Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-05-14
RICHMOND MEN HONOR
CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS
Wheelwright Leads Movement i'm
Recognition OF Distinguished
Son OF New England
PLACE TABLET AT LEXINGTON


In Appreciation OF His Friendship
for South and His Noble Tribute
10 Robert T.. Ice on Occasion OF
Lee Centennial in 1907.
Tho commencement exercises OF
Washington and Lee University Will
be made memorable this year by the
unvcilinr OF a bronze, bas-relicf por-
trait tablet OF Charles Francis Adams.
eat-grandson OF John Quincy
Adams. who, as n one-timc officer In
'he Union army. came down TO Lex
;ngton in July. 1907. on the occasion
~ the Leo Centennial Celebration. and
delivered culo2S General Lee
which rang throughout the Southland
Tho bas-rclief u photograph of which
Us reproduced on this page. has al
ready been sent 10 Washington and
Lee. and viii be mounted In the very
hall in which tho distinguished New
Engiander spoke. !, was made from
photograph Of Mr. Adams by Edward
Field Sanford. .Ir. he noted New York
artist.
Under tho prorle portrait of Mr.
Adams appears the following; inscrip
ton:
CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS
Presented By Southern Men
In Appreciation Of
His Friendship for the South
and His Noble Trihut" ia
Robert Edward Leo
The death OF Mr.. Adams in 1915 at
ripe old age brought deep sorrow TO
his friends In the South, who recalled
the marninccncc OF his memorial nd-
dress eight years before. Prominent
men In Richmond who had known Mr.
Adams personally, headed by Thornas
5 WhcelwriEht. conceived the idea OF
placing permanent mcnoria! 10 Mr..
Adams at Lexington. The bronze bas-
relief that Will DC unveiled on June
IA is the outcome OF this movement.
GREAT-GRA NDSoN OF
SIXTH PRESIDENT OF u. s.
Charles Francis Adams was born In
Boston. Mass. on May -. 1895. and
died in February. 1913. He was tho
son OF Charles Francis Adams and Abi-
call Brown Adams. and Great-Rrand-
son OF John Qu!ncy Adams sixth Presi-
dent Of The United States. lie gradu-
a'ed from Harvard in 1856 with the de-
Uroc II 3. r., and in 1855 was admitted
TO tho oar.
Wien tho War Between the states
hroEc ON, Mr. Adams Joined the Union
army. serving until the end Of the war
IN 1865 lie was promoted from lieu
tenant in the First Massachusctts Cav
airy 20 colonel 20 which office nc was
;.
"'as bicrctch hriradicr- general rc-
signing from tho army in August.
1855
After the war. SIR Adams became as
Soeiated with railroad interests. play
M a prominent part In tn" railroad
reselopm'r' ~ tho West, Later he
'nsas"d in tho publishing business
~" WAS fellow ~ tho American
'rudcuy of Fine Arts and Science. and
: member OF tho American Academy Of
Arts and Letters
3lr Adams MAS a voluruinous writer
"r history. The remarkable impression
mad" uDon him by the scene AT Lex
iuSton. and the high value he attach
I'D 20 ms address ON that occasion. are
preserved IN his autohiograp ply. Speak
nc "' his WRITINGS on The War Between
''" states ana his addresses on tho
same subject. Nj. Ada.ns Says In an
autnbia2 -aphical note:
cot work ~ This sort have done
al'o-cth.r too nuch: and, looking back
90 -, ~ seems TO have been sinEularly
'"sul;lcss ana barren. Indeed Of all
'hcse performances. involving an i'm
mems" amount OF labor. there Is hut
ono ! recall with pure qualification.
This was tho address entitled Lees
'"ntcnnial.' delivered before the Wash
inctcn and Ice University at Iexiug-
ton. VA. on the 18Th of January, 1907
o'f ASTON LEFT no
HITTER ATTEnTA STE
In every NAY satisfactory that oc-
caSion and effort left no bitter after
ihst" lurking IN the mouth. The Lee
tenccn0!a!' D.. my on. effort in that
Inc which ] now regard rs having been
somewhat better than a mere waste
OF time and force. Indeed. from the
literary point Of view, ! should put il
IN tho forefront OF anything may
have done. When ] first received the
Invitation. ! gave IL scant considera-
ZION. As respects General Lee the
risk incurred by an acceptance loomed
= my case large | at once therefore,
wrote, stating that II would not he
in my power 10 accept shortly after
received another ana more urgent
l"'tcr FROM President Denny. OF Wash
inSton and Lee, begging me to recon
slider my determination, and expressing
IN warm language the desire Of all
concerned that | should undertake the
task, and the disa appointment that would
ne felt should decline so 10 do. |
thcn, with great reluctance came to
family connection with Massachusetts
Virginia had from frs, to last borne
with each other. for me. I say to de-
cline Il second time an invitation thus
empha sized, would he distinctly UNI
era cious. felt | had to accept. and
do the best ! could, and take my
chances / accordingly did so. And
that did so has ever since been for
me one OF the pleasant things In life
Ia look back on"