Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1903-01-22
VIRGINIA DECIDE,
STATE ALONE TO SAY WHETHER
5.4 LEE STATUE. SHALL BE rs
WASHINGTON.
THERE is SOME OPP 0slTIoN.
Known Member of the.
Senate Thinks He would Have TO
Oppose the Placing Of the statue
/ In statuary Hail.

WASHINGTON, D. c., January Il
Especial. 1.-The proposition on the part Of
the Virginia Legis1a ture to present a sta
tue of Robert E.. Lee to the United States,
to be placed in Statuary Hall OF the Cap
itol, continues to be subject OF wide
discussion in; washington. At the in
stance Of Senat Daniel, who had been
having some correspondence with the
Secretary of State and the superintendent
of the Capitol on the subject, Senator
Halsey, Of Lynchburg, introduced a bill
in the Virginia Senate to present statue
of Robert E. Lee to the government Of
the United States, to begpIaced in Statu-
airy Hall The discussion has taken wide
range. First. it was met with approval
by Southern people. but as evidences Of
opposition to it from Northern sources
began to crop out, it was wondered II It
would be expedient to present it.
There has been conflicting opinions as
to who has the power Of choice in the
matter But. the law is clear on that
particular Under an act Of Congress, APP
proved July Q, 1854, the power of choice in
the selection of the personages who shah
be represented by these statues Is left
entirely with the different States. The
4 law of that date is as follows:
1.-THE President is hereby authorized to
invite each and all the States to provide
and furnish statues in bronze, or marble,
not exceeding two in number. for each
State of deceased persons. who have been
citizens thereof, and Illustrious for their
historic renown; or from distinguished
civic. or military source, such as each
State shall determine to be worthy OF
this national commeInoration; and when
SO furnished, the same shall be placed
in the old hall of the House Of Represen-
tatives in the Capitol of the United States,
which is hereby set apart, or SO much
thereof as may be necessary. as nation
al stat,t ,ry. hall. for the purpose herein
indicat ted: - "a 49,
The question Of expediencys is the only
question That there will be no opposi-
ton to the acceptance on the part OF the
government of the statue. has already
been evidenced One of the most widely
known members OF the Senate has said
to friends, that much as he would regret
to do so, he would have to oppose Its
acceptance. go go
lam a great admirer- OF Lee. both as
soldier and as man. and it would be
far from me. if could escape 1t. to do
anything to reopen old wounds, yet { 1
am afraid ! would have to oppose the
placing of a statue IN the Capitol, of a
man whose chief claim to fame lies IN
his attempt to destroy the government
! III
express themselves in the same way.
It is pointed out, however, that neither
the. Ienat e nor tho House, individually,
can do anything more than enter q pro-
test in the matter. The law bearing on
the case cannot be repealed, except by
concurrent action Of two branches OF
Congress.
It is the usual custom when a statue
is presented by q State, to have some
! 49, m ~
Of the statue of General Grant. is re
called in that connection. There were
speeches in both the House and. the Sen.
ate. upon the occasion. In every case
1.-the Congress has taken cognlzance OF the
gift, except in the last presentation. thai
of a statue Of Marquette by the State
| of WISCONSIN.
There were strong objections entered
| to its acceptance by the American Protes-
! tant Association, which. however, were
una vailing, for the statue now stands II
the hall. though it is stated that Congress
| has never taken cognizance. of that TACT
There have been other tim es when OBJ
| tections were made to the acceptance o.
statues A notable case was that of the
! Lincoln statue "ln a speech in the Sen
ate says Glenn Brown, in his history o.
| the Capitol, uttered in una vailing pro
! test at the proposed dissertation Of the
i Capitol by placing in it an unworthy
| statue of Lincoln" which Is still there
| Charles Sumner said: z: Surely this ma
! tional capitol, SO beautiful and interesting
1 and already historic. should not be oper
to the rude experiment Of untried talent
Only the finished artist should be admit
ted here. Sir, L doubt if you consider
enough the edifice In which we are. as
/ sembled The Capitol is Itself, work @
art 1t should not receive in the way o
ornamentation anything which Is not
work Of art Unhappily, this rule is to-
often forgotten, or there would not b
SO few marbles about US which we ar
glad to recognize. But ordinary marble
warns us against adding to their number
Representative Hay called at the Stat
Department, to ascertain the opinion
the Secretary of State Of the matter, bu
/ Secretary Hay was sick at his house
/ and could not be seen on the subject. -
Another interesting fact In this connec
/ ton. is that Georgia, it is stated. o.
excellent authority, proposes to presen