The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1890-06-05
The LAHENTED ROBERT E. LEE.
STATUE OF THE CONFEDERATE
CHIEFTAIN UNVEILED.
GLOWING TRIBUTE DELIVERED BY
COL. ARCHER ANDERSON.
Deafening Cheers Greet the Unoov-
cred Monument.

tribute to this great and good man,
delivered at the unveilng Of the Lee
monument on the Goth ult. in Rich.
mond, Va, we clip from the Nashville
American. Lack of space forbids us to
publish the whole OF the proceedings /:
Gov Mckinney called the assembly
to order about 4 o'clock, but the whole
procession had by no means reached
its destination. The Governor intro.
duced Dir. Minegroye, who offered
prayer, after which Gen. Jubal Early
was called to preside.
Nearly twenty years ago, he said, a
meeting Of the Confederate soldiers
was held in Richmond, presided over
by the illustriOus President of the
Conlederacy, for the purpose OF erect
ing monument to the great COM
nander It. was not thought such a
monument was necessary to perpetu-
ate his fame, but to show that the SOL
diers who followed him were not un-
worthy to be the followers OF Robert
f. Lee.
Gen. Early said that it was not his
purpose to make speech. He was
glad TO see so many survivors OF the
war and so many OF his old comrades
He was particularly glad to welcome
the private soldier, who did his duty
before the war, during the war, and
who had been doing his duty and re.
manning faithful to his colors ever
since The private soldier was equal
to the highest in rank, and he cordial.
ly greeted him. Applause.
In the course of Col. Archer Ander.
sons speech on Gen. Lee to-day, he
said
Gen. Lee was presented to President
Jackson at West Point, and we may
we'll believe the story that the old sol
dier was quickly won by the cadet and
willingly secured him to the army.
His marriage to the great grand
daughter of Washngton's wife formed
another tie which connected him by
daily associations of family and place
with Washingtons fame and charac.
ter, and it may we'll be believed that
Lee made Washington his model Of
public dnty.
Lees personal appearance and msr-
al characteristics in his early manhood
and his services in Mexico, especially
at the battle Of COntreras, were lightly
sketched. History" said the orator,
"will record, as Scott himself nobly
admitted, that Lee was SCOTS right
arm in Mexico" After leading
up to the period when it became ne
cessary for Gen. Lee to make his choice
OF which side he should fight or in tho
coming conflict, Col. Anderson said !:
No more painful struggle ever tore
the heart OF patriot. He had served
the whole country in gallant army,
which commanded all his affection.
He better than most men knew the
resources OF the North and West. He
knew Northern men in their homes
he knew the bravery Of the Northern
soldiers who filled our regular regi-
msnls in Mexico He was above the
prejudices and the taunts of the day
which helitted Northern virtue and
courage. He knew that, with slight
external differences, there was sub.
stantial identity Of the American race
in all the States, North and South. He
was equally above the weak and pas
sionate view of slavery as good in it.
self, into which the fanatical and un.
constitutional agitation OF the aboli
ton party had driven many strong
minds in the South.
He regarded slavery as an evi
which the South had inherited and
must be left to mitigate, and, If posi-
BILE, extirpate by wise and gradua
measures. He, if any man OF thai
date, was capable OF weighing with
calmness the duty Of the hour. With
him the only question then, as Al
every moment Of his spotess life, was
to find out which way duty pointed.
Against the earnest solicitations o
Gen. Scott, in defiance of the tempt
ings Of ambition, for the evidence il
complete that the command Of tn,
United States army was offered to him
in manifest sacrifice oi all his peeu
, MARY interests, he determined tina
duty bade him side with his loved Vir
ginia. He laid down bis commission
and soiemnly declared his purpos,
never to draw his sword save in behal
oil his native State.
- The orator then carried his audienc,
with him through the battles of tn
late war in which Gen. Lees arm,
participated
In the attack on Cheat Mountain h
laid his plans with skill and vigor, hu
the attack ended in failure and mort
fication. The verdict of the genera
public on him at this time, the winte
OF 1862, might have been summed u
in the historians Judgment of aba
who, "by commoR consent, woul
have been deemed fit to command ha
he never commanded. After Johr
ston's retirement from severe wound
Lee assumed command of the army {
Northern Virginia, The loss Of Riol
4 !