The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-05-29

4
And named in every tongue.
And down though all the ages
Their story shall be sung
The Father of His Country
Stands above that shut-in sea
A glorious symbol u the world
Ofall that : great and iree;
And to-day Virginia matches HIM
And matches hun with Lee.
Who shall blame the social order
Which gave us men as great as theseY
Who condemn the soil Of IN forest
Which brings forth gigantic tIeesY
Who presumes TO doubt that PROVIDENCE
Shapes out our destlnes?
Fore-Ordained, and long maturing,
Came the famous men OF old,
In the dark mines deep We're driven
Down the shafts TO reach the gold,
Aud the story is far longer
Than the histories have told.
From Bacon down TO Washington
The generations passed,
Great events and moving causes
Were in serrie1 order massed:
Berkeley well was first confronted,
Better George the King at last!
From the times Of that stern ruler
TO our own familiar days
Long the pathway we have trodden-
Hard and devious were It's ways
Till at last there came the second
Mightler revolutions blaze.
TIL at last there broke the tempest
Like a cyclone on the sea,
When the lightnings blazed and dazzled
And the thunders were set rec
And riding on that whlrlwind came
Majestic Robert Lee
Who-again ask the question
Who may challenge in debate,
With any show OF ttuthfulness,
our former social state,
Which brought forth more than heroes
In their lives supremacy great?
Not Peter the wild crusader.
When bent upon his knee,
Not Arthur and his belted knights
In poets song could he
More earnest than those southern men
Who followed Robert Lee.
They that thought they were right, and
this
Was hammered into those
Who held that crest all drenched IN blood
Where the "BloOdy Anglo" rose,
AS for all else? II passes by
AS the idle wind that blows.
Then stand up, oh my counIrymcnl
And unto God give thanks.
on mountains, and on hiliSides,
And by slOping river banks
Thank God that you were worthy
OF the grand Confederate ranks,
That YOU who came from uplands
And from beside the sea,
Filled with love of Old Virginia
And the teachings OF the free,
May boast In sight Of all men
That you followed Robert Lee.
Peace has come God gave his blessing
ON the fact and on the name!
The South speaks no mVectiVe,
And she writes no word OF blame;
But we call all men 10 witness
That we stand up without shame!
Nay! send Ii forth To all the world
That we stand up here with pride,
with love for our living comrades,
And with praise for those who died;
And In this manly frame of mind
Til death We will abide.
God and our consciences alone
Give us measures Of right and wrong.
The race may fall into the swift
And the battle To the strong:
But the truth Will shine in history
And blossom into song.
Human grief full oft by glory
Is assuaged and disappears
when its requiem swells with music
And its passion is TOO full of pride
10 leave place for tears.
And hence to-day. my countrymcn,
We come. with undimmed eyes,
In homage of the hero Lee,
The good. Tue greet. the wise!
And AT his name our hearts Will leap
TIA his last old soldier dies.
ASK me, II so you please, TO paint
storm-winds upon the sea:
Tell me 10 weigh Eeat Cheops-
Set volcanic forces free;
But bid me not. my cOuntrymen.
To picture Robert Lee!
AS SAUL bound for Damascus fair.
Was struck bind by sudden light.
SO my eyes are pained and dazzled
BY radiance pure and white,
shot back by the FURNISHED armOr
OF that glory-belted knight.
His was all the Norman's polish
And s0briety of grace.
All the Goth's majestic figure:
All the Romans noble face:
And he stood the tai, eqemplar
Ola grad historic race.
Baronial were his acres where
Potomac's waters run;
high his Lineage, ana his blaZon
Was by cunning h.ralds done;
hut better stu. he might have said,
Ofhis works he was the ''son."
Truth walked beside him always
From his chiidhood's early years.
Honor followed as his shadow
Vai0r iightened all las cares.
And he rode-that grand Virginian--
Last OF all the Cavaliers!
As soldier we all knew him
Great Ia action and Tepores