Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-06-24
Memorable Words-Their Origin.

A correspondent sends us the fol-
lowing interesting communication
ARE WORDS IMPERIsHABLE AND
MEMORABLE?-Editor Of Dispatch D.:
In the monumental Grafton of the Hon.
r. C. Winthrop, delivered in the Hall
of Representative Dist of last Febru-
airy, we find the following: "While
Henry Lee, Of Virginia, through the
lips Of John Marshall, summed up and
condensed all that was felt, and all
that could be or ever can be said, in
those imperishable words, which will
90 ringing down the centuries, in every
cline, in every tongue, till time shall
be no more, First in war, first in
peace, and first in the hearts Of his
countrymen.'
In that of the Hon. J. W. Daniel,
delivered on the same occasion, we
have a" America still proclaims him,
as did Colonel Henry Lee, in the House
of Representatives, the man first In
war, first in peace, and first in the
hearts Of his countrymen.'"
To Memoirs Of the War of '76 hy
Henry Leen is added life of General
Henry Lee by General r. E. Lee. On
page 81 we read: lit must have been
a consolation to General Lee, in his in
dividual grief, to have been appointed
by Congress the public organ of his
country's sorrow, on which occasion he
pronounced those memorable words
First in war, first in peace, first in
the hearts of his fellow-citizens.'
Winthrop and Daniel say country
men" and insert 4" and" after "peace."
General R. L. Lee says "fellow-citi-
zens" and omits the "and." Coun-
trymen once designated the inhabitants
of the rural districts more exclusively
than did citizen designate those of the
city. Qualified by fellow" it was a
most appropriate word to use. land y
seems to slacken the speed and cool the
fire of the orator, rushing to that grand
elimination, First in the hearts Of his
fellow-citizens." Winthrop speaks OF
the author as " Henry Lee" Daniel,
as " Colonel Henry Lee" while r. E.
Lee calls him L" General Lee.'
PENINSULA.
Toano, Va, June II, 1885.
Mr.. WINTHROP said truly that
HENRY LEE through the lips o
JOHN MARSHALL first uttered the
memorable words under consideration
MIR. DANIEL and General R. Z. LEI
speak as if the words were first uttered
by General HENRY LEE in his orator
on WASHINGTON delivered in tn
House of Representatives. But tn
fact is that on the 10th Of December
1899, the House of Representative
adopted the following resolution, whic
was drawn by General HENRY LIE
but offered by JOHN MARSHALL:
Resolrsd, That joint committe
of both houses be appointed to repoI
measures suitable to the occasion, an
expressive Of the profound sorrow
with which Congress is penetrated o
the loss of citizen first in war, frs
, in peace, and first in the hearts of hi
. countrymen."
, As the word +" citizen " is used ju:
r before the memorable words under col
{ sideration, Of course General HENRI
e LEE did not in them use the word {
= phrase " fellow-citizens."
o On the Goth Of December, 1899, ju
o one week after the House of Represel
d tatives passed the resolution abo'
s quoted, General HENRY LEE delivert
his funeral grafton on WASHINGTON
o In that grafton he said:
q First in war, first in peace, al
. first in the hearts Of his countryme
he was second to none in the humb
. and endearing scenes Of private life,
n &C., &c.
"Countrymen" is the word al
the word "oad" appears both in Il
!" resolution and in the grafton.