The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1890-06-05

anu IDG veteran Nd'dll ahu o'o
teer Infantry bringing upthe rear. The
! infantry organizations were massed as
rapidly as possible in front of the grand
, stand, the mounted veterans on the
left near the monument. The artillery
took a position in line west Of the in
fantry and facing the statue. The VOL
unteer cavalry formed facing the grand
stand. The arrangement Of the mass
of people occupied full half an hour.
When something like quiet could be
had Governor Mckinney, as president
of the Lee Monument association arose
and called the assemblage to order.
Aftera brief invocation by Rev. Chas.
Minnegerode of the Episcopal church,
Gov. Mckinney introduced Gen. Early
as chairman of the meeting. He was
greeted with prolonged. applause and
cheering. Gen. Early announced in
few chosen words the orator of the oc-
cason, Col. Archer Anderson.
"Fellow Citizens-A people carves its
image in the monuments Of its great
men. Not Firginians only; not only
those who dwell in the fair land STREET
ching from the Potomac to the Rio
Grande, but all who bear the American
name may proudly,consent that posteri-
ty shall judge them by the structure
which we are here to dedicate and
crown with a heroic figule. For, as the
Latin poet said, that wherever the Ro-
man name and sway extended, there
should be the sepulchre of Pompey, so
to-day in every part of America, the
character and fame of Robert Edward
Lee are treasured as "a possession for
all time" And if this be true Of that
great name, what shall be said of the
circumstances which summoned US on
! this day of solemn commemoration?
That at the end of the first quarter Ola
century after the close of a stupendous
civil war, in which more than 100000
men struggled for the mastery during
four years of fierce and bloody conflict,
we should see the Southern States in
complete possession Of their local self
governments, the federal constitution
unchanged, save as respects the great
issues submitted to the arbitrament of
war; and defeated party, while in
full and patriotic sympathy with all
the present grandeur and imperial pro-
mise of reunited country, still not
held to renounce any glorious memory,
but free to heap honors on their trusted
leaders living or dead.
All this reveals a character in which
the American people may we'll be con-
tent to be handed down to history. All
this, and more, will be the testimony
of the solid fabric we here complete. 1t
will recall the generous initiative and
the unfiagging zeal of those noble wo-
men of the South to whom, in large
measure, we owe this auspicious day.
It will bear its lasting witness as the
voluntary offering of the people, not
the governments of the Southern
States; and standing as a perpetual
memorial Of our great leader, it will
stand not less as an enduring record. of
what his fellow-citizens deemed most
worthy to be honored. What kind Of
greatness then, it may be fitting in
this SPOT to ask-what kind of great
ness should men most honor in their
fellow-man? Strong and natural as is
the inclination of those given up to in
tellectual life to exalt triumphs of i'm
agination and the reason, such is not
the impulse of the great heart of the
multitude. And the multitude is right.
In large and true sense, conduct is
more than intellect, more than art or
eloquence; to have oone great things is
nobler than to have thought or eX-
pressed them. Thus, in every land, the
most conspicuous monuments COM
memorate the great actors, not the
great thinkers, of the worlds history,
and among these men Of acting, the
great soldier has always secured the
first place in the affections of his coun-
trymen.
Millions Of our countrynlen, present
here, with us in their thoughts, and
echoing back from city and plain and
mountain top the deep and reverent
voice of this vast multitude, will this
day confirm our solemn declaration
that the monument Of George WASH
ington has found its only fitting COM
plement and companion in a monu-
ment to Robert f. Lee.
! The orator then went into an elabo-
rate biographical review of the life and
character of Gen. Lee, and after lead
ing up to the period when it became
necessary for Gen. Lee to make his
choice of which side he should fight on
in the coming conflict, Col. Anderson
said:
No more painful struggle ever tore
the heart of a patriot. He had served
the whole country in gallant army
which commanded all his affection.
He, better than most men, knew the
great resources of the North and West.
He knew the Northern men in their
homes; he knew the bravery of the
Northern soldiers who filled our regu-
lar regiments in Mexico. He was
above the prejudice and taunts of the
day which belittled Northern virtue
and courage. He knew that with
Slight external difference there was
substantial identity of the American
race in ali the States North and South.
He was equally above the weak and
passionate view Of slavery as good in