Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-02-06
THE LEE MEMORIAL
Discussion of Matter in Vir-
ginia Legislature.
OPPOSITION TO BILL
SENATOR HALSEY LEADS IN IT'S
DEFENSE.
Others Opposed to the Proposed Statue
for National Capt.
toll.
OPPOSITION TO BILL
pecial Dispatch to The Evening Star.

Special Dispatch to The Evening Star.
RICHMOND, Va, February Elm the
senate today the bill to place a statue Of
General Robert E. Lee in Statuary Hall
was discussed by Senator Halsey, the pa
tron of the bill. Senator Bryant OF Hen
rico and Senator Gold Of Clarke objected to
the passage Of the bill
Senator Gold read the resolution Of the G.
A. r. Department of the Potomac protest
ing against the proposition. He was a fol-
lower of General Lee. He said that Virginia
should wait until she was asked to confer
an honor Of that sort on the national gov
eminent. There is much opposition to the
bill.
follows:
Mr.. Halsey's Remarks.
In presenting the bill now under CON-
sideration, I did so from no desire to Of
fend northern sentiment, or to reopen old
wounds now happily healed. Rather I did
SO from entirely opposite motives, for be-
lieving that the feeling Of good will be-
tween the sections Is now greater than
ever before, I considered this an oppor-
tune time for Virginia to accept the in
vttatton so long held out to her by the
federal government, and place In the ma
tfonal Valhalla, by the side Of her Wash
ington, the figure Of him whom She deems
to be his peer, and the fittest Of all her
sons for this high distinction, thus show
Ing the good feeling Of Virginia toward
the nation of which she is part.
I recognize the fact that there are those
in the north who are still irreconcilable as
well as those in the south who are still "un-
reconstructed to use that word in its
northern sense; but I take it also that the
trreconcilable Of the north are no more rep
resentattve of the true sentiment Of that
section than the unreconstructed are repre-
sentative of the true sentiment of the
south. and therefore believe that the great
heart Of the north beats in unison with that
of the south in honoring the memory of the
great exponent of the chivalry and the
glory and the true manhood Of the south
just as know that the south delights to
honor the memory Of his great adversary,
who was too chivalrous to accept his sword
at Appomattox, and whose words, Let us
have peace" fell like benediction upon
her sore and wounded spirit in the hour Of
her great trtbulation and distress.
The Rights Involved.
OF the absolute legal right Of Virginia to
choose whom she will to represent her in
statue in this national pantheon there can
be no doubt whatever. The law gives pal
pable expression to this right in terms so
clear and explicit that no room is left for
any possible adverse construction. It is
positively and Enthusiastically to the effect
that every state shall have the right to SEA
lect such two Of its illustrious dead for this
purpose as leach state shall determine to
be worthy Of this national commemOra-
ton" 1t then goes on to provide that these
statues. when so furnished by the several
states. shall be placed in the old hall of
the House Of Representatives, in the Cap
itol Of the United States, which is hereby
| set apart, so much thereof as may be
| necessary. as a national statuary hail."
There is no provision in the law giving the
authority to the President or any one else
to either accept or reject these statues, and
passing by the question Of whether V1r-
ginia was in or out of the Union at the time
that the law was passed and the invitation
extended, will only say that there Is no
question about her being in the Union now
and having the same rights under the laws
Of the Union as every other state.
The only people, therefore, who have the
Virginia shall send are the people Of Vir-
ginia themselves, who speak through their
representatives in the general assembly.
All, but it is suggested by some faint
hearted and hesitating Virginians that we
might possibly offend northern sentiment.
we might perchance raise a sectional ISSUE
and perhaps we had better consult the Sec
rotary Of State Mr.. President, l see no
necessity nor propriety In such course.
Why should Virginia consult the Secretary
of State as to whether 1t will be agreeable
right, a right as clearly written in the law
Of the land as her right to choose her, own
representatives in Congress? 1t has not been
her habit, nor the habit of any southern
state, to consult any representative of the
national government about whom they
should choose to represent them in any
capacity. So why should she do it now?