The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1872-11-28
Incidents in the Life Of Gen. Robert E. Iee.t

The interesting ana instructive artlclS D0lOW
is copied from the Louisville Caarier-JouTnnh,
and fully illustrates the character andviftaes
ofLthe immortal Lee that We cannot refrain
from It's publication, although many of the in
cidents are well known to our readers. Yet, in
these days of public corruption.and private de-
generacy, we cannot too often recall the stef4
Ling, noble manhood Of our dead chiieafftain. eafftain
and point the youth of our land: to his exam
pie for emulation, as being the most perfect
representation of Southern character inemoa-
ern times, and strongly contrasting with the
demoralization in public and private lifs, which
seems destined to sweep the. country and en-.
gplph the,rising generation beneath its blaih-
ing influence. Asa beacon light and incentive
to duty, Tie heroism and conscientious conduct
of Gen. Lee, as here recorded, may uplift the
ambition and aspirations Of some ,yonth /, Has
yeti4o foraune d-to fame unknown, ~ and
with this hope we transfer the article to onE col
umns: 's. -ns ,,s - >li''7E.' ~ 81
IL, =. .,.;,.i LExNaToNy Va octeber 81; =
In these days when the conduct lof public
men is being so closely scrutinizede it may be
ofgeneral interest to give a few incidents Illus
trating the character of the great Confederate'
leader Cen. r. E. Lee-especially IN the mat,
tefs1of gift5taking and nepodsun =. - - -.
IF any public man could be, justified in re.
ceiving gifts from his friends, Gen. Lee. could
surely have been. Leaving at moments nos
tice the splendid estate arlington to- bece6ae
the prey of his enemies, and nearly all ,0f bis
PROPERTY being within hostile lines and Beyond
his reach--his SCENT salary ID Confe edesate scrip
being utterly inadequate, tosnpport i'm nRy9Ge5
style bis. invalid wife and accomplished aaugh..
tersIit was the universal wish of the peopls
ferRheHl-he had sacrificed so HIucih iEss5fEe.
proper provision for hiB family should be made.
Accordingly in the winter of '64, the City
Council of Richmond unanimously voted to
present him with q handsome house, and 'ap-
pointed a committee to make tbei.pnEchase.r
Seeing notice Of this in the, papeFss Gen. Lee
expressing his grateful appreciation of the,
kindness meant, but begging that no further
steps should be taken in the matter, as he
should be compelled to decline the offer. G'.'
"I shall be but little in Richmond myselEn.
wrote the noble man, mand, my. family are as
comfortable as they have d right to be these
war times. If you have money to invest in
that way, beg that you Wilf it to the fami-
lies of our private soldiers who are more needy
and more deserving than myself" ,lt7-a r..
Various other offers of a similar nattife ware
respectfully but firmly declined go >' : a''
1t the close of the war offers Of assistance
poured in upon. him from, every quarter. An
English nobleman, supposing that he, e,wopld
reioicein quiet retreat from the scenes of his
great struggle and the disasters that had COME
upon his nstive South, wrote him q feeling let
ter in which he offered him country seat and,
u of Co bNt,oo nd
General was deeply touched by this offer, and
wrote feeling reply, in which he made This
Grateful Acknowledgment butdeclined theofer,
Saving: "I cannot consent to desert nay native
State il the honr of her extremity. 7 must
abide her fortunes and share her fate.
Soon after he became President of Washing
ton College, large insurance company ten.
dered him its Presidency at asaiaEyoG$tG 1000
per annum. He told the agent who brought
the proposition that he sould la npt discharge his
duties in the college and ssecspt these new ones
ABut, Generai," said the eager agent, a'twe
do not wish you to have any. duties il eohnec-
ton with the place We offer you-r Ehe mere
use of your name IL all eask, and that zih
amply reimburse us for ouF outlay. .nesnss = -.
1Excuse me, sir, ,~iwas tile prompt aid EN-!
phatic reply II cannot consent 81 ESSAYS Ray
any consideration, 2 gratajEy:, ~, ~ 4 ,.sr q
10 large number Of siiniisAslfi aflsE he ~ isli
"sSs Sos LONE 5 Ssfors bis a iIuss s bas bnsss a. a.
fered salary of ffty thouaadt dotiazs per .anst
mum to 60 to New York and be- therheaR Of
certain wealthy corporation there but sSe at
once. and in the most emphatic terms" refused
the offer, saying that nothing would tempt hi him
TO leave his post, where be, was straipjg the
youne men Of the South: to do their duty.in-
iifap Not all ,sthea gold of California aceuid
tempt him to sweve one inch from the path of
eHi Ee authorities Of Washington cSllsgs welHe
always anxious to pay Gen, Lee, q salary as
their appreciation Of his services and the ex-
pectations of, the public seemed TO demand:;-
But when they saw the College expand PA a. under nd, +
his able management and rWide influence until
it's number of students had ineressed, from 20
fhefoie the war) to Ali, land It's -nttesly pros.
trate finances had go reeupetatedi ithat they chad
egn7enabied 30 increase the corps INSTRUCT
ors from 5 to- %, they felt ,tbatr every RiRiple
Of common Justice demanded that the Presi-
deut'F salary should beat some portion % sfe
Invaluable services rendered. :. ii"1f ,oh L
Bls they always met witt an inst psetYbIg Sbs
stacle in General Lees refusal to receive th6fe
than S3, 900 for his services. 1t was in vain
thatrthey argued that they tenaeEed shimy mo
gatP that se {SSt SSy ss55ass Ts1s
worth ell they proposed to give him. He sad
that the college wasino able to- pay ai' af AtS
professors what they proposed to give him, and
n was unwilling to Ncei9e tiorsT thai the
other members Of the faculty. Seeing that
there was. no, hope Of inducing him to accept q
direct increase Of his salary they dried 10 COM
pass it by indirect means. =.
The board of appropriation Pre- sS9n
handsome house, which heylintended to deed
to Hin. and his, family. ..pW when he found out
chat the appsopriationHAadIb been made, he Au-
perintended the bdildingp Ebeingo always, ,csrs7
fui to call it Htheptesidehts aoGse,,' and mede
Il cost only about half Of the -am0nnt iappfol
rrsstod ~ ys-H ~ ~ fi"iis@iI 7EiJ2JI DIT
Pl1; nnr;nr his Southern thur WsfhicHria declining