Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1870-10-19

expired at HE homo in Lexington,
virginia, on the 18th inst Governor
Walker IN bis message to the lcgisla.
ture Of that State, says
"It is with unaffected grief that ]
announce TO you the painful lhtelli-
ecnco Of the death Of General Robert
Il. Lee, at Lexington, on yesterday
morning lie died, as he had lived,
a noble example of the sublime prin-
ciples and teachings Of the Christian
religion. lie goes down to tho tomb
amid the lamentations of an affection
ate and sorrowiul people. OF exalted
public and private virtue in his life
and career, he filed the full measure
of our conception Of u man. a strick-
en- family, bercaved State and aillic
ted people bow with reverence and
humility before this visitation Of Di-
vino Providence. 1t is fitting that
you, the representatives OF the people,
should take such appropriate action
as the melancholy occasion suggests,
and believe you would but give ex-
preston to the universal desire Of the
people, should you solicit the inter
mcnt of the remains upon tho grounds
owned by the State, at Hollywood
Cemetery, where hereafter they may
raise monumental shaft, commemO-
rative alike of their sincere and last
ing affection for the man and their
profound appreciation of his greatness
and goodness"
The Philadelphia Age thus appro-
priately refers to his death "Robert
L. Lee was bred amid the associations
Of the American Revolution. His
father, General Henry Lee, called
popularly Light Horse Harry Lee,
was one of the most conspicuous Off.
GERS of the war for independence. He
was afterwards eminent in civil life.
As a member Of Congress, he pro
nounced before that body the funeral
grafton on the death Of Washington,
and in il uttered the ieicitous phrase
that has since become provcrbial +:
"lIe was first in war. first in peace aud
first in the hearts of his countrymen. "
BY marriage, Robert f. Lee after.
wards added new association with
the Father of His Country; Mrs Lee
is the daughter of George w. p. Cur
tis, the son of Mrs. Washington, and
the adopted son Of her second hus.
band. There was no period Of his
life, from his youth at West Point,
throughout his career in military ser
vice, that Lee was not filling with the
highest distinction the position he
occupied As n cadet, he was gradu-
ated with the highest honors. As q
Captain Of Engineers in the war with
Mexico, his rank by no means meas.
ures the Importance Of his services.
lie was the trusted, confidential staff
officer of the Generalin Chief Scott
always made the most ample and gen.
erous acknowledgement OF his merits.
They were varied and important, for
he was as ready in action as in coun-
sci. His personal courage, indeed,
was of that habi,ual and imperiura.
bic kind that seemed too much q part
of his nature to be the subject OF spe.
cial COMMUNICATION. 1t is almost su.
perhuous TO say OF him that he was
brave amid all the ordinary pelils Of
the soldier One instance, of rather
peculiar character, however, occurs
TO us. The battle of Contreras was
won by flank movement, which, at
the close ola day of hard and indecis.
i've battle, carried body Of American
troops across a region which the Mex.
leans had fondly deemed impossible.
1t was the ground known as 1.-THE
Pedrcgal,' vast field of volcanic
rocks, chasms and precipiccs. Across
this, the American troops (and the
brigade of General Cadwalader, OF
this city, was among them) painfully
crawled and scrambled, arriving at
night-fall on the opposite side. Lee
accompanied this movement; but no
sooner was it effected and the troops
posted for an attack at daybreak,
than he, solitary and alone, retracod
his steps amid all the perls Of the
way, enhanced by darkness and in
the presence Of the enemy's skirmish.
ors, TO inform General Scott upon the
situation, and concert the decisive at
tack on the next morning, which was
to retrieve the unfavorablc result OF
the first days operations. This was
feat Of remarkable daring, and it
was characteristic Of the man who did
it. Well might Scott call him, in his
report, "the gallant and indeiatigable
Captain Lee as
distinguished for felicitous execution
as for science and daring"
His more recent career is too well
known to need recapitulation