The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1871-03-02
GEN. G.. W. G.. Lee the Successor of
Gen. II. n Zee 70 the FreSfstc en-
cyOE EFaSIsfnGxOn-E1ee
College.
INTERESTING DETAILS.
From the y. Y. World.

rom the y W
Aside from the honored name he bears
General Gusts Lee has the very hightes!
qualifications for the position 70 which the
unanimous voice OF the trustees. faculty.
Il students, and friends OF the university every
where has callrd him.
The oldest son OF the family. be received
/ from his rather himself his early training.
and entered West Point 70 walk in his foot
steps aud graduate AZ TIE head of lis class
/ IN 1884 without ever having received a
I single dement,.
After serving two years in the engineer
corps on the coast of Georgia aud Florida
| and three years in California. ne was order
! ed in 1859 70 bureau duty in Washington.
where ne remained until the secession Of
\ virginia, when he promptly resigned his
commission and offered his services TO his
native State. Entering the Virginia army
/ with the rank of Major, Mr.. Jefferson
I Davis soon called him TO service on his per-
! senal staff with the rank Of colonel.
| Expressing his decided preference for
tive service in the field Mr.. Davis whose
keen appreciation of character saw his
merits. offered him the command of a SPLEEN
did brigade of veterans. But with that
modestv which so pre-eminently distin-
guished his father, he replied that he could
not consent TO be promoted over the heads
OF men who had served So gallantly and
skiifully in the field, while he would most
gladly take field appointment with hum
bic rank and harder service. Being after
= q
serves" of Richmond, he went to work with
the energy and skill of a thorough master
and formed of this homogeneous material
artisans from the shops. department clerks
and '-eXempts generally one OF the best
fighting bTigades i'm the army.
Ia the winter of 1853 Mr.. Davis said to a
distinguished general officer (from whose
own lips your correspondent gets it, that
such was his high opinion of Gusts Lees
ability that If his father were removed from
the command of the army of Northern Vir-
ginia he should at once make Gusts his sue
cessor.
He positively declined commission as
Major-General, hut Mr.. Davis made the APP
pointment and the Confederate Senate con
tirmed it without his knowledge.
At the surrender he was unquestionably
one OF the rising men (perhaps the rising |
MANI of the South.
In $50 he was elected to succeed SIoue-
wall Jackson in the Virginia Military Insti- |
tute, and has since filled the chair with the /
most marked ability and to the entire salts /
faction OF the Board of Visitors, his coll |
leagues III the faculty, anG the cadets. He /
has declined several calls to be president of /
important colleges but now yields to the |
pressure brought to bear upon him and |
takes the chair of his distinguished father.
No one who knows him doubts for IA mo-
ment that his presidency will be a brilliant
success.
Only 80 years of age, of splendid talent
highly cultivated, a hard student. and siugu-
larly like his father both in person ard in
mental and moral characteristics, it will be
strange indeed if he does not carry out the
views of General L. +. Lee, and
make Washington and Lee University a
blessing to the land and tit monument to
the great chieftain who sleeps beneath its
chapel.
General Lee delivered his brief address
5O-day v it'll grace and dignity which we
nave never seen in any other man save his
liuStrious father.
IFYINGTnN