Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1910-08-03
Lee Statue to Remain


of Virginia, is to be pushed out
into the street, Congress must first
make a new law TO govern the
situation. Attorney General
Wickersham. To whom President
Taft referred the great bundle of
protests against the presence Of the
statue, can find no law which will
cause its removal, and the Presi-
dent has approved his opinion.
The hottest protest came from
the Department of New York.
q. \. r., in a resolution passed at
its meeting held at Syracuse on
June %. James Tanner wrote 70
the President in connection with
the resolution.
1t was a dull day in Congress
last winter that a protest did not
come in against the presence ofthe
statue. Senator Hey burn OF Idaho
made it his business to block any
attempt at formal acceptance of it.
1t was he who aroused Senator
Gordon of Mississippi in his famous
single speech in the Senate to in
vite the Idaho man to Mississippi
that they might heal the wounds
still open after 45 years of peace.
Senator Hepburn made fiery
speech, which tempted the South
erners TO reply in kind. Instead
they suggested that he probably
felt better. and let the matter pass.
1t has been the custom to put
statues donated by the States in
place and then at a suitable time
have them formally accepted. The
Lee statue never reached the ac-
ceptance stage. At q meeting of
the committee having this in charge
last winter. it was decided best to
waive the formal acceptance lest it
result in a storm which would force
the removal of the figure. From
all over the United States came
protests against its presence.
These largely were from camps of
the G.. 4. X. and few others who
had forgotten that the war closed
45 years ago. This fact is stated
by Mr.. Wickersham rs a reason
why the statue should be allowed to
remain.
Statues are placed in the old hall
of the House of Representatives
under an act passed July ,, 1864,
under which each State Is invited
to provide two statues in marble or
bronze of men "Illustrious for
their historic renown or from dis
tinguished civic or military SER
vice" When 50 furnished it is
provided that they shall be placed
in Statuary Hall. There is no
other restriction.
Mr.. Wickersham admits that
probably Congress did not then
contemplate that citizens who had
| been engaged in rebellion against
the United States should be honored
thus. He holds that Robert F..
/ Lee has come 10 be generally
regarded as typifying not only all
| that was best in the cause in which
at the behest of his native State he
gave his services, but also the
most loyal and unmurmuring
acceptance of the complete over
throw of that cause.
That the State of Virginia
should designate him rs one illuStri-
Gus for distinguished military SER
vices is therefore natural; that his
statue should be clothed in the
+ Confederate uniform, thus elo-
quently teStifying TO the fact that a
magnanimous country has com
pletely forgiven an unsuccessful
effort to deStOry the Union, and
that the statue should be accepted
in the National Statuary Hall a,
the symbol of the acceptance with
: out miSgivingS of cOmplet,
surrender and a renewed loyalty
should surely provoke no oppOsi
tion.
But, at all events, independ
: emily of the question of taste. tn
act of Congress places no restric
c tions upon the designation 10y tn
y States of those whom they ma.
y desire to honor in this way, no
: does it vest in any official any cen
SorShip concerning the design o
the costume in which Il statue Shal
'e ~ be depicted