Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1873-09-16
cELLANEo US.
ROBERT E. LEE,
From the Halifax Nov. Scotia, Morning 4 ohron-

from the Halifax tNora scotia) Morning. .Chroni.
Gle, October 14.l
"Ah, Sir I.acelot," he said, sThou vert
heart of all Christian knights; and now. 1
dare say, said Sir Ector. ..thou, Sir Lacelot,
there thou lest, that thou vert never matched
of earthly knights hand; and thou vert the
courtliest knight that ever bare shield; y
and thou vert the kindest man that ever strake
with sword and thou vert the goodliest per-
son that ever came among press of knights !;
and thou vert the meekest man and the
gentlest that ever ate in hall among ladies :;
and thou were the sternest knight to thy
mortal foe that ever put spear in rest "-T The
hort d. Arthur Of Sir Thomas -Nalarv.
With reverence and regret we repeat to-
day Sir Ectors words of sorrow for the great
Sir Lancelot, and apply them to the man who
died yesterday-the noblest knight of our
generation. The hero of the Arthurlan le-
gends as he lay dosd in Joyous>Gard, with
the record of life made splendid by great
deeds, might have revived other than kindly
or ennobiing recoiections in the mourner's
mind for the wroneed king, and the breaking
up of the goodly fellowship of the Round
Table could not be forgotten, but lay like
shadows upon the dead knight. But In the
life of Robert Edmund Lee, there was no re.
proach of man or woman; ; his deeds were
oHH"ou py ~ "LouR uuue OF uuty un1ul-
filled; there was no stain upon his honor and
no unrighteous blood upon his hands. He
was indeed good knight, noble of heart and
strong of purpose, aud both a soldier aud
gentleman. The age that knew him, if not
the age of chivalry. will yet be remarkable
for having produced in him man as chivalrio
as any that lives in history. He, too, was one,
aud the greatest one, of goodly fellowship
that was broken up and scattered about the
world. Some of these Southern knights have
gone before him, aud with him departs the
last remnant of the cause for which they
fought and the strength that so long upheld it.
In every particular he possessed the re-
qnisites of true soldier. II was brave his
whole military record and life>lonp scorn of
danger alike bear testimoney to his bravery.
He was wise his success against great odds,
and his almost constant anticipation of the
enemy's movements, were proofs of his WIS.,
dom. He was skillful; his forced marches
and unexpected victories assert his skill. He
was patient and unyielding his weary strug-
giles against the mighty armies of the North,
and his stern defence of Richmond, forever
preserve the memory of his patience and reso,
lutions. He was gentle and jns. tho soldiers
who fought under him and who came alive
out OF the great fight. remembering and cher>
ishipg the memory of the man, can one and
all testify to his greatness and Justice Above
all, he was faithful; when he gave up his
sword there was no man in his own ranks or
in those of the enemy who doubted his faith,
or believed that he had not done all mortal
could do in the cause for which he made
such struggle.
When the last chance was gono, and all
hope was at an end, the old hero bowed to q
higher will than his own, and accepted the
fate of the South with a calm grandeur. He
could never take the field again, he knew that
it was not for him to see the act of secession
upheld by tho South and recognized by the
North and after the failure of. his own
countrymen he was too old and worn to draw
his sword in foreign quarrel. He passed
from the fever of the camp into the quiet of
the cloister, and, as the President of Wash
ington College in Virginia, spent the remain>
ing portion of his sixty-three years in working
for the good of his native State
We cannot express all the truth that could
be told about Lee, nor can We do Justice to
his worth and fame; but perhaps the few
words of Sir Ector are the best after all. He
was a good knight, true gentleman know
ing this, let us leave him with fame and pros
rerity; with the rest, the Resurrection and
H.