Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-07-24
LEE MONUMENT.
Les Postsrtty See Our Hero ~ He was
seen by His soldiers.

LEE MONGMENT.
Let Postsrtty See Our Hero a. He was
seen by His soldiers.
In the Norfolk Landmark Of yester-
dsy its editor, James Barron Hope,
writes as follows
We have waited and listened with
modest propriety for our Richmond
friends to agree on the Lee models and
the Lee statue; but as the matter is still
undecided, we venture to add word or
two TO " hat has been said on this subject.
In a multitude Of councillors there is
wisdom but it not because Of this that
we venture on an opinion. We have
higher claim to be heard than this, for
we are informed OF the view taken in
this region by the men who followed our
immortal leader--the veteran soldiers
of the famous Army Of Northern Vir-
ginia. These gallant men have gradual
" learned the facts in the case. We
say they have learned them gradually,
for they are too much engaged in the
battle Of life to know much of what
goes on in the world Of art. But they
now begin to understand that 3 design
is to be selected, and the monument at
last to be pointed upward toward the
heavens. We speak, then, of what
we know when we say that the sur
viving soldiers who followed "Mars
Robert" desires to see figure his
torically true. They reject the idea Of
any fine dramatic effect-or if you OBJ
iect to this phrase we will ssy--they
object to any mere display Of the artist
in the case, and call with one voice for
the subordination of art to nature. In
other words, they desire to see an eiiigy
Of their immortal leader as he was, as
they knew him, as they saw him. They
desire the pedestal to be surmounted by
Lee mounted on Traveller. There was
nothing theatrical about that great man.
lie was simplicity itself, and his native
grandeur required no artifce, aiiecta-
tion, or melodramatic effect to impress
all who beheld him. A man OF dig
nifty and taste would as soon try to
carve small ornaments on the Peak
of Tenerifie as to attempt improving
on the grand original of the statue of
which we speak by tricks of art; and
this expresses just criticism on any
ford ideas which may exist in the
minds Of few in regard to this matter.
The old soldiers want the figure OF
their beloved commander reproduced
in the bronze {; and Of all the critics in
the world where could We find any en-
titled to the respect due those for whom
We are now speaking? They do not
talk as artists or critics of art, they
speak as men of sincere convictions and
Of genuine sentiment. And it is be-
cause they affect nothing Of technical
skill or cultivation that they are,
without knowing it, the most valu-
able Of critics. For when we put the
heroic form Of the last of the cavaliers
in bronze we set up work to challenge
the centuries to speak Of gratitude,
love, and reverence on one hand, and to
give to future generations some just
idea Of the simple majesty of the SUI
preme hero Of the Lost Cause. There is
but one way to do this, and that, as
we have already indicated, is to elevate
Lee upon Traveller for the admiring
gaze Of pOsterity, and the approval of
the men who had the honor to
follow where he led. And as
there is but one way in which this
work should be done there is but
one artist who should do it, and that
artist is Valentine. We say this with
good reasons, and the reasons are so
plain, so abundant, and so conclusive
that it seems almost like waste OF
space to set them forth in this or any
other paper. We say nothing about
Valentines being yirginian, though
this counts for much. It counts for
much because, as Carlyle said of his
father when he declared that the old
man put his conscience in the mortar
v ben be laid bricks, we may say Of
Valentine, that he would put his soul
in the heroic figure Of the Great Captain.
But there are more tangible rea-
sons than this one, much as we value it.
Valentine IS better equipped for the
task than any other man in the world.
His noble recumbent statue gave him
this special advantage, and he has the
true conception Of the majestic reposc
which belonged to our famous Virgin
iaD--a repose which was expressed in
his air and aspect, whether plunged in
meditation or on the field Of battle.
The production of his recumbent figure
Of Lee was also technical study
Of great value; it was part
Of bis preparation for the great
work yet to be done and We trust the
committee in charge Of this matter may
be moved by the considerations which
we have so hurriedly suggested. We
do not presume to think that our argu-
ment has any critical value derived
from the writer's taste or knowledge;
but it sets forth the view Of the old
soldiers, Of the surviving veterans, and
the instinct Of those gallant men in
this matter is as true TO art Is their
service was true to the immOr-
tai leader whom they followed.
Ii is for this reason, or rather, it is
because Of this knowledge, that we say
posterity should look upon Lee as his
soldiers saw him mounted on Traveller
and we verify believe that Edward V.
Valentine is the man, above all others,
to DO the work Yes, let US have the
truth, the whole truth, and nothing but
the truth, in the heroic figure which is to
adorn our capital for Lee can stand
this test as we'll as Washington and
this presentation is due at once to the
veterans who revere his memory aud
the coming generations which shall be-
hold the work.
AFTER THE EARrHQUAKE.