The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-07-09

ss u Elsewhere will be found a letter from
HI M. James Fa1kner Jr.,, to the New
York sun. In which the writer makes '
interesting observations on ES RIc hl,1ond,2
y i,vhtch he recently Visited. He says that
u Ne 81 somewhat elderly NJ gentle
man, 4, the thing he came to observe ana an
% study, and that which possessed the great
eat interest for him, was the rel lt| ton On
a. the late Confederate capitalize pres!
ent adjustments. In TINT connec CT 9, ne
yrema ks that 'the tendency is \ q regard
n Ala former idols OF the Southerner, Jef-
Va ferson Davis and even General N !. %
Lee, with rather less than more nor ven ''r
# GRAFTON as the days go on-the former as
having openly sacrificed the ! 1ost Cause
$$toe personal jealousy, and the % TER Us
having been an admirable DEFENDER . nut
NJ ns loser always as an tnyadcr--as one ' 3u 1l
~ nh,e AZ - Win battles elsewhere than on
Ills native so!l-n shore, the only IDEAL IDEA,
" left l he# Southerner would seem 70 a p y
sto,,e,wall Jackson, whose statue or p ''''
traits everywhere. 87
sfa If1there is any such entiment IN lsc 81
Blnond, we are not aware OF It, cur3 own w
Soninlon !. is that the people Of TINS clty
and section, certainly those OF the ou Is
generation. feel more kindly than ever y
towards Mr. Davis; and II the suns cor
c.,sspondent Will revisit Richmond next ext
veal when the South gniiicent $i1ohu-
anent to the memory Of the COME aefa ll
President Is unveiled Z, he VIII come 20
tic same clusion. 5E33,3
8S$ AS for General Leo, his fame grows rows
Nj re ater and his memory more precious es
3$E ns the years go on. The more the soutll-
ar, pcople study Ills life and character,
the moro they venerate the man mar I'hey
Iss now understand as never before SO well
tina he was a great soldier beca use ne lf
q s was Il q great man. I was mo ~ MS hcts
which made him great, but his great
mess which made his acts, he Souths
ST A ,u,res him for his military genius;
1.-THE South venerates him for rs no 9 il'
a$ofS soul. the South dolizes him for his i
4 heroic sacrifice, There is no CRIT lcls'1l
n of$ General Lees military conduct such
$S { II Mr.. Falkner5 ntions The most
nj SERIOUS attempt at invasion made by
=
General Lee eliminated ut Gettysburs,
8 but he is not held RESPONSIBLE for the
failure OF that campaign. After that ne
S56l,ad no opportunity to invade the en- en-.
L omys territory, for with the overw lelm-
Ing armies of tie North pressing down
mon him, General Lee was necessarily
d thrown upon tile der'Alslve. ,ssB vt he made
AZ resistance more brave and brilliant than
the world had ever seen and finally the
4 nohlest surrender. Robert p. Lee Is and
VIII ever be, par excellence, the ldoi OF
the South. 45
Otherwise Mr.. Falkner's j observations 10
concerning Richmond arc accurate ana
astute He Is right In saying mere
Is no looking backward" We have our
s4 memories, and they are precious. we
b 3venerate our heroes, and once IN each
Ss& YEAR we set apart II day to decorate
Their graves. I'VE are still building monu-
rnents to their memory; but We forget
those things which are behind. 50 lar
" as to prevent the recollection OF them
from standing In the way OF our prog
i8l,g reRs. We are endeavoring to live up to
Mr.. Falkners high estimate OF our CITY,
IN We thank him for his words Of praise
and encouragement and invite MN 70
come back when the Confederate He-
anton is held next year and get the
sobwebs out of his eyes.
ss]itt9 -----=