Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-07-24
Ii Ought to lie .Expunged'
Qynchburg NewsJ


In its Sundays issue upon the I'm
practicability Of writing a history OF 'he
civil war that will be acceptable 10 po'h
the North and South. refers to some
recent manifestations Of an Increasingly
sectional feeling at the North, ana Ihe'l
tions in this connection the recent uepi
cation OF a monument upon the grounds
OF the United States Military Academy
at West Point in honor OF the SoIulv'S
OF the regular army who fell In the late
war OF the rebellion" The Dispatch very
Justly characterizes the employment
Of the word rebellion" as n petty at
tempt TO disparage By a contemptuous
eplthet cause In which such West
Point men as Robert Il. Lee and Joseph
T.. Johnston and Stonewall Jackson
we're enlisted. But our Richmond con
temporary does not correctly quote the
Inscription upon this monument. The
account Of it f. not before US at tbs
writing. but we distinctly remember that
II describes II as erected TO the memory
OF the soldiers Of the regular army who
fell lin defending their country Cor
words TO that enecO I'm the war OF the
rebellion Ti.It is to say. here Is the
great wrong. nay, outrage. OF a monu-
ment erected upon the grounds OF the
National Military Academy that belong
equally to the South and the North. iu
honor Of the soldiers Of the reguiar
army-meaning the West Point gradu-
atcs-who fell i'm the civil war while
lighting on the northern side. Now. the
point we make is that while the people
of the North have an unGuestiOned RICH;
to erect as many monuments as they
please TO northern soldiers Of the civil
war. they have nc moral right 10 erect
such monuments upon the grounds o.
the Military Academy that does not be
long exclusively TO them. but belongs a.
much to the South as 10 the North and
g. as much supported by taxes drawn
from the South as by taxes drawn from
the North; nay. that 5 more supported
by the South than by the North; for
while the import duties or the tarih.
fall equally upon all sections. IL Is 90
well known fact that the internal excise,
or tax. has always been more largely
borne by the South than by the North.
And then, too. we may recall in this
connection that the conception of tn
National Military Academy originated IN
the brain of southern man, Mr. Jeffer-
son. And certainly OF the array %
gifted men. Of great captains. sent ont
from that national training school OF SOL
diers. there are as many conspicu-
Gus names, to say the least, 10 be credited
to the South as to the North.
The inscription upon this monument at
West Point ought TO be erased. and an
other traced in its stead by the chgel
of n broader and worther patriotism.
And the Congress Of the United States
ought to see that It is done. 1t has ever
been a question whether the partisans
of Andrew Jackson, with Benton IN the
lead were justified i'm erasng from the
minutes Of the Senate the resolution OF
censure against "Old Hickory" for his
alleged usurpation Of authority I'm re-
moving the deposits Of the national
bank. We have used the wrong word.
The resolution Of censure was not
erased" according TO the nomenclature
Of the day. but expunged. The 'eXpung-
ing scene i'm that act OF our national
drama will ever be memorable. The
friends OF Jackson would be content with
nothing less than a requirement that
the Clerk of the Senate should take
pen dip it in ink. and draw a black line
around the resolution of censure as IL
stood upon the minutes Of the body.
What notifying picture is that which
the historian gives OF poor, Old Benton.
the obsequious admirer. the sycophantic
partisan OF the stern, implacable PreSi-
dent, Selling the quill pen with whicI
the black line had been drawn, and
rushing with it TO the presidential man
sion. But this aside We say there has
been a question whether the Benton
"Expunging Resolutions were right.
But there can be no question that this
monument ought not to stand upon III"
grounds Of the Military Academy. al
West Point. with an inscription of honor
only to the soldiers sent out from the
institution who took part on the north
ern side I'm the civil war, and charaCte
rizing the soldiers sent out from the
institution who took part on the south
ern side, as engaged i'm war Of rebel
lion" We believe that the present
moment IS opportune for our southern
representatives in Congress TO introduce
an "Expunging Resolution for This
West Point monument We believe chat
even such bigoted men as the two Mas
sachusetts senators-Hoar and Lodge
would unite IN the effort TO right this
wrong and outrage. They are bigots.
but they are scholars and gentlemen.
Their instincts Of fairness and patriotism
will instantly point out TO them that
ii was a great indiscretion, great
grOssness. not to say great, wanton,
an unwarrantable. usurpation OF author
ity TO erect a monument with this often
Gus slur. upon grounds that belonged 10
the South as much as TO the North. II
II is right 10 put a monument upon these
grounds that shall, by an open inscrp-
ton denounce the South TO the classes
at that institution, which year by year
succeed each other, then it Is not right
year by year to tax the South 10 support
that institution. And We can but hope
that our Virginia representatives in the
upper and lower houses of Congress will
at once introduce resolution or censure
upon this most wantOn and fragrant i'm
propriety.
Major Daniel has made three great
speeches in the Senate that have been
described as reproducing the grand and
glorious oratory Of the Augustan era Of
that great body. one was on the tariff,
one was on our financial system or free
silver. and one was on the bastard arbi-
tratiOn treaty. But no one OF these, nor
all Of these combined, offered TO him
such an opportunity as We now suggest
for the exercise Of those powers Of elo-
quenco and that devotion 10 the
South which he possesses and displays
on all occasions, 10 carry through mo
upper chamber Of Congress "A resolution
TO "expunge" from the West Point monu-
ment this invidious and sectional and
Digoted inscription. II 1t Is not now
eXpunged. It will in time be erased. No
such affront TO reason and sense and
justice and right. and patriotism has
ever survived the exercising edict Of
punitive justice. 1t ought TO be eX-
plunged. 1t will be expunged. The only
question Is, Shall 1t now be expunGed?
Coiored hoy Drowned at Lexington.
LEXINGTON, VA. July 2.-(Special.)-
A colored boy named Morton was drown
ed this afternoon while bathing IN North
River. near here. He attempted 10 SWIM
across the river and gave OUT. lNo OF
III comma nfopa tried 10 rescue hin. and