The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1910-04-28
Richmond Times Dispatch


The recent bowling of the GA. r.
Posts in Massachusetts has not met
with the approval of good men in
that State, and the attempt on the
part OF the Massachusetts veterans
to wave the bloody shirt has led to
some plain talk by the men whose
opinion is worth anything Even
the Boston Globe is inclined to think
the veterans might profitably have
kept their mouths shut, although it
doubts that Lees statue should be
placed III the Hall of Fame. 1t saws
on this subject:
"Has any Virginian, Washington,
OF course, accepted. surpassed Jeffer
son, Madison and Monroe in service
to their countrymen? Is it not too
early to hazard a guess that the
fame of General Lee will transcend
theirs? Can anything in the nature
of the achievements of the COM
mander of the Army of Northern
Virginia excel in durability the
Declaration of Independence, the
Constitution of the United States OF
the Monroe doctrine? Yet what
power can prevent the power of to,
day from assigning to whom it
pleases the wreath offame? Perhaps
a statue to GeneralLee is not anew.
dence that Virginians think he was
the Virginian next greatest to Wash.
ington, but that he was the greatest
Virginian of the era in which he lived
and is especially loved by them fol-
his matchless leadership of cause
still sentimentally dear to them"
Virginia was not at all particular
about placing Lees statue in the
Hall, because the State did not think
the reputation of the Southern com
mander would be particularly in
creased by association with most O
the names in the Hall of Fame; but
the State placed Lee beside Wash
ington because the State today
believes that Lee was the greatest
Virginian after Washington. Some
OF our people go even further anC
think that Lee eXcelled Washington
in generalship and in those noble
personal traits which make a maj
truly great. Virginia believes. thai
Lee should stand above Jefferson
Madison, Monroe, Marshall and g
host of other men far better than
most of those who grace or disgrace
the Hall of Fame; and Virginia be
lieves this not so much for what Lee
did, in comparison with the othe
illustrious sons of this State, but fo
what he was. Lee, the man, is create
than Jefferson, the man, and Lee th
man is greater as a man than Jeffer
son the statesman was great as {
statesman.
This is, as the Globe says, th
Judgment of the present generation
not of the ages; but the qualities fo
which Virginia and the South ad
judges General Lee to be great ar
the qualities OF eternal greatness
not the glory of a single politica
achievement, of the winning of 1
single great victory The presen
Virginians, removed a generation
from the time of General Lees death
are probably as able to Judge O
these qualities as will be the men o
the third or the fourth generation
though General Lees greatness vii
grow, with each succeeding age.
1t is possible that Virginia Wi
produce another man greater ever
than Lee, as the Globe suggests il
another part of the article quoted
In such a case, there will be ney
place for him. Yet such a man viii
be the child not of a generation, bu
of civilization. Virginia is satisfied
that Washington and Lee will stan
as the two representatives of thi
State, and she is sure that her choic
is lasting and just, especially whel
she sees that great Commonwealth
like Massachusetts gives it's places c
honor to Samuel Adams and Johl
Winthrop, men whose greatness ha
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