New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-10-19
MEMORY OF GENERAL LEE
TRIBUTES AT THE ST. CHARLES
SPEECHES AND RESOLUTIONS


stood in TIE passages and lobbies because
| it was impossible to gain an eptrance.
| The vast assemblage had gathered to Nty a
| tribute to the memory of General Robert
| E. Lee.
The house had been elabOrately and ap-
proprately prepared for the occasion
| Every part was replete with emblems of
mourning The front tiers were hung with
black and white drapery. having mourning
rosettes at intervals; the pillars supporting
the galleries were shrouded in black. At
the rear of the spacious stage, an altar had
been erected, significant of the purpose for
which the assemblage had been brought
together, and on either side of the altar
| were flags and banners furled with Grape.
In front of the proscenium, on each side
were portraits Of the deceased general, sup
ported by the banners of the Young Mems
Benevolent Association, and of the Hancock
Club. In the central front of the stage were
vases of flowers, the vases encircled with
Grape, placed on table envelopcd in black
cloth There was an appropriateness in the
whole highly in keeping with the OCCASION
proving the earnest feeling of the Commit
tee of Arrangements, and of the ladies who
had contributed their labor of love. The
seats of the dress circle were filed with
ladies. a number of gentlemen standing in
the passages behind; in the parquette were
both gentlemen and ladies, while the two
upper tiers were appropriated to gentlemen
alone. The ample stage was also crowded
with the gentlemen named as vice-presi
dents. and as many more as could find stand
ing room.
At the appointed hour the meeting was
called TO order by Mr.. E. l.. Jewell. on
behalf of the Committee of Arrangements,
who. after a brief statement of the purpose
of the meeting. named Mr.. Charles Andrew
johnson as president and read the list of
gentlemen appointed as vice-presidents.
Mr.. Johnson, on taking the chair. made
n short address. after which the opening
PRAYER was offered by Rev. w. u. Adams
Jaeger's band. and the president introduced
Honorable William NJ. Burwell.
Mr.. BurwelIs address consisted of re-
view of the life of General. Lee. At its
close, after the. prayer from Moses in
Egypt had been performed, the President
introduced Hon. Thomas j. SemInes.
Mr.. Semmes address more than supported
that gentleman's high character as an able
and eloquent speaker. Those who differ
from him in political principles might dis
sent from many of his views, but there was
tone Of honest. manly grief in what he
said that met with deep response from
his audience. and which none will chal-
lenge. He spoke of the adherence Of the
deceased warrior to the fortunes OF his
native State. as the result of conscientious
principles. adhered to notwithstanding the
powerful influence of General Scott and
others. He spoke of the confidence with
which the South intrusted the sword to Lee.
sure that il would never be turned i'll the
hour OF success. TO purposes OF selfish
ambition; of his willingness To undertake the
humblest points of duty: OF his self-denial
and his brotherly regard for all who fought
on his side in the humblest capacity: of his
heart, tender as firm: of his proverbial
calmness and sweetness OF manner IN the
most trying circumstances: Of his conduct
after the surrender his honest acceptance
of the situation, challenging the admiration
OF friends. not only, but of those who had
been his foes Great God is it possible
that Robert +. Lee is dead exclaimed the
speaker as he closed in a transcendently elo-
quent peroratiOn.
After an aria performed by the band.
Rev. b. M. Palmer, d., was introduced
by the president.
Dr. Palmer alluded TO the circumstance of
being separated by his calling from polite
al affairs. 1t was for others TO eulOgiZe
the soldier and the hero; ii was left for him to
describe the Christian and the man. Pass
ing over the earlier life of General Lee. the
speaker touched upon his career at West
Point, the high honOrs there taken, and
until the Mexican war drew him from COM
parative obscurity and placed him on the
page of history, and the conscientious feel
ing that impelled him to lay his sword on
the altar of his native State. DR.. Palmer
then made some philosophical deductions
from history, ancient and modern, tracing
the influences of ancient types OF patriot
ism and manhood on the modern hero and
lover of his country. The speaker said
that the poetical adage ''sweet are the uses
OF adversely" applied TO nations with as
much force as to individuals. He spoke of
the grandeur of misfortune when borne by
a noble heart, and of Louis Napoleon.
grander as the prisoner of the Prussian
King than when he first mounted the
throne.
In the course of DR.. Palmer's eulogy he
made frequent alusOns to the character of
Washington, and instituted comparisons
between the twin sons of Virginia.
We do not attempt to give other than
fragments OF DIR. Palmer's eulogy. Although
strongl tinctured with the peculiar polite
al views yet prevalent among many of
those who were once the adherentS of seces-
sionism, the address was replete with the
surprising elOquence and ability that dis
tlnguishes all the speeches and writings of
the reverend gentleman.
After the performance of the Russian
national hymn by Jaeger's band Mr.. E. l..
Jewell read the following resolutions:
WHEREAS. Like orphans at the grave of a
parent untimely snatched away, our hearts
have fingered and brOoded, with a grief that
no cunning of speech could interpret, over
the thought that Robert Edmund Lee exists
no more, i'll bodily life, in sensible form, in
visible presence, for our love and venera-
ton. for our edifcation and guidance, for
our comfort and solace; and
Whereas, We have invoked all mute fune
raj elnblems to aid us with their utmost elo-
quence OF woe, and we can not content our
selves with contemplating, from the depth
and the gloom of our bereavement, the ex-
alted and radiant virtues of the dead
Reso!red, That we, the people of New Or
leans, have come together, under one com
mon impulse, to render united homage to
the memory which holds mastery in our
minds, whether we turn with bitter regard |
to the past, or with prayerful and chastened |
aspirations to the future.
Resotoed, That as Louisianians, as South |
erners, as Americans, we proudly claim our |
share in the fame of Lee as an Inheritance |
belonging to us, and endowed |
with which we shall piously cherish, though |
all calamities should rain upon us, true
poverty, indeed, that aliases |
and starves the spirit-can never approach |
us with its noisome breath or withering |
look.
Resofeed, That it is infinitely more bitter |
to have to mourn the loss of our Lee than
not to have learned to prize him as the no
blest gift which could have been allotted to
a people and an epoch-a grand man,
rounded to the symmetry OF equal moral