Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-03-05

the elevation Of the Statue OF washington Ia lhe
City of Richmond on the I'D OF February Instant
vent my having the pleasure Of witnessing 'hut in'
teresting ceremony.
Very respectfully your obsdisnt servant,
From, Henry $. Randall Esq, Biosropter Of 7hOs.
jefferson.
CuRTLASp VILLAGE. ". Y.
February Sd, 1858.
G.n,l.nen IL have received your invitation TO
h nr.sen ~ the guest of your State, ut the eleva
,ion Of the statue at Washington, on The coming an.
Diversary of his birthday. Nothing would be more
gratifying 10 my feelings than 10 participate III 'h's
tribute OF low. and spect Ia the Father I" bis cou
try But, unfortunately tor me, precnrious near, anu
.nas,.m,n,s impossible 10 b- deferred if health per
nits their fuiiIment must prevent my attendance.
have watched the progress ot the Flrglni" "ash-
inptou Monument with peculiar interest. it' concep'
tiou appeared TO most elici'Ous ons whether LOT
a memorial of patriotism or work of It There are
,buss who .ay our national heroes need no material
monuments-ta, they find their only NECESSARY, II not
their only appropriate IN the menores ana heai Ia
of their pos;er,y They. indeed. heed III co'nmemo'
ratory monuments; but their pOsterity neih 'heu
On minds which contain the germs ot 1lgh hiev'
,neu perhaps no appeal fails more elnquny or with
more persistent effect than that which cones from the
silent Inns and signifies eyes of the greh o od per.
petuated in solemn marble 10 such m;nda me con-
sta.; observation Of great statue IS an sducation-
The statvs-y of Athens formed the heroes OF Atheps.
lis TO be hoped our other States will i,ow the eI.
ample of Virginia thus commemorative its FOUNDERS
and heroes, and grouping them around The maJestic
central figure of Washington-.or every American
State now formed or hereafter 10 he i6r.d has equal
right to claim him. Nor will Virginia. uaese ;he tor
get, tie spirit OF his teachings aid eT own noble Pc
cedens, dispute that claim. She sent linn and her
regular troops to IN. North throughout the Revolu.
tinn She lost more soi1srr in nearly every l'np"r'
tant battle South of her, thsn AK the S'a'e on whose
soil il was fought she frat eD-ciuaii,' rolled back
the tide "f savage irruptinn on the West ~ carrying
a war Of invasion to the banks Of the Mississippi ana
SCATTERING or iniii,:daiing every fierce clan when
dweit between the T-nessse river ana the great
Size continued such efforts winch Inva-IOn was rapidly
approaching her own dcfynceess bnrders-detenceess
because she look the spear" for her s'srrT, and
threw away the shield" for herself The most popu
ous and wealthy State of the Conirderacy sh- had
not regiment Of regulars an important fortihca'
,inu within her limits when Arnold entered them from
QUE side aud CORVALLIS from the Other Her regu'
lsra remained in tie North or followed Greene over
the barkened elds of the Carullnas, where sle her.
self WAS ia tls crasp Of an invader, roaming almost
AT will over her bosor1-an invader having the falcon
wings Of TaretGu, End tie vultur- th!On' OF Cornwa
liz. And at last rescue cone, and the deih'iVe dow
was struck at Yorktown only BECAUSE the interests OF
the Confederacy made it the major object Aiter inc
peAce Virgins Quoted The jealousi-s -, weaker ss-
ers aud knit the crunbling bands of Union by cedin9
In the United States H domain which was her own by
",he double title OF charter and conquest larger man
the whole Middle and Eastern Sa'es-larger than all
The other th.n possessions OF the United States lying
north Of the Potomac.
The heart and policy Of Virginia havs always been
what our fore fathers termed their Congresses ano
armies: CONTINENTAL" This 10 not the State 10
refuse to divide even the glory OF Washington win
her sisters.
am gentlemen,
Very respectfully, yours,
RANDALL.