The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-03-12
THE LEE MONUMENT.
MEETING OF EXECUTIVE COM
MlvTEE OF TnE ASSOCIATION.

Contractor Nctherwood 20 Replace the
raalty Column with True oDo-wiil
nj he FINISHED In Time for the May TN
yelling
Two Of the greatest leaders m the lato war
between the states were General Robert f..
lee and Ulysses 5. Grant. When General
Lee died, the people for whom he had given
up 10 many years Of his lie, for whose rights
he had battlcd so bravcly, so honorabll and
Justly, IN fse moments OF deep grief at their
loss, and in the fullness OF love for their lead
cr. turned their thoughts at once 20 the idea
Of raising 10 bis memory a monument That
would dttngly commemorate The love and
reverence felt for the grand old hero in his
own Southern land. by his own people.
When. later on. General Grant surrendered
90 the grim monster, death, the great uncon.
qucrable enemy, the people o. the North felt
that il would be a lifting climax 70 the num-
bcrlcss honors that grateful nation had
paid the great warrior, tOrcar to his memory
y sultablc monument one worthy o. the man
and his deeds.
Now, let's see how these two worthy evil
denccs Of respect for merit and testimonials
of gratitude and dcep-scalcd feelings OF aI-
probation Of worth prospercd.
JVsr Af4ER THE WAR.
The first association 70 raise money for
the lee Monument was organized with that
unshrinkng Confederate. General Jubal \.
Early, as president, and :. Bassett French
as secretary aud treasurer. The south ~
the time was poor The open veins through
which her richest treasure had poured, from
wounds received in the late war. were still
gaping from cruel cuts. Fields that once
blOss0med with wealth were now OyergrOwr
with weeds. smouldcring ruins marked
the spot where were once happy homes. Iiei
hilltops and valleys were ricn only ~
nowly-madc graves. sorrow had stamped
its seal upon her sons, and mourning
marked every ncighborhood with It's sombr'
shades. But there was pluck and energ,
m the people who had been spared. that they
might see how heavy was the hand Of allie
ton that had been laid upon them, ans
there was love for the great and good mai
who had commanded the armies Of the Con
fcdoracy, and who had so horoically shared
the common fate Of his people, ~ 10 chal
lcngc the admiration OF his enemies. an,
commend. the profound respect of the world
The LEE MEMORIAL ASSOCIATION.
Poor as the south was. contributions wcr
sent 10 the society from all parts Of th
abroad until the Lee Monument Associa
ti0n had at its command a sum Of none
that amounted 90 nearly $4,000. II hecan
apparent about this time that IL would D
necessary 10 place this money In some m
yestment and put IL somewhere, ia orde
that interest on il could be realized. tn
board of directors. composed of the Gov
crnOr Of Virginia, the First Auditor, ant
the Treasurer. were made by law the custo
dans Of the fund. They invested Oh
amount in Virginia state bonds, and await
cd events.
The ladies of Virginia. always foremos
in works Of love and patriotism. had organ
lied Ladies' lee Monument Association
and with characteristic and commendaOl
energy had set 10 work 10 aid ia the nobl
work of raising funds for the purpose O
erecting a Lee Monument worthy tn
memory Of the great christian hero. The
met with success that always Yields L
energy, merit, and well directed efforts
They placed about twenty thousand dol
lars in the hands Of The grea
philanthrOpst. and Washington cit
millionaire W. W. Corcoran. for invest
ment. and he made such good use of IT, tina
when the Ladies' Memorial Association
through its executive committee, saw ft
merge with the state Association, they ha
10 their credit $4,000. interest and prime
pal combined. I'm the meantime, owing
the decline in State bonds. the state ASS
citation found they had only about S3OOl
This left the Ladies' Association in the lea
80 far as the details of erecting the monu
ment were concerned.
TENDER or A SITE.
The first question 10 be considered was
suitable site for the monument, and Will
this was being discussed, all hands agree
Ing that the monument should be I'M Oh
q If D. lUmfnnn [ n
the 18th Of February. 1881. passed the iO
lowing resolution, which shows the liberia
ity of the Council. even If 10 fails 10 disclOn
the choicest English:
Resolved, the Board Of Aldermen concur
ring. That the city Of Richmond tenders th
ladies Of the Lee Monument Committee, io
The erection thereon Of a monument 10 On
memory Of General II. 4. Lee; Marsha
Square (commonly called Libby hilll and
this IS not acceptable, Munruc Park and Can
bie's Hill Park are rendered for said object.
The executive committee Of the ladie
association, composed of Miss Sarah
Randolph, Miss Lizzie Nicholas, and Mr.
Brown, visited the various sites, talked Oh
matter over. and finally decided % erect Oh
monument on the brow Of the hill, In Ma
shall Square Libby HID. The command
ing elevation; indeed, all the surrounding
seemed admirably adapted for the purpo'
in view.
UNION OF THE ASSOCIATIONS.
The ladies had almost finished their lab'
of love- and they decided TO turn over the
funds TO the executive committee Of q
state Association, and notwithstandii
they had "a majority of stock, 30 90 spea
simply demanded equal representation &
the executive committee OF the united "a
s0ciations. They delegated their represe
tativc force 20 Colonel Archer Anders0
and he represented three votes at all subs
ID a.
of the Lee Monument Association. At
meeting Of this committee the question Of
site was reOpencd % by tacit cOnsor
Monroe Park was mentioned and yOt'
down unanimously; Candles Till FAR
the same fate, and when Libby li:ll vi
mentioned. the vote stood; Anderson 60 I
Libby Hill. and Governor Lee, Iroasur
Harmap, and Auditor Maryo against IT,
ANOTHER SITE.
Here was a deadlock. Colonel Anders'
represented the ladies. lie was one ma
Opposed 20 him were three. The deadlo'
had 10 be broken. 10 was evident that son
one had 10 recede, and Col. Anderson inforl
cd the committee that he had been told th
Mr.. Otway :. Allen would donate 10 the eli
a certain tract of land lying just outside
the city limits. In the county Of llenricO, I
site for the monument. The cOmmittt
with this understanding. agreed 10 put O
monument on the AiltN lNls - IT Was iNllt
aud Governor Lee appeared before the CT
Council and addressed that body i'm adj,
cacy Of the appropriation of $4,000 toWar
fhe erection OF the monument. lie frank
declared that whether the city gave O
amount or not, the monument would
placed on the Allen lot. The Council. by
decided vote, refused % make the approp
alton.
WORK COMMENCED.
Mel T.. Burgwyn was employed 20 !;
on the grounds upon which the monume
was 10 stand, and all the preliminaries
cidental 20 the commencement Of the wor
were gone into. The cornerstone Of q
monument was laid with imposing cerem
MES on a cold, bleak. and rainy day. Re
estate in the west end took boom on a
count Of the new attraction.
THE STATUE.
30 soon as the erection Of the monumc
became an established fact the eXecuti'
committee Of the Monument Associate,