversary of English Settlement in north america, her majesty the queen of Great Britain was here and gave a very well received speech to a packed chamber. When you look up, you see the original 1906 oval skylight. You also see the use of dutch metal paint that gives you all the gold gilding effects, at a more affordable price. And you see the use of whats known as tromp dloil. These are actually flat wall surfaces that have been carefully painted. You see in the house a sort of navy blue and gold color scheme reflected throughout this chamber. The senate of virginia, in the opposite wing, has similar decorations but they distinguish themselves with the burgundy and gold color scheme as opposed to the blue and gold here. We have moved through the rotunda of the capitol and into the west wing of our building. This is a chamber that is used by the senate of virginia. We have 40 members of the Virginia State senate who convene in that chamber, starting every january. Our legislature is a parttime legislature. And in odd numbered years we have a short session. They dont have to pass a state budget. In evennumbered years we have a longer session where we pass a state budget. We are on the floor of the Actual Senate chamber. We are surrounded by edwardian op lance. The walls and ceiling are not guilty of understatement. The style and decor and color scheme has been carefully restored to resemble its appearance more than 100 years ago. When people come into the chamber on guided tours and look up, they will see a dramatic oval skylight which is part of the 1906 design. And they will see small, handpainted monograms v. A. Standing for virginia up in each corner of the oval. When they look around, they see the circa 1908, 1910 wall designs with dutch metal paint that gives you the gold gilding. Theyll see ionic plasters wrapped around the chamber. If they are coming to the chamber during session, they wouldnt be on the floor, but they would be in a dramatic spectators gallery. There is a sweeping, semi circular gallery for the general public along the back of the chamber who gives everybody a view on the activities of the senate. Jefferson wants people to come to this Capitol Building. He himself said, wherever the people are well informed, they can be trusted with their own government. This chamber began functioning for the senate in 1906. And continues functioning today. There is an original 1906 wooden dais, center stage, with an elevated platform for the clerking staff and for the Lieutenant Governor who presides over our senate. Our members of the senate have a fouryear term, and they are eligible for reelection. They each represent upwards of 200,000 constituents per senator. One of the interesting features of our General Assembly, which dates back to 1619, is that it has always been, by conscious design, a parttime legislature. This chamber, in terms of its visual presentation, takes you back about 100 years to the beginning of the 20th century, but in terms of its ongoing function, it is a valid place every single year when the lawmakers come to do the public business. And i am remembering that we had, in this chamber, a Lieutenant Governor by the name of Lawrence Doug also wilder, who, as Lieutenant Governor, presided over this senate, and then he ran for, successfully, the governorship of the commonwealth of virginia. In 1990, outside on the grounds of Capitol Square, he was sworn in as the first elected africanamerican governor of a state in our nation. I, Lawrence Douglas wilder do solemnly swear. Do solemnly swear. That i will support the constitution of the United States. That i will support the constitution of the United States. And the constitution of the commonwealth of virginia. And that i will faithfully and impartially discharge all of the duties incumbent upon me. Discharge all the duties incumbent upon me. As governor of virginia. As governor of virginia. According to the best of my ability. According to the best of my ability. So help you god. So help me god. Congratulations. Thank you. When l. Douglas wilder took his oath of office and made an inaugural speech, it was known to everybody that he had been a descendant of slaves who had lived in virginia in the 19th century. And so here you had this really interesting evolution within his own family from People Living in slavery to people assuming the chair of the governor of the commonwealth of virginia. The virginia State Capitol is a symbol of not only virginia but of virginia people who have served in Public Service and of virginia on to inform american principals of selfgovernment. And you walk into this building every january and you feel the public pulse beating inside this old historic landmark with its newer legislative wings and its brandnew underground extension that welcomes visitors to the capital. The capital itself is on one level a pretty good Fine Arts Museum with a sizable collection of paintings and of sculpture. It is also a really convincing civic classroom. We get about 118,000 visitors each year coming to see the capital building. And theyre coming to see it for all kinds of reasons. Some of them want to visit a recognized historical attraction. Some of them are coming here for civics education. Some of them are coming here to participate in the process of selfgovernment. And all of them, i hope, will gain an appreciation for a time tested workplace for enduring american principles, many of those principles having been engineered here in virginia going all the way back to the beginnings of our General Assembly in 1619 at jamestown. We have been exercising the rights and responsibilities of selfgovernment in virginia for nearly 400 years. And thats something worth watching. The capitol has a commanding presence here in austin. It is at the top of the hill Capitol Square. O