Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1871-07-13
ALEXANDRIA GAZETTE

GENERAL LEES UNsELFlsIlNESs. The fol-
lowing "reminiscences Of General Ice arc taken
from the Christian Observer Of Richmond.
edited by venerable Presbyterian clergyman.
The sobriety, tic scli:poisc, the untaing rec
titudc, of intention Of the confederate COM
maudcr have been always as well understood
as his military genius. But the entire unset
fishncSs of the man is not, perhaps, lis general
ly known rs we find it illustrated in the follow
ing anecdotes 1t may be the fashion to en-
dcavor to render such man Odious by the de-
signation Of ''rclcr'-once considered III this
country Il title OF honor but it may ut least be
said Of him, as of the rebel John llampden,
that ''thc memory Of this deceased officer is
such that in no age to come but 1t will more
and more be had in honor and estcem 4 man
50 religious, and OF that prudence, Judgment,
temper, valor and integrity that he hath left
few his like behind him" Gen. Motkc has
lately said that the great man is tested and
especially tested, by adversely. We sec below
how Cen Lee has borne this fiery proof OF vir
the Whilst those who call him 'rebcl'' were
revclling in his estate in the name Of patriotism,
and while his consequent impoverlshment and
that of his family held out powerful induce
mcnts to receive any honest assistance which
might be rendered him, here is what he does
an example Of disintcrescdne>s, sc!fSacrlticc,
and heroic personal independence which it
would he we'll for the country il any parallel to
it could be found among those who rcvc HIM
--Bnh San.
From the Christian Observer.
The example of the late General Ice in re-
tusng all gifts and declining to receive compcn-
sation for services not rendered. is worth more
to his country and to al who follow it, than mil
lions in gold The facts here stated will not be
forgotten
In the winter of 1864 the City Council Of
Richmond rendered Gen. Lee an elegant man
sion as some small token Of the high estimate
in which he was held by the city which he had
so long defended. But the grand old man rc:.
piled: Il do not expect to be III Rlchmond
during the continuance of the war, and my
family arc as comfortable as they have right
to expect to be in these times. | must, there
fore, with many thanks for your consideration,
most respectfully decline your offer; If YOU
have money to give, | hope you Will bcstow 1t
upon my private soldiers, who are more needy
and more deserving than myself.
At the close of the war offers Of peclniary as
Sistancc poured in upon him from all sides, but
hc stcadtastly refused to receive them. An
English noblcman, thinking he would rejoice iii
somc place of retreat from his afflictions wrote
TO offer him 4 splendid country seat and hand
some annuity lie nobly replied, II am deep
" grateful, but | cannot consent to desert my
native State in the hour of her deep adversely.
must abide her fortune and share her fate. -
Soon after he took charge Of Washington
College he was visited by the agent OF IN in
surance company, who offered him the presl-
dcncy at 4 salary Of ten thousand dollars. lie
told the agent that he could not properly at
tend to both. "But, General, SAID the agent,
we do not want you to discharge any duties.
We simply wish the use of your name; that
will abundantly compensate us. =,
Excuse me, sir, was the prompt and dccld-
cl reioindcr II cannot consent to receive pay
Tor services do not rendcr."
He received many offers Of this sort, and
Just 4 short time before his death a large manu-
featuring company in New y ork offered hum Il
salary of fifty thousand dollars year if he
would become their president. But to all such
offers he had the same reply--his duty in the
college fully occupied his time, and he would
not receive pay where he did not render ser
vice lie refused to receive from the college
anything like so large salary rs they desired
to pay him, and when, last year, the trustees
decided to Mrs. Lee Il house and annuity OF
thrccc thousand dollars the General respect
fully declined, on Mrs. Lee behalf, to accept
it, He declined all gratuitics, and though
loving people, for whom he had toIcd 50 he
roicllly, would ioyously have settled on hun Il
handsome property, he preferred to earn his
daily bread by his personal cNcrton, anu to
give his people IN eample Of honest industry.
CHARLES JAMES Fox, the English states
man, being once ut Ascot races with his intimate
companion, General Conway, missed his Snu1l
box The General was lucky enough to dlscov-
rr the thiet and seize him before lie could get
clear. Upon this the man fell on his knees,
and with many tears besought Fox to pardon
him and not expose him to ruin, Tor nc was
poor weaver in great dcstitutlon, and this was
the first offence against the laws that ne had
ever committed Fox was greatly affected,
and not only let the offender go, but gave h'm
aguinea. Shortly after this, having occasion
Use his box, he found no sign Of it III the
pocket where he had replaced it, and, turning
to General Conway, said: 'Nly snuff box is
gone again Yes" replied the latter, II
saw the scamp take it the second time, when
You gave him the money, but thonght
Wouldn interfere again.
WATER CoLp IN SUMNER. The following is
lSampc mode of rendering water cold Let
the jar, pitcher, or vessel used Tor water bc sur
rounded with one or more folds OF coarse cotton
to be constantly kept wet The cvaporat!ng OF
the water will carry off the heat from the lnSlde e;
and reduce it to freezing point. In lndla
and other tropical clincs, where ice cannot be
Procured this mode of cooling water Is COM
mon. l,et every one have at his race OF en- I'M
E'1Hyment two pitchers thus provided, and with
nus or covers,-onc to contain water tor drink
ing, thcother for evaporation, and he can al
ways way, have a supply of cold water in warm
COMMUNICATED.
\ short time since young man of this city
asked ayoung lady how old she was and re-
eeWcl the following answer ''Tako the cube
~ root OF -, multiply it by the square root OF
~, take one half of that, add the number OF
,"l y shortest chapter in the Bible, substract 50