Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-06-06
sUNDAY..................JUNEG O, 1sSt
The Lee Monument.

Ii Is evident that Governor LEE Is deter
mined that The LEE monument shalt be an
accomplished fact In the near future. Since
he came into Office the matter has assumed
more practical shape than it ever had be-
fore. lie has gone 10 work in a business
way-bafmopized conflicting elements, so
10 sneak. and caused the monument ques-
ton 10 be agitated more generally than It
had been for years. Renewed interest in
the subject has been awakened all over the
State. The consolidation OF the two asso.
cisfious was wise movement and long
step forward. 1t removed o serious obsta-
Gle In The way OF erecting the monument.
Taken separately, neither association had
funds sufficient TO make good start. Be-
sides, any parties who were DESTROYS OF
contributing TO the cause were in doubt as
TO switch association they should favor,
ard owing to that doubt did not
contribute at all. Now. however,
there Il no room for such doubt. lnspeak-
ing Of the consolidated fund Governor LEE
says: "We have enough TO order and pay
for an equestrian ngurs-horse and RIDER"
That language would seem TO indicate that
enc point at least had been pretty definitely
settled, and that is that the figure Is 10 be an
equestrian figure. Governor LEE also says
that the Board will probably decide at its
next meeting "what particular design
will be chosen" and that lit (the Board)
Is not necessarily limited In its choice to
the models now on exhibition" When
we say that We are glad that the Board Is
under no obligation to choose from these
models we express, we think, the feeling Of
the general public. When the designs now
In the Senate chamber were first placed on
exhibition we studied them carefully. We
dealt especially with the three that received
first and second prizes and honorable men
ton respectively. and gave as our opinion
that DO one Of them was what monument to
General LEE ought to be. In that view we
are, we believe, sustained by public senti-
ment. Whichever may be the artistic merits
OF those conceptions, no one OF them har-
monies with the popular conception OF
ROBERT EDWARD LEE. No one OF them
would prove when finished that stately,
noble, and grandly simple sculptural
epic we must have II we would tell
the story Of his lie IN marble and
bronze. TIE LIE monument should be
more than atbing OF beauty. Ii should be
more Than realization OF an artistic fancy
for ornamental architectural effects and
heroic action on the part OF horse aud rider.
1t should represent LEE as he was-calm,
seli-poised, the perfection Of manly strength
and beauty. IL should be an object lesson
for future generations. That, we believe,
l. what the masses desire. They want
LEE on thoroughbred horse-both
horse and rider In natural posi-
ton. Nosculptor could improve upon LEE
a. he usually sat In his saddle. No sculp-
tor could improve upon thoroughbred
horse. The bare suggestion OF placing
LEE upon rearing, bulky horse, and in
the attitude OF captain OF dragons lead
ing charge, Is repugnant to all who know
anything OF the mans character and career.
Not only that, but such action In horse
seldom fails 10 subordinate the rider
TO the horse. About the only cnti-
cism Of any force we ever heard
passed upon the grand equestrian group by
CRAWFORD on our WASHINGTON monument
was that the horse attracted more attention
than the rider. That should not be the
case In group OF which LEE Is part lie
should be the prominent feature OF the
composition nodUS, In fact OF the
whole structure. Should the commit
Tee succeed in securing design
which win faithfully portray the face
and figure OF LEE, and harmonize in all It's
details with the record Of the man as II is
craven with his own sword aud written
with the pens Of others-iriends and foes
alike-upcn the tablets Of American his
tory. there viii be no trouble about the
realization q what We understand Is Cover
nor LrE's highest ambition--thatthem onu-
ment be completed during his adminlstra-
ton. That lisa noble ambition, and has the
sympathy of the masses. They have caught
y something Of the Governors enthusiasm,
and when once II became known that the
monument would be worthy OF the great
chieftain work on II would hardly be allow
cd to stop for want Of funds.