Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1871-01-25

riyes its highest value from being mar
binger of that national triumph wnien
could alone give stable peace; ~ y
worth less than nothing as typica1i mercy
Of the conquest Of q fallen foe; III p SUD
lime as the symbol Of national rernrrec-
ton from the dead.
The monument illustrates tne surren-
der of Vicksburg by General Pemberton
no General Grant, on the 4th Of July,
1859 and the great figures on 1t are
pras;dant Lincoln, and Generals Grant,
sherman and Mcpherson. the three last
mentioned being natives of Ohio. Now,
we more than doubt the expediency and
value of putting in rotunda OF the
state capitol any such memorial at ali.
Some time ago il was proposed in Con
gress to gil up some of the inches OF the
National capitol with paintings, by emi;
nent artists. illustrating battles and
striking incidents Of our late civil war.
II was opposed, if we mistake not, by
Senator Charles Summer, upon the ground
that il was bad policy to preserve In a
hall dedicated to the use Of all the Amer
lean States any trophies or memorials II
Illustrating that they had been at war with
one another, the recollections OF which
should be eifaced, rather than encouraged
in this manner, in our National archives.
In this view Of the question there is ex-
cellent good sense.
Americans have won victories enough
BY the united strength of the country
over foreigi invaders to commemorate
in painting and sculpture IN State ana
National halls, without drawing upon
those melancholy scenes in our history
when brother was at war with brother,
and fratricidal strife pervaded the land.
If we would hereafter be united people
in feeling and sentiment-lf we would
revive the old spirit of nationality that
existed so long in all the States previous
to ls6l-we take very poor way to
effect it by puttingin State-houses scenes
that recall the victories of one sechon OF
the Union and the humiliation OF the
other. -
How would it strike Northern man
IT, some time in the failure, he should
visit the State House at Richmond, Nlr-
ginia. and there see paintings and sculp'
ture illustrating the defeat of the tede-
raj arms under Mcclellan on the James,
or the route of Burnside at Frederieks-
burg. or that Of Hooker at Chancellor
Vile, or the surrender Of Harpers Ferry
to Stonewall Jackson2 He would think
that it was not calculated to foster that
spirit which should prevail between peo-
pie living under the same form of gov
ernment. 1t avails nothing to say that
we were in the right and the Sonth IN the
wrong-that we were patriots and they
we're rebels and traitors-tor, unfortun-
ately, we shall never be able to make our
Southern brethren believe that, and our
assertions to that effect will only
be treated as ebullitions of impu-
dent selfconceit. Who does not know
that the less parties who have become re-
conciled after an estrangement have 70
say about the original cause of the diff
Guilty between them the better for their
future peace and harmony When our
friend General Ward talks about the
"vitals Of secession being pierced, and
of the "writhing contortions OF a dying
giant (meaning the South, he applies
an irritant to an old sore rather than a
healing and soothing plaster.