The National tribune., 1890-06-05
UNvAILING OF LEES MONUMENT.

| '-N ''1asN VI ' iiEiHld nave bVcu III ny olSli u
Of maudlin sentiment which illuminated
last Thursday in theatrical unvailing of T;
statue to Robert T. Lee
The scenes at the reception of the statue
some weeks ago reminded one of the per
iormances in India and Japan when some
great monstrosity of an idol is to be installed
in temple. Then, we read, beautiful
women sacrifice their crown of glory-their
hair-tO make ropes to draw the image ia
its consecrated seat, delicate women plead
for the privilege of pulling on the ropes
with their puny strength, and aged men be-
come so frenzicd that they cast themselves
before the wheels and are crushed 10 death
iancying that thereby they attain happiness
! through countless ages.
1t is not reported that any wild-eyed old
! SeceSsionist lost his balance so completely
rs TO allow himself TO be ground into the
macadam under the trucks which hauled
The monument from the deck TO its pc
destal, and il did not occur TO any enthu-
siast of the Lost Cause to suggest to the
ladies Of Virginia 10 contribute their locks
for tackle 10 haul and raise the statue. Had
he done so, there would have been more
short-haired women in Virginia to-day than
could be seen in hundred Women's Rights
Conventions.
Bat they committed almost every other
idolatrous extravaganza. Staid, sober mid
dle-aged men begged for the privilege OF
tueging at the ropes attached to the trucks.
Ladies did the same; mothers carried their
infant children TO the line that they might
lay their little hands on the tackle, and
have it to boast Of for the rest of their lives.
After the ropes had done their work they
were at once cut into little relics, and dis
tributed TO favored ones as inestimably pre-
cious relics.
After such an exhibition, in one of our
principal cities, shonld we snecr at
The heather, who in their blindness
Bow down TO wood and stone.
On the day of the unvailing Richmond
was ahlaze was with bunting, mostly re-
productions of the banner which was for
ever folded by the rude hand OF war United
States Senators, from the South, Supreme
Judges, Governors, and other dignitaries
took prominent part in the ceremonies,
and the occasion wasmade the most note
worthy one in the history OF the city since
its abandonment as the Confederate capital
Now, who was this Lee whose memory re-
ceiyed snch fulsome honors? What extra
ordinary benefit hid he conferred upon man
kind that be should be set up in the midst
Of the people as 4 demi-god? Had he by
shining genius or noble sacrifice alleviated
the misery or increased the happiness of q
whole people? Was he an illustrious
statesman whose master-hand had nodded
the destiny Of 4 Nation for ages to come?
Was he Newton, Davy, or some other
scientist, whose discoveries enlarged the
domain ofbuman power over nature? Was
he Shakspere, a Tennyson, or a Goethe,
whose inspired muse was the glory of his
c0untrymen for all time2 Was he a Lincoln,
who had carried his people triumphantly
through great war, and struck the shackles
from the limbs Of millions OF slaves Had
lac done any Of the phenomenal services for
mankind which win for the doors the APP
plause Of the world? Not for an instant.
Robert +. Lee was q man who was edu-
Gated at the expense Of the United States to
be one Of its trusted defenders at the time
when it should be assailed by its enemies.
The Government expended what would have
supported q laboring man in comfort for
many years in educating him for this duty,
and for 81 years il paid him good salary as
an officer in its army In all this time ii never
had any real need Of his services. In all
those % years there never was time when
it did not have many more Of his kind than
il needed for the work on hand, so that his
employment was a favor, and he was retained
against the day Of need. That day Of need
came in April, 1861 aud when Col. Lee was
asked TO aid the Government which had
supported and honorcd him through the
lifetime Of generation, he left its service,
went directly to the camp Of its enemies,
and placed at their service all the skill and
experience he had acquired by favor Of the
Government he deserted in It's extremity.
Even the extravagant eulogy pronounced by
the eloquent orator at the unvailing of the
monument contained stern Indictment of
his motives. He claimed that Lee was at
heart lover Of the Union, an opponent
of secession and hostile TO the monster
iniquity of human slavery. Yet, from the
very outset, he was a willing alder and
abettOr in the conspiracy 10 dismember
the Union and Perpetuate slavery. His
own State Was opposed 10 the rebellion,
and was only dragooned into il by out
side military pressure. While making