Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-05-30
ROBERT e. LEE.
dwelling of the Monument to Hi,
Memory Yesterday.

Memory Yesterday.
RICHMOND (Va), May 29th.-This was a gala
day in Ricnmond, the occasion being the un.
yelling of the monument to General Robert K.
Lee. The city was crowded with visitors, and
the utmost enthusiasm prevailed.
As the various commands reached their start
ing points with some familiar officer at its
head, cheer after cheer rent the air. The Chief
Marshal, General FiIzhugh Lee, and Generals
Early, Johnston and Longstreet, received simi-
lar ovations as they moved about from place to
place.
The procession started prom pity at noon, and
was composed of representatives of nearly all
the old Confederate regiments in the South.
The line of march was densely crowded. As
the old c5ieftains of the Confederacy were
recognized hats came off, and the old yell came
from a thousand throats
Arriving at the statue and the distinguished
guests being seated, Governor Mckinney called
Early was presented as the Chairman of the
meeting. He introduced Colonel Anderson as
the orator of the day.
Colonel Anderson's address was an eloquent
one, In which, while abating no jot of love and
admiration for Lee, SO couched it IN words as
not to jar upon the sensibilities of the most ar
dent unionists. He began with the statement
that the people are known by their monuments
and by that record the world always gave its
most devoted admiration to warriors. He
skeIched in q mastery way the transcendent
qualities necessarily united in great General,
making such estimate by the world Just. Lee,
however, was not mere one of the greatest cap
taIns, but q man OF absolute unblemished Chris
tian life. 1t was a singular felicity of Virginia
to have produced two great, stainless military
leaders-Washington and Lee.
The orator gave an elaborate biographical
review of the Generals life; dwelt upon the
painful struggle which it cost him TO decide
whether to give his allegiance to the nation or
his native State finally in the face OF ambi-
tious temptings, in the face of the offer of the
command of the Union army. he decided that
duty called him to stand by Virginia. The speaker
then sketched Lees campaigns in illustration
of his military genius, touched upon the mod
Grafton and good sense of the North at the close
OF the struggle and its happy results; spoke of
Lees subsequent quiet, dignifed life and closed
with a brilliant peroration.
Colonel Anderson's address aroused great en-
thusiasm.
General Joseph Z. Johnston then unveiled the
statue amid the shouts and booming OF cannon
long continued
The Lee monument is situated at the inter-
section of two broad streets, in the fashionable
residence section. 1t consists of white granite
pedestal forty feet high, with six pedestals for
the statues OF Lees Generals TO be placed here
after. Upon the pedestal stands bronze eques-
trian statue of Lee twenty feet high 1t repre-
sents Lee upon the battlefield of Gettysburg,
while the figures of both horse and man are in
repose, all theatrical effect being avoided. 1t
is full of life and spirit. II is the work of Ner-
cie the French sculptor.