The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-01-20

MENT.
The people of this city, anxious to do
honor to the memory Of General Z. T.. Lee
and 10 celebrate his birthday in proper
manner, to the number OF several hundred
gathered together at Assembly Hall at IL
O'Clock Yesterday and took part in meet
ing. It was regarded rs hazardous under
,akiugto hayea public assemblage at the very
busiest hour of the day, but owing to the fact
that many who wished to attend had bought
seats for the performance OF Othello, and
Others had engagements with legislative
committees, no better time could be fixed.
The attendance was gratifying, ana COM
prised Judges of the Court Of Appeals, mem
| bcrs Of the Legislature, distinguished eX.
Confederates, citizens, and Iadles. lne nan
was well filed. Hati the weather been BET
| ter it would have been packed. Governor
| kemper called the meeting to order, and
| Rev. DR.. Mimi Gerode, pastor OF st. taufs
church, where General Lee worsbipped
| when in the city during the war, offered
| prayer, He kuelt on the stage and begged
| the blessing Of Almighty God on the people,
and lbanked Him for the precious memories
and glorious examples Lee has left us.
Remarks of Governor Keznpe-.
Governor kemper after the pray er OF Rev.
Or. Minnigercde, said:
Ladies and Gentlemen, You need not TO
be informed Of the object which has brought
this brilliant assemo olage together. We all
know that throughout large portion of our
southern country an example is being lnau'
rurated to-day which will be observed with
increasing interest by the generations to
come. What we ace doing this day, and
what will be done annually in the o5Serv-
ances Of the future, will mark the 10Th Of
Jaruarv. apd make it, like the .22d OF Feb
r;ary. one of the most illustrious days in
the American calendar.
Bu, il is not for me to encroach on the pro-
vince Of those who have been wortbily
chosen as orators of this occasion. It is for
then, not for me, to recite the glorious
memories iuseparably associated with this
day. 1t is for them to speak of the memorial
which we propose TO consecrate in bronze In
honor of him who is here foremost in our
thoughts-in honor of the unspotted career
of him than whom purer patriot, larger,
mightier, grander hero never lived in the
tide OF time.
The speaker who will now address you Is
one who proved himself worthy TO be SOL
dier iu.arms under the eye OF Robert K.
Lee. I have the honor and the pleasure,
ladies and gentlemen, to present to you our
gallant and eloquent friend, JOHN HAMPDEN
CuAMBERLAYHE, of the city Of Norfolk.
Amid liberal applause the Governor re-
sumed the chair, and Captain Chamber]ayne
came forward.
Address Of Captain Chamberiayne-
Captain Chamberlayne rapidly passed over
the history of Lees early life told the story
l.: =, LrilI in Nnv and of his
resolution to offer his sword to his native
State; sketched the principal campaigns of
the Army Of Northern Virginia spoke Of his
personal qualities and spotless life, and OF his
devotion to Virginia, aud said:
Turning, then, to the soldership of Lee
from first to last, we see his labors and eX-
actness giving always the power to gain from
every mems its utmost result. Thus, he so
pursued the sciences which uDderie the SOL
uier's art that he entered thu army fully
equipped with all that theory could teach,
and whilst yet subaltern was more than
once entrusted with tasks of the engineers
bureau which tad baffiad the skill OF men
| far older and more experienced. The s,me
qualities were seen when he first entered
actual war. To US who look back across the
| field of gigantic strife, Of 4 struggle where
not brigades nor divisions but great armies
| were the units, where States were fortified
camps and continent the ebattle.ground--to US
| that march on Mexico seems as small assit is
in fact far of in time and space. Blu.
small and great are relative, and the little
army of Scott which gathered on the sands
of Vera Cruz was little in much the
same sense as that other army OF Cortez
| whose footsteps it followed and whose
proves it riyalled. La that campaign
LEES soLDIERsHIr
first found fit field. 1t was he whose skill
gave US the quick foothold al Vera Cruz. AT
| Cerre Gordo and Coutreras his was no mean
part of the plan and its accomplishment. Al
the CITY Of Mexico it was his soldiers eye
aad soldiers heart which saw and daret
what Cortez had seen and dared before, tt
turn the enemy's strongest position, and as
sault US we'll by the San Cosme as by th'
, Belen gateway-a movement greatly hazard
! Gus, but, once executed, decisive. In th'
endless roll of wars that campaign of Mex
leo must always remain to the g1diclou
critic mastery in conception and superb II
| execution. But to us it is memorable chiefly
rs the training-school whose pupils were t.
DIV their art on Il wider scale to ends more
terrible, and Winfield Scott selected from
, them all Robert E. Lee as the chosen sol
dier.
} The time was soon to come when he shoul(
try conclusions With many Of that brillian
band, and prove himself the master Of eaci
in turn. of McClellln, of Burnside, o
Hooker, of Pope, of Meade, of Grant, o
wbomsoever could be found to lead them
bv the millions he confronted. When th'
war of secession began, you all remem5e
how for time Lee held subordinate place
und how when what seemed chance gaY'
him command Of the forces defending Rich
moud from the hundred thousand men Wht
could hear, if they would, the bells OF oul
churches and almost the bum of our streets
Won all remember how the homc-Sfayln lns
critic found fault with him, how he was de-
scribed as a cloSet-soldier, and handler o
spade aud mattock rather than Of gun and
| bayonet. Swift and sudden was the surprise
| when The great plan disclosed itself, and the
guns at tie Meadow Bridges of Chickahom
inv cleared the way for the first Of those
mighty blows which sent Mcclellan I'D nope
less rout to the shelter Of his shipping,
thence 10 hurry as be might to the rescue OF
| Popu's bcwidered divisions, and 10 organize
home guards in the defences OF Washington
| That single ....
CAMPAIGN OF THE SEVEN DAYS
| is itself fame. To amuse an army outnum
| bering his own by fifty thousand; to Watct
with a large detachment lest that army shoulo
make junction with the divisions at Frede
| ricksburg !; to bring Jackson's skill and jack
sons devoted men to his aid; TO cross 0
marshy and often impracticab.e stream (; to
attack Mcclellan OH bis flank and to roll up