The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-01-18
LOCAL MATTERS.
EIDE RS LEE
SHALL THE STATE OWN THF
PALNTISG7
ACTION OF THE SENATE ON THE PR0PO
STTION TO PURCHASE IT FOR SIX
HUNDRED DOLLARS.
ELOQUENT SPEECH OF SENATOR PEN.
DLETOy.
Opposition to the Appropriation.

OLE1uNs . &
Opposition to the Appropriation.
The walls of the Senate chamber have for
fortnight past been adorned by the full
length portrait of General Robert f. Lee,
executed by John A. Elder, Of this city. 1t
has been greatly admired, not only on &C.
count OF its excellence as a work of art,
but as, perhaps, the most faithful likeness
Of Lee that has yet appeared on canvass.
A general desire seems to have been ex.
pressed that the picture should become the
property of the State, and remain always at
the Capitol. This desire found utterance
in the General Assembly yesterday by the
Botetourt, for the adoption of the following
joint resolution
Resolued (the House Of Delegates con.
curring), That the sum of $500 be, and the
same is hereby, appropriated out of any
moneys in the Treasury not otherwise ap.
propriated, for the purchase OF John A.
Elders portarit of General Robert r. Lee
and the Auditor of Public Accounts is
hereby directed to draw his warrant on the
Treasurer for the said sum in favor Of said
Elder"
Mr.. PENDLEToN supported the resolution
in the following address to the Senate:
"The picture which hangs before you Is
q life-like representation of the foremost
Virginian of this country, whose fame is ms
wide as civilization, and will be more en-.
during than brass. It Is the work Of q
young Virginian artist who served under
the banner of the Great Captain, whose
features he has SO successfully reproduced
on canvas.
1t would be painting the lily-adding
perfume to the rose, for me to attempt, in
this presence, to speak in praise Of the
lofty virtues and renowned deeds Of Robert
E. Lee. IT to have lived life wholly de.
voted to duty and to have died the death OF
an humble Christian if to have exhibited
u benign equanimity in prosperity and an
unflinching fortitude in adversely the most
cruel: if to have added to the most bril-.
liant military achievements the most ele-
waited civic victories a; if to have attracted
at once the admiration OF the world and
the most affectionate devotion of his neigh
bors; if to have lived universally honored
and died universally regretted, constitute
any claim to human greatness, then cer-
tainly we may call Robert +. Lee great.
1t was said of Washington that, whilst
he was first in war, first in peace, and
first in the hearts of his countrymen, he
was second to none in the humble and en-.
dearing scenes of private life. Pious, just,
humane, temperate, and sincere; uniform,
dignifed, and commanding, his example
was as edifying to all around him as were
the effects Of that example lasting!'
With almost painful consciousness Of the
sacred ground on which | tread in appro-
priating to any human being the apt de.
scription Of the transcendent virtues of the
Father Of his Country venture to ask
Of all candid men, Which one OF these
words is inapplicable to Lee!
Does some one ask how can We consist.
entity appropriate the public money to the
purchase Of this painting while the public
creditors plead in vain for the payment OF
their just demands;
/ Will answer him. The dead have their
claims upon us no less than the living. Nc
State or nation has ever yet fourished OF
prospered which did not honor and per.
petuate the memory of its dead heroes
Westminster Abbey is TO England at once
the history of its past and the sure pledge
Of It's future greatness. How many young
sons Of Virginia have felt their hearts
swelling with nobler enthusiasm and O
loftier ambition as their eyes have fingered
in admiration upon the forms of the found.
ers and architects of Virginia's grandeur,
moulded in imperishable bronze-her states.
men, her aw-giyers, her jurists. her orators,
and her heroes? 1t is, indeed, rather for
the living than the dead that great virtues
and great deeds should be thus perpetuated
Sir, we all feel that Virginia has been re.
trograding, and upon us and upon those
who are to come after us, rests the respon.
sible task of restoring her to her pristine
L Mt 1of fhns -1,n1 1oH- Inlf
faith in her future. She has noble sons yet
living capable OF making her again great
and prosperous if they will but recognize
the duty which is east upon them and faith
fully discharge 1t. Sir, let us study the
lives and emulate the example of those who
made Virginia great in former days. Let
US keep them ever before our eyes; LET
us revere their lives and copy their virtues,
and the time will surely come when Vir.
ginia, in the words of the great poet o
English liberty, 'Wil rouse herself like O
strong man after sleep, and, shaking her in
vincible locks, will be as an eagle raising
her mighty youth, kindling her undazzled
eyes at the midday beam and unscaling hel
sight at the heavenly fountain, while the
timorous birds Of her evil destiny, loving
the twilight, shall flutter about amazed al
what she means
twill be observed that the picture before
us presents General Lee in the dress of 6
civilian-as citizen of Virginia. 1t is in
that character that l most like to contem
plate him. l have no desire to perpetuate
the animosities and the cruel recollection:
OF the late war. l prefer, therefore, to see
our great chiettain clothed in his great civic
virtues, and l desire that all the Senators
who shall sit in this chamber shall learI
from the contemplation of that noble coun
tenance wisdom, prudence, fortltude, anC
Justice"
The motion to adopt the joint resolution
was seconded by one upon whom the trust
aptly devolved-Senator Walter II. Taylor
General Lees chief of staff. He said thai
without egotism he thought he could claim
to be a competent judge of a portrait oil
Lee, and that he did not hesitate to pro
nounce this of Elders to be the best IL
existence save, perhaps, one. The excep
ton is the one which is at the Virgins
Military Institute at Lexington, painted,
he believed, by an artist who had
never seen the General, but who had by 0
lucky incident caught his features at their
best, and placed them on canvas for the
admiration Of the world. Elder has faith.
fully performed his labor OF love, and the
State cannot hope ever to be the possessor
of better picture of her honored son. II
should never be removed from its present
resting place there it should remain, that
from It posterity may catch inspiration fol
the duties OF life.
MIR. Massey (Republican), of King VIII
liam, said lie had no objection to the pur.
chase of the picture of Lee, but desired
that another equally heroic son Of Virgins
should be similarly honored. He therefore
proposed the following amendment
sAnd that the sum Of $500 be, and the
same is hereby, appropriated for the pur.
pose of procuring from Elder or some other
Virginia artist painting Of Gen. Geo. II
Thomas"
MIR. Norman Smith (Conservative), o!