The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-05-30
RICHMOND PROPER 81 b.
Reasons why the Confederacys Csp"a'
Should Have Been Selected.

Reasons Why the Copfederacy's Capital
Should Have Been Selected.
Richmond IS OF all cities the one pc
cuMary adapted for the site Oh the
magnificent monument now oVerioohine
the hills and wales of the OLD Dofninio'
capital. At the climax OF the great Wv"
struggle as we'll as in the Crisis Oh III
depending Revolution, Richmond was
stage for actors, and of actions Oh 'he
heroic. and the sublime. Passing over
with mere mention .'Bacon's Rebellion,
Patrick Henry procaimng independence
and other great movements with which
the seat OF the Confederacy was SO
closely identified, ones thoughts natu-
rally hurry on 10 the great tragedy from
Nav, 1852. 10 April. 1855, when Richmond
was a beleaguered city, holding out
steadfastly. and towards the end grand
ly against the greatest marshais, tne
strongest leyies of the Overwhelming
hosts striving TO reduce it. AS the cap
ital and citadel of the Confederacy oe-
tween those dates fifteen pitched pattiee'
and more than twenty bloody ehsase
meuts were fought before its raihpai's'
and when finally, yielding TO the new
table. they who fought so heroicaiiy In
its defense quilted the city, anu pe'-
mitted the overpowering host tne ue
tructive triumph Of possession u was
of a city whose entire business quartz,
WAS but smouldering cinders ana chafreu
debris.
THE RICHvC Nd OF TO-DAY.
There is a remarkable contrast be-
tween the Richmond of 1860. city IN
ashes. and smoke and rum ana the
Richmond of to-day, with It's beautitul
streets. its handsome buildings spiehuiu
residences, magnificent monuments, an
all that makes a city great commerce.
educational. political and religious ce"'ie
Evervwhere the city is more IMAM re-
stored: everywhere can be seen aspects
OF increase progress. enterprise every
where a metropolis overlooking the PIC
turesque. placid James so rich IN MS
toric lore.
Upon the stranger the city produces
an impression Of varied beauty anu
many hattering tributes nave Deeh
evoked from such distinguished vlsi.ors
as William Writ. Daniel Webster Charies
Dickens. JOAQUIN Miller, Thackeray. ana
others by the splendid views that s'ee'
the eye from every side.
Passing over the washington Group
IN the beautiful Capitol park, which mas
been pronounced by critics the noblest
niece Of statuary in America; the far-
famed ST. Pauls church, In which the
President OF the Confederacy was kneel-
ing when the courier brought him from
Petersburg the fateful tldings presaglng
the grand finale at AppomattoX; the
statue of Stonewall Jackson. the eques-
trian likeness in bronze OF General ROD
ert t. Lee. the obelisk in Hollywood over
tho grave OF General George f.. Pickett,
the bronze figure Of General A. p. Hill.
the statue OF General Wickham. In Mon
roe Park, the Confederate monument IN
Hollywood, the obelisk In lakewood, the
Howitzer monument near Lee circle, not
to speak Of the marble efilgy Of Henry
Clay. Houdon's Washington, In the ro-
tunda Of the capitol the bust Of Lafay-
cite from the same sculptors hand, ana
many other features that make Rich
mond A conspicuously historical city.
one naturally thinks of the White House
Of the Confederacy. the residence OF
President Davis during the war, which
has been converted by an association
formed for the purpose into museum
of relics OF the Lost Cause. OF him who
was head and front leader and exponent
of that cause. Richmond is fttingy the
place of sepulture; and a movement Is
afoot among the citizens OF this city,
and throughout the South, 10 raise a
mausoleum worthy the great chieftain
who represented cause so dear to the
Southerner
statue 10 General Cooke is a ques-
ton of no distant day while n bronze
memorial OF General J. f.. b. Stuart Is
already in contemplation.
tbs HALLowTD GROUND.
To the survivors Of the great struggle.
Richmond and vicinity will always be hal
lowed ground. It's here that almost every
field and hedge brook and pike. is OF
melancholy interest, "as a reminder of
some fierce episode OF the internecine
epoch when 'On 70 Richmond. was the
war-cry OF the North. and this devoted
city was furiously assailed. and as flu
riously defended as the strategic point.
final and ultimate, the key-politc OF the
war"
The battle grounds nearest the city are
those OF the Seven Days Fighting, while
earth works In fair preservation can be
seen everywhere in the outskirts The
most readily accessible is the field OF
Seven Pines. or Fair Oaks. about seven
miles distant. at the terminus OF Rich
mond and Seven Pines railroad. The bat
tlefeld IS now transformed into a wood
which has been converted into a sort Of
Sunday resort and picnic grounds.
THOUSANDS OF GRAyxs
Near Seven Pines. the scene OF slaugh-
ter, is National Cemetery, where 1913
OF the soldiers OF the North who fell be-
fore the coveted stronghold OF the Confed-
eracy. are marshalled In death, while
in the immediate vicinity. 6.5S more
graves OF Union soldiers tell the tale OF
the bloody struggle. In Hollywood and
lakewood some twenty-five thousand Con-
federates sleep their last long sleep. while
In and around Richmond between sixty
and seventy thousand, altogether. or those
who died In the struggle, lie buried. both
sides. Blue and Gray, under the sod OF
the sacred soil. rich with the blood OF the
flower OF the South, and the bravest SOL
dlers Of the North.
For these and numberiess other reasons
richmond. thJe beautiful city on the
LANES. full Of a thousand relies OF the
great tragedy. from the graves that speak
eloouently OF the devotion and self-sacri-
acs OF those that lie beneath the turf
10 the stately capitol OF the confederacy
so closely interviewer with the days
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