Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1896-07-08

itself upon the plans which you have
formulated and presented to me
they meet my entire approval and you
have my authority, accompanied by
my best wishes, to carry them out.
"a nation will endorse cur plans,
and visitors from foreign countries
can be edited by the lights of know
ledge Of things past and present,
which will be created rs much for
them as for ourselves. Although 4
large factor myself, | am but an
humble instrument in the hands Of
my comrades and friends to assist
them in perpetuating the glorious
deeds of our heroes. | AIN proud to
feel that | am to be an assistant in
developing the true history of our
great country. The pages that will
be written from the archives that will
be collected by the Battle Abbey AS
ISOLATION, and which have remained
so long unwritten, will be sacred TO
truth and justice, and | hope that
my countrymen, both North and
South, will do my personal memory
the justice to believe that in offering
to devote 4 half million of dollars TO
the great ocjects that we wish to OBJ
tain, that / have done it with q sim
gleness of purpose of devotion to my
fellow-man and an unsellish desire
to honor the good and great of our
country.
"Your long continued and disin-
terested devotion TO the same object
has won for you my affection and
esteem, and | trust you implicitly to
stand with me, by me, and for me,
in carrying out with promptness and
energy our part of the purpose of
our mission. All money necessary
to carry out these plans will be plac-
ed at your disposal, and fund Of
money to the extent of $500, 900 will
be so arranged that you and the rest
of your associates who will consti-
tute the Board of Governors can
make proper disposition of it, as
may be required; to this you may
consider me pledged, rs well as my
heirs, and assigns, and | have furth~
er the honor to state for your infor-
nation that my great pleasure will
be to see the work begun as soon as
my partners, my beloved country
men of every State and Territory in
the South, are ready, and pushed
forward to completion with all the
rapidity commensurate with pru-
dence and good workmanship; for
some Of us are getting along in years,
and we must hurry up little ifw we
are to be permitted TO see the result
of our patriotic enterprise.
"The Temple of the Lost Cause
must be founded upon the Rock of
Ages, its Importance will develop
with time, and whatever exalted cs-
innate may be placed upon it to-day
| trust will be intensified by coming
generations of men, so that it will
always stand as a part of the history
of our great republican government.
''Your letter describes the situa-
alton exactly; the condensed history
you have given Of the proposed me-
mortal hall, and all that led up to it,
my plans, and agreements, | find
correctly stated and, without going
into details, / authorize you TO fulfill
my promises, by meeting the views
and decisions of the convention that
will be appointed at Richmond, and
who will represent the wishes Of the
United Confederate Veterans, as to
the location of the building, etc.
81 sincerely trust the matter will
meet with no delay, but be definitely
settled at the reunion. | am ready
at any time to meet my engagements
as to this work; and, wherever it is
decided to build the Battle Abbey, l
will be in accord with the United
Veterans, and hereby
you to act about the money
| have advanced as working capital
as you think proper, as it is be st, |
think, that you should be governed
by surrounding circumstances. In
your letter to me you haye seemingly
covered the whole ground in your
as to what may occur
if the 100000 has not been raised
IN the South. I must leave all that
10 you. know that you join me in
he hope that everything will beready
10 proceed to definite and final ar
provided 'the temple is
o be located in one Of the Southern
States or Territories If, however,
ny larger and more important offer
5 accepted. and Washington is Sc
ected as the location, which prop
,sitiOn | request my countrymen to
dispassionately and serious
y before making a final decision,
hen you will proceed to make such
with the representa-
ives of the United Confederate Vet
rams as you may think necessary,
nd the then existing circumstances
NV rauuira oil NJ which aofiop-