The Sweetwater enterprise. (Sweetwater, Tenn.) 1869-187?, 1870-11-24

AA'o DSltSA anu Solueliiheh NOT 80 good.
| should be ghd if all Of my men could
live better than we do at headquarters"
Robert then invited his father to dine
with him ON a certain day; the mess,
proud Of the privilegeOf entertaining the
COMMANDMENTS Chief, got up the best
dinner within their means, and the Cen
eral pronounced the bill of fare "entirely
too luxurious for soldiers During the
winter of '63-, the rations Of the army
We're so reduced rs obe a matter of the
deepest anxiety to Gen. Lee. He issued
a touching proclamation in which he
said: The commanding General consid-
ers it due to the army to state, that the
temporary TO luction OF rations has been
caused by circumstances beyond the oon-
troll of those charged with its support,
It's welfare and comfort are the objects
Of his constant and earnest solicitude,
and no effort has been spared to provide
for its wants. 1t is hoped TINT the ex-
ertions now being made viii render the
necessity OF but short duration; but the
history of the war has shown that the
country can require no sacrifice too great
for its patriotic devotion. Soldiers you
tread with no unequal steps the road
by which your fathers marched through
suffering, priyation and blood, to indie
p~endence." Abuot this time he was in
Richmond, and went to dine with o
friend where an elegant dinner was sery-
ed. He declined all Of the rich viands
offered him, dined on bread and beef,
and quietly said in explanation to the
lady OF the house: 81 cannot consent to
be feasting while my poor soldiers are
nearly starving. In the winter of 1864
the City Council OF Richmond rendered
HIM an elegant mansion as some small
token oPthe high estimate in which he
was heldby the city which he had SO
long defended His SPLENDID estate at
Arlington had been confscated, the
white house, had been burned, his
property, had,nearly all been destroyed,
and his salary was utterly insufficient to
support, in proper style, his wife and
daughters, who we're "room keeping"
in Richmond, and praticing the most
rigid economy. Thbsefacts were known
to tholcity authorities, and they but re-
Elected the popular wish when thsymade
the offer. aBnt the grand old man repli7
ed: a do not expect to be in Richmond
during the continuance of the war, and
my family are as comfortable as they
have a right to expect to be in these
times. / must, therefore, with many
thanks for your kind consideration, most
Respectfully decline your offer If you
have moneyto give, 1 hope you will be-,
stow it upon my private soldiers, who
are more needy, and far more deserving
than myself" '.'' '' "''
At the close of the wal ofersof pecu-
MARY assistance poured in upon him
from all sides, but he steadfastly refused
to receive them.
An English nobleman, thinking that
he would rejoice i'll some place Of retreat
from Affections, wrote to offer him a
splendid country seat and a handsome
annuity. He nobly replied, 81 am deep
lygrateful, but Lean not consent to de-
sert my native State in the hour Of her
deep university. 1 must abide her for
tunes and her fate" f, rg
Soon after he took charge of Wash
ington college he was visited by the
agent OF an insurance company who of
fered him the Presidency at q salary Of
ten thousand dollars; he was receiving
only three thousand from the College.
He told the agent that he could not give
his position i'll the College. and could
pot properly attend TO the duties of both.
'NBut, General" said the agent, eve do
nPt want you to discharge any duties.
We simply wish the use Of your name;
that will abundantly compensate u.s." 81"
Excuse me, sir" was the prompt and
decided rejoinder, II can not consent to
pay for services L do notrender,%
He received many offers of this, sort,
and just q short time before his death
a large manufacturing company, in New
York, offered him q salary Of fifty thou
sand dollars a year if he would become
their president. But to ale isuch3 offers
he made the same reply--hiso duties. in
the college fully occupied, his time, and
he would not receive pay where he did
not render service. a,
He refused to receive from the college
anything like so large a SALARY as they
desiredsto pay him, and when, last year,
the trustees decided to Mrs. Lee a house
and an annuity of three thousand dol
lars, the General respectfully, but firmly,
refused on Mrs. Lees behalf to aycceptit.
He deelipeda all gratuities-and though
loving people, for whom he had toiled
SO heroicallg would most joyfhlly have
settled on him a handsome property, hU
preferred to earn his daily bread, by his
personal e~xertions, and to set to his peo-
pie an example OF honest industry. a,
: 'Z'.''i' 'G' ', wv n''I
LEXINGTON, Va, Oct. 81, 1870. s.'1
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