Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-03-11
Virginia and the Lee Statue.

To the Editor OF The Evening Star:
How have the mighty fallen" was
the idea that was suggested by the state
ment in the press that the statue Of Lee
had been selected for the national Capitol!
Has that great state, ''the mother Of Presi-
DENTS" so fallen that she can find among
her great men none but one who, after be-
ing educated at the public expense to de-
fend the nation, and who took solemn
oath to support the Constitution and the
laws and obey the constituted authorities,
then turned traitor to the Union and did
all in his power to destroy It?
Is that the attitude In which Virginia de-
sires to be represented at the national Cap
itol?
With her Washington, Jefferson, Madison,
Monroe and Patrick Henry, it would seem
that she might find a more suitable charac-
ter to represent her for all future time
What must be the thought of every loyal
citizen as he gazes upon the statue of a
man with such a record In the national
Capitol? What can it be but that now and
for all time Virginia approves OF, and glo-
ries In, the effort to destroy the Union? If
1t means anything 1t means that, and that
treason to the nation is more praiseworthy
than loyalty!
Admit, as we may. that Lee was a man
of high moral character as a citizen. and
one of the ablest Of military leaders still
Of which he was guilty in his supreme
efforts to destroy the Union. In fact, his
military achievements only adds to the
enormity of his offense, for that was the
result of his West Point education freely
conferred upon him by the nation. and to
serve which he. took solemn oath. In
that respect his conduct was that of son
who stabbed to the heart the mother who
bore and nursed him.
The fact that he hesitated to the last
moment before he decided to Join in the re-
bellion, shows that he was fully aware of
the Nervousness Of his crime. Even though
the politicians Of his state had decided to
join in the effort to destroy the Union, his
duty as a man holding a commission from
the United States government was to stand
by that government and defend 1t to the
last.
Then again, IT Is surprising that at this
day, nearly forty years after the war. and
when men on both sides and of all parties
are urging that nothing should be done to
disturb the friendly feeling that has grown
up, Virginia should think Of doing such an
act-an act which In the very nature of
things must tend to renew the feeling OF
bitterness. It is too bad; and 1t is to be
hoped that her sober second thought will
yet induce the state to select some other of
her great men to represent her among the
statues in the national Capitol.
What q contrast between her action In
this matter, and that of the governor OF
Indiana. who vetoed an act for a statue OF
Clark on the sole ground that he had Of
fered to join the enemy Of his country-and
service before. In the one case loyalty is
the test-in the other trea son-and no soph-
istry can make 1t anything else.
If 1t Is proper to place Lees statue in the
national Capitol. then 1t Is proper to place
there the statues OF Jefferson Davis, Booth
and Gufteau. Surely Vfrginians should
pause and consider well before proceeding
further in this matter. w. c. DODGE.