Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1910-01-08
WASHINGTON LETTER
BY CARL scHoFIELD. Special Core
spondent,

spondent
Sectional feeling has arisen over two
elegant pieces of bronze statuary that
have recently been placed side by side
In the national Walhalla, or hall of
fame, in the capitol. Visitors from
many lands passing through statuary
hall are attracted by these magnificent
works of art and pause to admire
them. One is statue OF George Wash
ington, IL replica OF Houdons immortal
masterpiece, the original Of which Is
in the capitol at Richmond. The 9th
er is n statue of Robert &c. Lee repre-
senting him in full military uniform as
the general In chief of the Confederate
armies.
General Lee In Bronze.
The statue of General Lee would at
tract attention in any art gallery in
the world. The pose Is splendid, the
artists conception ideallstic. He stands
with head erect and looks every inch
a soldier and n leader of men. The
bronze efiigy of Lee seems lonesome
surrounded, as II is, by the statues OF
statesmen and heroes who stood for
the Union I'm opposition to the Confed-
eracy. BY strange coincidence the
statue of Lee presents direct face
to the marble statue of Oliver T. Nor
ton, Indianas war governor. whose I'M
firing zeal In furnishing men and mu-
nitions against General Lees soldiers
is recorded with special emphasis In
history.
Gift of the Old Dominion.
The congressional delegation from
the state of Virginia is. preparing to
offer the statues of Washington and
Lee as the gift of the Old Dominion
to the nation. Tentatively the delega-
ton decided that Feb. % would be the
proper time for this ceremonial to take
place, as that is the anniversary of the
birth of Washington. Take one, take
both" is the ultimatum of the delega-
ton. In other words, If congress ac-
cepts the statue of Washington it must
also accept the statue of General Lee.
The advisability Of allowing such a
precedent to be established is bother
ing the northern leaders in congress.
They are informed that If the Lee
statue is permitted to rest undisturbed
in statuary hall the legislature of Ken
lucky very likely will send the statue
of Jefferson Davis there, coupled with
d statue of Abraham Lincoln, subject
to the same "take-one-take-b both sort
of agreement. Ex-Governor Beckham
of Kentucky is said to be advancing
such an idea Both Davis and Lincoln
were natives of the Blue Grass State.
Justice MarshaiI's Manuscripts.
The famous manuscript book collec-
ton of the late Chief Justice John
Marshall may be added to the library
of congress as the result of u bill in
troduced in the senate this week by
Mr.. Paynter of Kentucky. The library
is now in the possession of Mrs. Sallie
Ewing Marshall Hardy of Louisville,
great-granddaughter of Chief Justice
Marshall, and will be purchased for
$4,000 if Senator Paynter's bill Is
passed. The collection of old books
was in Justice Marshalls possession
until his death, after which the works
were passed down from one generation
to another. All of the books, despite
their age. are in good condition, thanks
to the care of Mrs. Hardy and other
relatives, in whose libraries they have
! been for a century.
Interesting Letters.
AS set forth in Senator Paynter's bill
the works in the library are as fol-
lows: British order book containing
daily orders of British army, about to
embark for America, from the assem-
bling on Wimbledon common for In
spection before King George until the
day of the surrender to Washington
- y I,,,
shall by Martha Washington aud Judge
Bushrod Washington; army register
of troops under immediate command
/ of George Washington, Justice Mar
shalls diary while in France as spe-
cial envoy of the United States in 1897,
containing copies of all papers sent
to the state department; Talleyrand's
letters in French, Timothy Pickering 8
letters in English and Chief Justice
Marshalls observations in France.
War Declared on Sparrows.
Facing the commissioners, the SUI
perintendent of street cleaning and the
superintendent of parking, as well as
the police department of the District,
is the question of what is to be done
with the hundreds of thousands of
] EuBllSu SpuIEOWS III" lhASolluS khS
4, District and which are running the
trees which line the city's thorough
fares. Several suggestions have been
made to the commissioners, and re-
quests for immediate action have been
| made.
In the trees lining the north side of
Pennsylvania avenue from Thirteen
and Half to Twelfth street thousands
Of the little birds have taken up their
abode. The sycamores and other types
Of trees have not only been stunted in
their growth by such habitation, but
some of them have been killed, it is
alleged.
Eleetrocution Suggested.
How best to rid the city of the spar
rows is now being considered by the
officials. 1t has been suggested that
each policeman be armed with noise
less gun and during the hours before
dawn engage in target practice on the
birds.
Other suggestions have been filed
with the commissioners The Scientif-