The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-09-17

Inc klcnmonu correspondence 'S A'>"
York Times visited Lexington on the oc-
casion of the refnauguration of the statue
Of Washington. Whilst there he wrote
letter to that paper, from which we take
the following extract:
Putting the greater before the less,
brings the dead Jackson before the living
Lee. The cemetery where the greater
lies is on the edge of the struggling town
opposite the College and Institute 1t is
small, very small, not more than dozen
acres l should Judge, and Of the common
type Of country church-yards the world
over. In its exact centre is small lot
about twenty feet square, surrounded by
one of those hideous iron fences that the
purer taste Of the present is so rapidly
driving from our cities OF the dead. There
is of course a gate in this palisade Of iron.
The gate bears q plate, and on it, in SIM
pie Roman characters, the single word
jackson" Within this enclosure, with
the great everlasting mountains looking
down upon him from the dim distance on
every side, sleeps he whom this people
style the great Stonewall. An ascetic
taste has been shown in the surroundings
of this sepulchre. A plain marble slab
three feet in height, slightly curved
at the top, and bearing nothing more than
the words General Thomas J. Jackson"
and an upright foot-stone Of foot and q
half in height, with nothing more in way OF
legend than I. J. J.-these are all OF
words or monuments there are about the
grave Of Jackson. But there are other
visible signs and more significant. Yes
tcrday morning was the holy Sabbath, but
the green turf was covered with the rarest
flowers. At the head of the grave was an
elaborate wreath, and almost every inch
from stone to stone bore flowery tribute to
the sleeper beneath. Nearly all these
flowers were as fresh as if pulled from the
stalk but an hour before, and the villagers
bear witness that they are renewed almost
every day.
Thus sleeps Jackson where he lived and
was loved so long, AM the kindly hearts
that each day deck his grave are mourn
ing for the chivalrous gentleman, the
kindly Christian, and loving neighbor and
friend, rather than for dead hero and the
cause for which he died. This is their
own explanation.
THE LIVING LEE.
misnomer, however, for his IS rather
life-in-death--in q less degree holds the
affections of this people in the hollow OF
his hands, for similar reason. NO man
more courteous than he, none more nigh
bred, none more generous, none more
kindly in his intercourse with his neigh
bors. And Lee lives peaceful, cheerful,
unobtrusive life among these mountains.
SO far as he is himself concerned, he would
prefer that his name should be dropped
from present talk and current news. HIS
tory must mention him, he knows, but
that time has net yet come. Lee hoids
himself utterly aloof from the disputes
and passions of the hour; and mere Is
proof: On Saturday night he was al ROCK
bridge Baths. Stalwart and erect as ever,
white-haired and rudy -hued, his eye still
bright and kindly, as Of old, nc sat among
the ladies of the neighborhood, chatting as
any other man might do; but with him,
with his past and present hanging about
him, it seemed like the dead past holding
converse with the Muses.. Presently there
was the confusion Of the nightly arrival
from Richmond, and one gentleman, being
acquainted with the General, greeted him,
and after the common places, rendered
him the newspapers of the day. Thank
you," sai1 Lee, "but l never read any Of
them"
Lee lives here comfortably and calmly
with his family, and many Of his former
friends around. His son Gusts Lee is q
professor in the Institute here. and his
former chief-of-staf, General Pendleton, is
the Episcopal clergyman Of the town.
Fully absorbed in the duties Of his college
presidency, the man who once welded
the military power Of colossal insurrec-
tion sojourns here, where scarcely rumors
from the great world ever come and if
he has ambition for the future, never al.
lows it TO appear, and if he repines at the
present, keeps it always far under the sur
face.