The Greenville enterprise. [volume] (Greenville, S.C.) 1870-1873, 1870-11-16
JOHN C. 4 EDWARD BAILEY, PRURs.

Virginia to the service Of the
United States, he represented her
In the Military Academy at West
Point. He was not educated by
the Federal Government, bnt bv
| Virginia; for she paid her full
share for tho support of that insti.
tuition. and was entitled to demand
return the services Of her sons.
Entering the army of the United
States, he represented Virginia
there also, and nobly. On many
hard-fought field Lee was con.
spicuons, battling for his native
State as much as for the Union.-
tie came from Mexico crowned
with bonors, covered by brevete,
and recognized, young as lie was.
as one of the ablest of his country's
sol iers. And to prove that he
was estimated then as such. let me
tell you that when Lee was a Cap.
tain of Engineers, stationed in
Baltimore, the Cuban Junta. in
New York, selected him to be their
leader in the struggle for the indie.
gendence Of their native country.
They were anxious to secure his
services and offered him every
temptation that ambition could de
sire. He thought the matter over.
and, remember, came to Wash.
ington to consult the as to what he
should do, and when began to
discuss the complications which
might arise from his acceptance of
the trust, he gently rebnked me,
saying is was not the line upon
which he wished my advice, the
simple question was, " Whether it
toas right or not" He had been
educated BY the United States, and
felt wrong to accept a place in the
army of a foreign power. Such
was his extreme delicacy, such was
the nice sc sc OF honor of the gal.
liant gentleman whose death we
deplore. But when Virginia with.
drew-the State to whom he owed
his first and last allegiance-tl tire
same nice sense of honor led him
to draw his sword and throw il in
the scale for good or for evil
Pardon me tor this brief defence
Of my illnstrious friend.
When Virginia Joined the Con-
federacy, Robert Lee, the highest
officer in the little army of Vir.
g''iia, came to Richmond, and not
Lansing to inquire what wonld be
his rank in the service of the Con.
federacy, went to Western Vir.
LIMA under the belief that he was
still an officer CT the State. He
came back, carrying the heavy
weight OF defeat and unappreci.
ated by the people whom he served.
for they could not know. AS I knew,
that ito his plans and orders had
been carried out, the result would
have been victory rather than re.
treat. You did not know, nor I.
would not have known it, had he
not brea'hea it In my ear only at
my earnest request and begging
that nothing be said about it. The
clamor which then arose followed
him when he went to South Caro-.
lima, SO that it became necessary
on his going to South Carolina to
write letter to the Governor OF
that State, telling him what man.
ner "f man he was. Yet, Though
all this, with magnanimity rarely
equalled. he stood in silence, with.
oue>detending himself or allowing
Others to defend, for he was un.
willing 10 offend any one who was
wearing asword and striking blows
for the Confederacy.
Mr.. Davis then spoke of the
straights to which the Coniedracy
was reduced, and of the danger to
which her capital was exposed lust
after the battle of Seven Pines.
and told how General Lee had
conceived and executed the des.
perate plan to turn their flank and
rear, which, alter seven days of
bloody battle, was crowned with
the protection of Richmond, while
the enemy was driven far from the
city. The speaker referred also
toihe circumstances attending Gen.
Lees crossing the Potomac and
the march into Pennsylvania. He
(Mr. Davis) assumed the responsi.
bility for that movement. The
enemy had long been concentrat.
ing his force, aud it was evident
that if they continued their steady
progress, the G. 'ntederacy would
be overwhelmed. Our only hope
was to drive them to the defence
OF their own capitol, we being en-
abled In the meantime to reinforce
our sheltered army, How well
Gen. Lee carr led out that danger.
s,lto 4 l.