The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1889-07-11

present would like to have some re-
marks from-this was business occa-
sion and any word OF encouragement or
any suggestion Of aid would be gladly
welcomed. He saw some young men
before him. and although they had no
part in the stirring events Of the great
civil war, they were no less admirers
of the deeds of valor of those who did,
and those old soldiers in whose interest
this meeting was held. had no stronger
friends or more ardent well wishers
sons Of noble sires. He saw Mr.. W.
r. Henry sitting III the audience al in
terested spectator of the proceedings.
and always ready as he is to lift his
voice in behalf of any worthy cause. he
was sure all would be glad to hear from
Mr.. Henry. Here there were loud and
repeated calls for Henry. Henry.
SPEECH" and that gentleman arose and
went forward. He thanked the chair
man for what he had said about the
young men. and expressed his high
sense Of appreciation of the compliment
paid him in asking that he should address
body of old soldiers-such battle
SCARED veterans and gallant heroes as
he saw before him.
Mr.. Henry said that although the
distinguished honor had been done him
of having been invited by the chairman
of the State Executive Committee of
the eX-Confederate Veterans Associa-
ton, by the chairman of the County
Association. and by the chairman of the
meeting, and in addition to ali this by
the generous and spontaneous request
that had been there voiced in the calls
just made. owing to the lateness of the
hour he would not undertake to make
a speech, but with their permission he
would deliver them message from
one of their trusted and beloved lead
ers in another State-he would read
them a letter from that hard fighter the
brave and brilliant cavalry commander
Gen. Fitzhugh Lee, now the able and
honored Chief Executive Of our sister
State, Virginia, which he did after
speaking of the object for which the
meeting had been called and paying
high tribute to the soldiers of. the
Southern Confederacy. First he read
letter that had been written to Gov.
Lee asking that he give some express
sion of his views, touching the erection
of a Soldiers Home in this State. He
then read Gov. Lees reply, full of
words of encouragement and breathing
the same sentiment of love and admit
ration for the North Carolina soldiers
that he has so often expressed before.
1t was full of tender sympathy for the
wounded and suffering veterans who i'll
their declining days stand in need of
help, and was manly appeal i'll their
behalf for aid and support at the hands OF
the people of their State. Gov. Lees
letter was warmly applauded and cheers
went up for the gallant soldier and
good Governor of Old Virginia.
Here Mr.. Henry again asked to be
excused from making a speech. 1t was
then past the appointed time for dinner
and the day was getting far spent
There were cries of - Go on, 90 on. =
and the chairman insisted that Mr..
Henry proceed. He did so, and we
are sure no one wanted dinner before
he had finished his really admirable adj
dress.
The GOLD LEAF regrets it has not the
privilege of laying before its readers Mr.
Henry's speech in full. We give few OK
tracts.
THE ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA AMI
ROBERT EDWARD LEE.
Speaking of the Army of Northern Nir
ginia and its peerless leader, Gen. Robert
E. Lee, Mr. Henry said:
The student of history can never in all
the coming years visit the 'Old DOmin
ion'' without having the army of North
ern Virginia, and it's peerless leader, pass
/ in review before him.
Their history is mirrOred upon the
| crystal waves of her rivers and bays that
send their sparkling waters onward rush
ing to the waiting sea; the requiem O
| that army, and the cause it fought for is
ever murmured by her signing pines, with
voices sweeter than Il thousand ;pOleal
harps; there they stand, and "all day
| they will point to the sunshine and al
night to the stars through the years tC
come, whispering Of the deeds and moan
! ing the fate of that invincible army that
fought, bled and died for honor an(
home, within the shadow Of their giant
| IOflllS anu mighty eA IDdIISt
, We read that in flower clad plain o
Southwestern Persia, shut in from thu
outer world by lofty hills, once stood thu
magnificent palace of Persepolis, which
Alexander with his wantOn torch reduced
to heap OF ruins.
! Not far from these ruins is the famOu.
rock of Behistun 100 feet high, inscribed
with arrow headed inscriptions, some o
which, protected from the weather by f.;
varnish OF flint, have been preserved
through $500 years to the present time
This mountain record was set up b.
Darius, King of Persia, who in tn
shadow of the palace wall of PersepOlis
was wont to sit upon throne of gol'
canopied by Il vine Of the same preciOu
metal bearing clusters of priceless gems
and view with pride, that mighty rOcl
towering in the air, its crest piercin:
the very blue of heaven 1t was hi
triumphal tablet, craven with figures @
himself and conquered princes, bearln!
the records OF lis victories and telling
the valor of his soldiers in more than
thousand lines of Persian characters, 81
that they might be known TO his sui
jects, and to future ages.
As the deeds of King Darius and hi
legiOns We're perpetuated by being carve
upon a mountains brow, so the army {
Northern Virginia, with the bullet. tn
cannon ball, the saber and hOOf OF tn
war horse, carved the deeds of Lee an
his paladins upon the hills and mOuI
tains that lift their eternal heads tC
wards the blue dome, that street.-the
across the "Old Dominion; and tho-
hills and mountains bear crowns OF glor
=! wrought out of the smoke OF Il hundre
battles by the Genius of War to perpetr