The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-06-23

awful form 1t speaks to them with its mon
umental voice of oil that liz ereatest in
human life, and most ennobling in human
character, and they depart from its pre-
sence refreshed as with the dews from the
Hermon Of patriotism, and with souls
attuned 70 the harmony of great thoughts
and noble aspiration. The gray centuries.
fruitful in the ministry of change and de-
cay, pass in solemn procession. Political
revolutions sweep over the land.
The myriad changes in the social life of
the people come and go, and fresh wars
break out, run their mad career, and end
in the enthronement of new heroes in the
population, and the demand for new mon
uments TO perpetuate their memory.
Through all these cycles of change and
decay the column at Richmond still stands.
and still speaks, though with ever diminish,
ing potency in its utterance to the hearts of
men but times effacing ministries are busy
Win It's structure from summit to base,
cement and grapples loosen their hold upon
its massive blocks, and the whole fabric tot
ters to its fall. The living generations of
men busy with their own affairs and caring
only for the monumental commemoration
OF their own. illustrious dead, withhold
the needed and timely repairs.
Century by century the column crum-
6les, and finally sinks down in scattered
fragments TO the level of the earth. In
Time the curious traveller from other lands,
or the prying antiquarian, stroling in o
casual way among his blocks, half buried
in the soil, wipes the dust from their I'D.
turned surfaces, but finds no name or in
scription upon them to indicate who
brought them to the spot, or to declare the
use to which they were once applied. His
tory and tradition still tell of the virtues
and the deeds of Robert +. Zee, but the
pntncsp1 an1I1rOn nroafaI of pinhr,nnl tr
perpetuate his memory has persisted from
the sight and from the remembrance OF
men.
Turn now and view with fancy's eye
the contrasted picture whose outlines
have drawn upon the moral canvas of this,
/ fear, too protracted address to-day.
On the spot where we are now assembled
stands noble institution of learning. 1t.
too, has its foundations laid deep In the
soil, and lifts its covering domes high into
the heavens of the blood-drenched and war
wasted land Of the South. Over the most
public entrance to its grounds has been
inscribed. with suitable additions, an accom-
moda.cd translation of the epitaph of the
architect of st. Paul, so that to the uplifted
eye of the visitor the entire superscription
reads thus: General Robert +. Lee-If so
you seek for his monument, look around
YOU The soil beneath and the skies above
it are the soil and the skies of his native
State, on whose banner the proud device
and the defiant motto Sic Semper Ty-
rdnus,' streamed like q meteor over
the deadliest fields of the late strug-
Gle between the States. Its geographic
situation is fortunate in its felicitous
adoption of the combined educational
and memorial purposes to which the insti-
tuition is dedicated. Grand and ennobling
historic antecedents enrobe it with moral
dignity and grandeur. For five years it
was presided over by the great hero and
patriot of the South whose monument it
has become, and all its academic grounds
and buildings are thronged with undying
memories of his life, character, and SER
vices. In the midst of its memorial build
ings is the scpulchre which contains his
honored remains, and from it issue ever
more educating influences which will in
struct and encourage the people of the
South through all their generations. 1t
has been splendidly endowed by contribu-
tions from all portions of the country. 1t
Is open free of cost to all who are
entitled to it's educational privileges.
The grandeur Of its proportions, the mu-
nificence of it's endowment, and the splen-
dor of It's academic equipments, constitute
it the foremost institution Of learning in
the world. 1t stands upon the soil of the
South an object of pride to all its people,
and of veneration and respect to every be-
holder. IN it the memory of General Lee
ascends to its permanent seat of ever
widening and ever-deepening influence over
the minds and hearts of the whole Ameri-
can people. Crowds Of ingenious youth
from the South and from the North frequent
its halls; and struggle i'll generous rivalry in
all the arenas of mind. The streams of its
educational influences pour through all the
rto Nil Of no nd rnl 9 tho
circing years 60 by, hoary age, and strenu-
Gus manhood, and wandering youth, visit
its memorial buildings and grounds, receive
the lesson which the genius of the place in
spires, and depart from its monumental
scenes invigorated in patriotism and
strengthened IN resolution for all the con-
flicts of life. Down the long line of the
ages these memorial and educational offices
of the institution descend.
The winds and the rains, the storms and
the lightnings of centuries beat upon its
buildings, but they fall not, for they are
founded upon the rock of the popular in
terest and affection which keep the minis
try of repair ever at even pace with the
rayaee Of decay.
Political revolutions shake the land, so.
cial changes wax and wanc, wars rage and
new heroes arc born OF their bloody con-
vulsions, but none Of them displace the
memory of Robert L. Lee from the minds
and the hearts Of men, for it has become Il
fountain of blessing to the living in every
age. Thus from lip TO lip of the genera
tiOns his name and his fame pass down the
aisle of the centuries the chorus of his
praise swells out from the echoine CORR
doris of the past, the ;, men OF each living
far away in the horizon Of every future the
light of his influence, streaming out from
the memorial university, may still be seen
rradiating like the flush Of auroral lights
the moral skies of the South.
Gentlemen OF the literary societies, ap-
peal to you. and through you | appeal to
all the people Of the South, to say which Of
the two monuments that | have now de-
scribed-that OF the supposed monumental
column ut Richmond or that of the sup
posed memorial university at Lexington
best BELTS the life and character. or will
most worthily and lastingly transmit the
memory, of Gen. Robert Z. Lee to the
future. IF, with me, you and they believe
that there is less comparison than con-
trast between the merits and claims of the
two, and hold, as / do, that q memorial
university is almost UNNECESSARILY to be
preferred as his monument, then | earn
cstly invoke your and their cooperation in
the effort to establish it.
The time is propitous for action and in
yites to vigorous and united effort in behalf
of the undertaking. The great heart Of the
South is still warm with love for the men,
ory, and still CLOVIS with gratitude for the
services of General Lee.
Like the rock of the prophet in the will
derness, it needs only to be smitten with
the rod of a timely and judicious APP
peal, to gush forth in streams of abund-
ant help for the erection of i fitting
monument to his memory. Encouraged