The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1870-11-28
General Aae and Washington College


.. iFrom the Old dominion. by request.]
1t is a remarkable fact that the man who
with q voice of wonderful unanimity,
would be unhesitatingly pronounced to
have been the greatest man of the late
Southern Confederacy-a man who had
glorlously filled so large place in the eyes
Of the world amidst scenes of worldwide
interest, and who had attained 4 position
so unequalled in the affections Of his
people should have died as the simple
president of college. When we consider
the unparalleled expressions Of grief which
General Lees death elected from all
parts of the country, and the sense
OF both personal and public loss which
seems to have been so keenly realized
throughout all our southern land, we can
hardly conceive that this man, that stood so
near to Il whole people, should have been
living for the last tive years in secluded
mountain town, quietly pursuing with
single devotion the most quiet of all human
professions. 1t seems strange that so great
q man could have occupied so narrow a
place-that so great life should have been
closed in so humble work But it is still
more remarkable-and especially for those
who are teachers-still more interesting,
that this position should have been accepted
as the deliberate choice OF such man-this
work have been the chosen task and duty
of his remaining life at the close of such Il
stirring and dramatic career,
1t was with no purpose OF mere retire
inent from the public eye, in no pursuit Of
leisure and repoSe, that Gen. Lee accepted
the Presidency OF Washington College.
n Nor was it as q dernaer resort for the sup
port Of his declining life. l tfers of wealth
and influence were crowded upon him, and,
even after he had entered upon this Office,
continued to crowd upon him, from many
other quarters. He might, at almost any
time since the war ended, have chosen his
residence in the midst of competency and
active employment, in almost any part of
the country and had he simply sought re-
tirement, be might have found it in Eu-
rope, as he was repeatedly invited to do.
No, he chose this position; he chose it for
himself as the work Of his remaining lite
he chose it from lofty sense Of duty, and
with profound spirit Of selEconsecration
he chose it as an office of patriotic service
to his country, and as post Of duty and of
devotion to the highest interest of his peo-
ple-to the cause of Education, of Truth,
of Religion. And having chosen it, he la
bored in it, with a clear purpose and a
single heart, strongly and patiently to the
end of his noble life, and died in the midst
of his work. '
10 leave this out of the account would
be, indeed, to do sad injustice to General
Lees own memory. And that, not only be-
cause his own position in this profession was
of his choice, and was steadily maintained
with unchanging purpose to the end of his
life, but also because the acknowledgment
of his services here is necessary to the COM
pleteness Of his fame. In no position Of his
life did he more signally develop the great
qualities of his character than in this and
it may truly he said that some Of the great
est can only be fully understood in the
light of the serene patience, and of the
simple and quiet self-consecration of
his latest years. 1t was then that,
far from the tumuit of arms and
from the great passions of public
life, with no great ambition to nerve his
heart, nor any great events to obscure the
public criticism Of his conduct, he dis
played, in calm and steady light, the
grandest features of his character, and by
this crucial test added certain confirmation
to the highest estimate that could have been
formed OF his character aud Of his abilities.
1t was indeed stcruciaI test" for such q
man; and that he sustained it as ne did is
not among the smallest of his claims to the
admiration Of his countrymen. No tribute
to his memory can be just that does not
take this last great service into the account;
and no historySof his Life can be fairly writ
ten that shall not place in the strongest
light his career and influence as President
of Washington College. . As'
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