The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-03-15

Pnr,,n s,f them NIL, ?, S se.5,s
WSat then, would seem to be most. be-
.son,jr,o under all the circumstances mere
consideredY Instead Of the inevitable morse,
now 60 common that every square ana pun
Ia ,,art Is almost made q pasture, let .us
hove : lofty shaft or, column, from the top
- u,h;rh tne colossal effigy OF our gfea.
,,atr,os may look with compiacency gu.
,,,,nn the country he loved so well. ms y.
4 annesrs to .,ls, would be much more u
chs racfer with the man, and more 10 lla :,
mony With the grand but solemn eSeI ,,s,,, -,
h,s remarkable career. SucR u. .CoIu I W
should be built Of Virginia grahitc auu so
constructed that It's ample oase suousu sn
close crypt or chamber, when we 1euo ,ln
hone at some future DAY TO 90 'atlo"s s -. 40
.hn l.st resting.place of bis honored re-
, rme no those OF Napoleon now repose
,,nder, the dome of 4 the 'sInyallds.''
From this. chamber, by series OF steps,
visitors should be enabled to,. ascend to
where A nesrer view Of the statue could be
had. "a Such n monument should not tnor
should an equestrian statue) be piacedlupon
the already aoyercrowded Capitol Square.
That patch OF land Is already overtaXed In
this respect, and this end OF the city Is top
heavy with artistic toys, The time may
come when new capitol may be needed,
and the very locality where 1t ls now pro
posed 70 erect the horse-statue should De re-
served for the terraced entrance to the capl-
tol of the future. A larger building than
the present one will doubtless be erected.
and on this account works OF art crowdea
into this small area must suffer accordingly.
The proper location for, the Lee month
ment, be it what it may-but especially
should the suggestions herein made be ae-
ceptable-should be found in the western
part of the city, either in the centre OF
Monroe Square, or somewhere upon That
high plateau OF Land in the same neIghbor-
hood. Twenty years from TINS tl!ne tue
new Richmond will be all west OF first
street. In that thriving quarter Will nave
gathered oil the attractions OF gay ana
fiourishing metropolis, spreading IN every
direction along extended perSpectlHes OF
stately mansions and handsome pu3llc eal-
fees. This state of things is already fore
Swallowed by incipient but growing enter
prises: Each denomination Of Christians
in our city has already selected sites upon
which hereafter they expect to 'Dulld
large and handsome churches, and many OF
our best citizens have lately erected houses
of the more ornate and modern style. From
such q position this memorial column Wouid
be seen from every direction and at all dis
tances. Its graceful outline rising IN mia.
air. bearing upon its summit the form OF
our modern patriot and soldier, would up
lift him amid associations more in keeping
with the age he illustrated than If put IN
i,1xtaposition with the dignitaries OF an
entirely different period. The truth ls, no
where in the civilized world, in no city on
earth. are works Of this kind found crowded
into one small square or space OF ground
Trafalgar Square may be an exception; but
it should be remembered that land is q tritfe
scarcer and dearer in London than it Is in
Richmond. - 49,.
The southern people, it is to be supposed,
would prefer monument to Lee which
shall partake more Of national character
than can mere equestrian statue. The lat
ter is more appropriate in commemorating
heroes whose reputation has been more cir
cumscribed, while for men OF renown,
whose names have filled the world, the more
stately monument should be reserved. We
are aware that heroes OF the latter class have
been mounted on bronze horses-Frederlck,
Wellington, and Washington being exam
ples,-but this fact does not establish the
principle herein advocated. They We're thus
displayed in order to illustrate some special
event or crisis OF their careers, or to per-
petuate their military fame alone. Should,
however, the equestrian style be Sc
lected in this instance, and the statue
forced upon the Capitol grounds, it
may produce the impression that Nir-
ginia desired to appropriate to herself what
should really be considered the property OF
the entire South. This, we are sure, is not
the case; but it, would be well at least to
avoid doing anything which might be mis-
construed by those who have SO far con-
| tributed most of the money subscribed for
this work Richmond has become the his
toric capital OF the fallen Confederacy. AS
| reward for her devotion during the terri
BILE experience Of the four-years' struggle,
and in view of the holocaust OF suffering
that went up from her affairs at its fall, it
cannot be doubted that our brethren of the
South would cheerfully acquiesce in any
move towards the decoration OF some other
part of her fair domain with such struc'
ture Us is herein proposed.
Under all these circumstances, would II
not be consistent with proper regard fol
the opinions Of others (net few in number),
and in view OF the manifest concern with
which the public regard this subject, that
those who have it in charge should pause,
ut least until more deliberate, and there
fore a more satisfactory, conclusion may be
| reached as to how the wishes OF the whole
South may be appropriately expressed in
this matterf Nothing can be lost by such
delay, but much done towards bringing to
happy ,consummation the end we all have
in view, .-,...., I.