The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1866-06-12

The Author of the Phrase, EFFiTst in
War, First in Peace, and First in
the Hearts of His COuntrym en-"
A correspondent Of the Columbus
(Ga. } Enquirer corrects the statement
made by the National Intelligencer,
ascribing to Gen. Henry Lee, father OF
Robert e. Lee, the authorship Of the
above sentence. he says it was not
Gen. Lee, but John Marshall, who first
uttered It The circumstances are
these:
Congress was in session at Philadelphia
at the time of WsshiDgton's death, and i'm
mediatelv on the receipt of the intelligence
both Houses adjourned. The next morning,
December 10, 1893, on the meeting Of the
House Of Representatives, General John
Marshall, then a member of that body
afterwards so illustrious as the Chief Justice
of the United States-addressed the House
in a short speech, which must ever rank as
a gem of OBJ tuary eloquenee, and closed by
offering to the House these resolutions:
" ResolUed, That this House will wait on
the President in coincidence of this mourn
full event.
" ResoIDed, That the Speakers chair be
shrouded with black, and that the mem
bers Of the House wear black during the
session.
"Resolved, That committee, in conjunc-
ton with one from the Senate, be appoint
ed to consider on the most suitable manner
of paying honor to the man--ffrst IN loGr,
first in peace, and FIRST in the hearts Of has
feLiol0- citizens"
The joint committee appointed under this
resolution, among other henors, directed
that funeral Grafton should be delivered
by one of the members of Congress before
the two Houses. Gen. Henry Lee, then
Representative from Virginia, was selected
for the purpose and did accordingly, on
Thursday, the 26th day of December, deliv
er a funeral Grafton worthy of the great and
Inournful occasion, and which through all
time, will present General Lee to the sd-
miriug gaze of his cOuntrymen with the
civic wreath entwiued around his brow
along with that bright laurel chaplet which
he had won as a warrior of the Revolution.
In that speech General Lee TeiteTates, with
the accidental change of a single word, the
renowned phrase which few days before
lad fallen fresh-coined from the lips and
pen of Mr.. Marshall. In his speech Gen.
Lee says of Washington:
"First in war, first in peace, and first in
the hearts of his countrymen, he was sec
ond to none in the humble and endearing
scenes of private life"
1t is not surprising that the error should
have occurred, of aseribing the authorship
of this glorious phrase to Gen. Lee for,
doubtless, many have read his speech who
have never seen, or have forgotten. Mar
ehall's resolutions. But it is a precious
pearl in the literature and patriotism of the
country, and therefore it is the more fit
that it should be credited, in an especial
manner, TO its real author, although it had
no sooner found utterance from his lips than
it acquired a settling in the hearts Of his
fellow-ctizens, which has made it cher
ished common property Of them al for
ever.
Gan. Msrsball's speech and resolutions
are to be found in the Appendix Of The Is
volume Of Sparks CLIFF of Wsshing,o0,"
p. 563 Gen. Lees speech in the 9TH vol
ume of Williston's "Eloquence of the
United States, p. l29.