Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-05-01
A Word ON the Lee Monument.


Permit an old soldier who carried
one of your battle.fags to have word
on the Lee Monument.
The first thing all lovers OF Robert
E. Lee desire is portrait-statue, like
Houdon's statue Of WashiDgton-i
marble embodiment of the unique
man, clothing, and outfit. We would
refresh our memories and show him to
our children as he was.
The next and separate thing ought to
be to erect monument to Lee in SYM
patty with the spirit of an age OF Chris
tan civilization, enlightenment, and
progress.
Piles of stones in barbaric symbo-
lisms belong to past age. Let us
build q grand institution in memory of
our matchless countryman to be called
the Lee Polytechnic Institute, where,
according to Lees own ideal, we may
restore from the coming youth those
matchless, glorious ones offered up in
the holocaust of war. Build it in Rich
mond and make tuition free to all white
citizens of the United States.
Let it never be finished; but be per-
petually building greater and broader
and better, with new buildings, new
features, new schools-aperpetual bene-
faction from him who broke his heart to
bless Virginia, and died because he
could not see her blessed. If we love
him let us do his work, and Lee will
live forever in our midst.
But if we must have what is called
monument, place the monument on
Libby Hill, where, aloft, equestrian
Robert E. Lee shall perpetually over
look the battle.felds he has made his
toric. But let the man be Robert E.
Lee himself-ca calm, heroic, the embodi-
ment Of restrained power, as he ever
was in defeat or in victory. And let
the horse be old Traveller, if you
please-plain Traveller-better than
any fanciful barb or jockeyed steed.
Give him no sword nor holster-pistols {;
make him as the soldiers remember
him. His word was sword, his eyes
cannon-hashes.
Discard every one Of the models pre-
sented and ask for new ones, suggesting
as their ideal Lee rallying his army
| May II, 1864, at Spotsylvania Court
house. All the elements Of the heroic
man and commander were brought out
and exhibited there-energy in repose,
calmness in peril, serenity in conflict,
the horse and the rider full Of action,
the countenance and the voice revealing
the deep calm of the soul within. No
sword was in his hand.
The antique Greek statuary ever
showed intense action Of body, coupled
with perfect repose of countenance
The hero's soul is ever calm. as the deer
see is never ruflled by the surface waves
Twas near him there and heard thu
most wonderful words ever uttered By
him. His army cut in twain and be
ginning to fee, he cantered among them
bis calm, kind, fatherly voice ringinl
out clear, penetrating, but not loud
81 thought l had brave men
thought l had brave men,"
Or suggest Lee at Second Manassas
Saturday afternoon, at the suprem
moment Of nerve tension, when, Jack
son hopelessly outnumbered bu
grimly holding out until Longstres
might reinforce him, the half hours wer
pregnant with humiliation. Standin
with his arm through the rein Of hi
bride, while Munford reported hi
scout towards Thoroughfare Gap t
find Lopgstreet unsuccessful, l hear
lees reply while Hoods Texans wer
cheering near US in the charge an
Barksdale's Mississippians we're SWEEP
ing by to join them. With wildes
war 1t his elbow Robert E. Lee Was q
calm as If seated on his portico at Al
lipgton. He was almost playful in hi
cheerful affsbility, saying, Take goo
care of your men and horses, Colonel
expect to use them this evening""
Undismayed in disaster, calm in viz
tory, suggest Lee ct Chsncellorsvill
Of the moment Hooker's centre brok
around the Charlottesville House ur
der the terrific artillery FIRE, where
saw General Lees countenance, lit u
ss BY . rising sun, but smiling IS calml
ss if war Was gone and he riding wit
his friends through the Virginia hal
vest fields instead Of the harvssts {
death where fQur.fo'd number