Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 17.djvu/207

 The Monument to General Robert E, Lee. 199

proposed that the two associations should unite in their action, and called a meeting at the office of the Governor of Virginia, in the Capitol at Richmond, on May 15th, 1886. Present: Governor Fitz- hugh Lee, Colonel Archer Anderson, Miss Sarah* N. Randolph, Miss E. B. Nicholas, Morion Marye, Auditor of Public Accounts, A. W. Harman, Jr., Treasurer of the Commonwealth.

The following resolutions are extracted from the minutes of this meeting :

I St. A board of managers to consist of six persons, to be consti- tuted in the outset as follows : The Governor of Virginia, the Audi- tor of Public Accounts, the Treasurer of the Commonwealth, and three managers to be appointed by the Ladies' Lee Monument Asso- ciation.

2d. Vacancies hereafter occurring to be filled by a vote of the board of managers, provided that the Governor of Virginia, the Auditor and the Treasurer of the Commonwealth for the time being shall always be members of the board ex officio,

3d. The board of managers of the consolidated Lee Monument Association, organized under these articles, shall select the design, the artist who shall execute the work, and select the site on which the monument shall be erected, anything in any resolution or act heretofore passed to the contrary notwithstanding. * * * The members chosen on behalf of the Ladies' Association, as members of the board of managers, were : Miss S. N. Randolph, Miss E. B. Nicholas and Colonel Archer Anderson.

mercie's first model.

Miss Nicholas, treasurer of the Ladies' Monument Association, turned over to the consolidated association $15,602. 17 in different securities. Five thousand had been expended in a competitive exhi- bition. Colonel Archer Anderson and Mr. A. W. Harman, Jr., were appointed to confer with the City Council of the city of Richmond in regard to the foundation of the Lee monument.

Among the models submitted for inspection there was one that showed such evidences of genius that it attracted the first attention of every visitor, but the position of the horse and rider showed such a glaring misconception of the character of General Lee that no one thought of it as winning a prize. It was marked " Glory to the Hero." It represented a triumphant warrior careering over the battle-field waving a sword and shouting to his followers.