The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-08-31
A distinguished Irish Clergyman Pays
Handsome Tribute to General Lee
md StOnewaIi Jackson.

anu StOsHeWaE SaaSSSSAs s
lFrsm the Lexington Gazette, 2sth.]
The following letter from DR.. knnear II
the rector of the Board of Trustees of Wash
ington and Lee University will be read with
interest. We have seen late Londonderry
tIrelsnd) paper which gives an account OF
mass.meeting of Irish citizens TO express
their high appreciation of the services OF DR.
Kinnear In his efforts TO secure the passage
of a measure which was calculated to adj
vance the material interests of their section
of country. The meeting was enthusiastic
and purse of 200 guineas was presented te
DR.. kinnear:
The MAssE, }
LETTERKENNY Co., DONEGAL, IRELAND
July 90, 1874 }
To The Rector Of Washington and Lee UNI
uersity, Lexington, Va:
Ny Dear Sir,-Your letter conveying to
me the welcome tidiDgs of the kindness oil
the Senate of Washington and Lee Unver.
sity, in comforting on me the degree OF d,
D., has Just been received. 1t has occasion.
ed me quite surprise, though indeed Of q
very agreeable nature; and please kindly
convey my very warmest gratitude and
profound esteem to your Senate for
this honorary title and Tor their very
gracious and cordial manner OF con-
ferrng it. / accept it with qualification,
and shall continue in the future as | have
done in the past, my literary and theological
studies, in which | have ever taken plea
suraDle interest; and it shall be chief aim
of mine, in mental culture and social and
public department, to honor and to dignity
this degree, emanating as it does from a
University of such American and European
celebrity as is the Washington and Lee. l
spent the summer of 1868 in your great
country. / travelled very extensively
sbrough it, and witnessed your marvellous
national progress and your great institu.
tons educational and social. preached
in your large and beautiful churches every.
where I went, and visited with q very
melancholy interest your celebrated bat
fairgrounds of which / had read so much
in the days Of your national mourning
and sorrow; and in those cemeteries-in
| their tasteful order, their monumental me-
| MORALS, and their whole surroundings was
pleased to see the national respect paid to the
memories of the valiant warriors sleeping be.
! loH; and when l reached your city OF Lex
lngtou and stood by the grave Of Stonewal
Jackson-a man whose memory still honor
| for his Christian bearing and valiant military
| heroism; and when L thought OF some OF
| my kindred fighting under his banner and
| falling by his side, aud, like him, resting in q
warriors grave, my soul felt unutterably
moved with mourntul sympathes and pray
| ers for your nation.
Ny visit to the South was greatly en-
hsnced by witnessing your University com
mencement, which L attended in 1868 with
very great Interest indeed and | still! cher
| i>h' pleasant "reminiscences of the professions
of your alumni, their public literary dis
plays, the comforting literary honOrS and
prizes, your exciting bands of music, and
| the large and interesting congregations
| of your citizens and | remember
we'll the delight | experienced when the
| Hon. General Wade Hampton appeared
and addressed the immense aSSemblage.
! had learned to revere his name As Il cavalry
officer of very distinguished military strategy
| and heroism; and hearing him and gazing
upon him, | could not but think that, in many
| respects, 1t was not inappropriate TO compare
him With the renowned Murat in the days of
his and Napoleon's glory. shall never tor
get his dignitied marshal bearing as [ looked
upon him addressing the assemblase on tnat
occasion. Wade Hampton appeared to me
"every inch q soldier"
The interest OF my p1Slt TO your Univer-
sty eliminated in my introduction to and
brief social Intercourse with the great and
good General Lee. His name has been with
us in Europe, and especially here in Ireliud,
a household word, and is endeared to every
lover OF justice and liberty in our land. |
remember when walking i'll the procession
just behind the General on the way to q
large church wherein you assembled, and
though the scene was Wondrous gay all the
surroundings to me unusually interesting
and attractive, yet I could not cease ad.
miring the noble military bearing and gait
of the General, and With difficulty did
emerge from absorption in the thought
that l was in the presence Of one whom
truthful history, in even remote ages, will
perpetuate as amongst the greatest and
most heroic generals the world has seen. 1t
has been, indeed, the feature of all others
that has enhanced to me my American tour,
that have seen and for short time enjoyed
the society OF the great and good General
Lee, of worldwide fame; and during the
course of my life it shall ever enhance to me
the dignity of the degree now bestowed
that it has so spontaneously emapated from
a University presided over by him at the
| time Of his decease, and now so worthily and
efficiently by his son. Please kindly convey
my very grateful esteem to all the members
of your faculty, and should | ever again visit
your great country, US hope to do, l shall
| be glad of an opportunity Of addressing the
| alumni OF your renowned University.
have the honor to remain, very sincerely
and gratefully yours, JOHN kINNEAR,