The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1890-05-30
''ty was a continued ovation, and lis

| When Governor Mckinney, Colonc
Anderson and the other distinguishes
guests and officers OF the occasion In,
taken positions on tho front OF th,
stand, the procession passed In review
before them, the veteran infantry lead
Ing leading and the veteran cavalry anl
volunteer infantry bringing up the rear
The infantry organizations were masset
as rapidly as possible In front OF III.
grand stand, the mounted veterans or
the left near the monument. The artil
!ery took position in line west Of the in
fantry and facing the statue. The vol
uuteer cavalry formed facing the grand
stand. The arranging Of the mass occu
pied fully half an hour.
When tho organization was complete
and something like quiet could be had,
Governor Mckinney, MS President OF the
Lee Monument Association, arose aud
called the assemblage to order. After n
brief invocation by Rev. Charles Min.
nigerode, Of the Episcopal Church, Gov.
ernor Mckinney introduced General
Early as chairman OF the meeting. lie
was greeted with prolonged applause
and cheering. Taking the gavel from
Governor Mckinney's hand, General
Early announced in q few well chose,,
words the orator OF the occasion, Col.
Archer Anderson, who spoke as follows:
ANDERsoS's GRAFTON.
Fellow CITIZENS: A people carves It's
own mnoument Of its great man. Not
Virginians only, not only those who
dwell in the fair land stretching from
the Potomac to the Rio Grande, but all
who bear the American name may
proudly consent that posterity shall
judge them by the structure which We
are here to dedicate and crown with n
heroic figure. For as the Latin poet
said, that wherever the Roman name
and sway extended there should be the
sepulchre OF Pompey, 80 to day in every
part OF America the character and fame
OF Robert Edward Lee are treasured as
"a possession for all time"
And il this be true OF that great name
what shall be said OF the circu M ces
which surround US on this day OF solemn
comnemoration. That ut the end oi
the first quarter OF century OF after the
close OF q stupendous civil war, in which
more than million men struggled for
the mastery during four years OF fierce
and bloody conflict, should see the
Southern States in complete possession
OF their local self government, the Fed.
eral Constitution unchanged, save as re.
spects the great issues submitted to the
arbitrament of war and the defeated
party-whilst in full and patriotic sym
pathy with NIL the present grandeur and
imperial promise OF reunited country
still not held to renounce any glorious
memory, but free to heap honors upon
their trusted leaders living or dead-alt
this reveals a character, in which the
American people may well be content to
be handed down 10 history. All this
and more will be the testimony OF the
solid fabric we here complete.
It will recall the generous and the un.
tagging zeal Of those noble women Of
the South, to whom in large measure
We owe this auspicious day. 1t will
bear its lasting witness as the voluntary
offering Of the people, not the govern
ments Of the Southern States, and
standing as perpetual memorial OF our
great leader, it will stand not less rs an
enduring record OF what bis fellow
citizens deemed most worthy to be
honored.
WHAT MONUMENTS MEAN.
In every land, the most conspicuous
monuments commemorate tho great
actors, not the great thinkers of the
worlds history, and among these men
OF action, the great soldier has always Sc
cured the first place in the affections OF
his countrymen. What means this uni.
versal outburst Of the love and admira.
ton Of our race, for men who have
been foremost in war? Is the common
sense Of mankind blinded by the blaze
OF military glory? Or does some deep
instinct teach US that the character OF
the ideal commander is the grandest man
Hesitation in which man can show him.
self to man? The power and the fasci-
nation Of this ideal are attested by tie
indulgent admiration we bestow on men
who on the one side grandly fill out
while on the other falling grievously be.
low it, weighed down by something base
and earthly.
Surely there must be something su.
perhuman in the genius Of a great com.
mander il it can make us iorgetiul OF the
woes and crimes 30 often attending it.
How freely then may We lavish our ad.
miration and gratitude with no allow.
ance has to be made for human weak
ness, when we find military greatness
allied with the uoblcst public and pri.
vate virtue. Here at last in this idea
union is that real greatness which men
may most honor in their fellow men.
TWO GREAT CAPTAINS.
1t is the singular felicity Of this com
monwealth Of Virginia that have pro
duced two such stainless captains. The
fame Of the one consecrated by coun
try OF universal reverence, and tht
growth Of colossal empire, the result O.
| his heroic labors has been commemorate
in this city by monument, in whose
majestic presence no man ever received
| the suggestion OF a thought that did no
exalt humanity. The fame otthe other
not yet generation old, and won in q
cause which was lost, is already estab
lished by that impartial Judgment Of for
eign nations, which anticipates the yer
dict Of the next age upon al equal pin
nacle, and millions Of our countrymet
present here with us in their Thoughts
and echoing back from city and plair
and mountain top the deep and reveren
/ voice OF this vast multitude will this da!
confirm our solemn declaration that tn,
monument 10 George Washington ha
found its only fitting complement ant
companion in the monument to Rober
| Lee. @rsa
! ELEMENTS OF TIE COMMANDER.
| 1 venture to say that If We take ac
count OF The human nature in all it
comple1ity, the character OF the Idea
commander Is the grandest manifesto
ton in which man can show himself t,
man. Consider some Of tho necessar,
elements OF this great character. An'
let us begin with it's humber virtues, Il
more lowly labors. II we take the com
mander merely on bis administratiy
side, what treasures OF energy, iorecas
Spd watchfulness do We not see him ex
pendiuy in the prosaic work OF provid