The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-05-25

the chair, delivered an earnest ana
appropriate address, and ended as fol
lows:
Monuments Of marble or bronze can
add nothing to the fame OF General
Lee, and to perpetuate Il 1t IS not neces'
sarv that such should be erected. But
the student Of history in future ages
who shall read OF the deeds and virtues
of our immortal hero will be lost III
amazement at the fact that such a
man went down TO his grave
disfranchised citizen by the edict
of his contemporaries which Infamous
edict. by the fiat of an memorable des.
potism. has been forced 10 be recorded
mon the statute book of his native
STATE. We, my comrades, owe II to
our own characters. at least, 10 vindi'
cate our manhood and. purge ourselves
of the foul stain by erecting an endur-
ing monument to him that Will be a
etanding protest, for all time TO come.
against the judgment pronounced
against him. The exact locality OF that
monument do not now propose TO sug-
gest. When we are in "A condition 20
erecs it, il viii, in my opinion, be the
proper time to settle definitely its
locality. and | merely say now that ii
should be where II Will b. accessible to
ali his bows and their descendants.
Something has been suggested with
regard to the resting-place Of all that IS
mortal of our beloved commander. This
is a question, n, this time, solely foI
the determination of the Immediate
family Of General Lee. am sure that
the soldiers who followed him through
such dreadful trials, viii have regard
for the wishes Of that noble Virginia
matron. who. being allied TO Washing
ton, has through life, been the cherished
bosom companion of Lee.
Comrades. | am more than gratliicd
at the fact that the great Statesman
and patriot who presided over the dcs-
TIMES of the Confederate Slates-who
selected General Lee to lead her armies
aud gave him his entire confidence
throughout all his glorious career Is
here TO mingle his grief with ours, and
to join in paying tribute TO the memory
of him we m urn.
PRESIDENT DAVIS.
Inthese words the speaker introduced
President Davis. and as that revered
form arose to answer the summons. il
was greeted with burst of iTreprcssi
Iressible enthusiasm. HIS address en-.
chained the altentiOnand thrilled every
heart from the beginning 90 the end
| In all that shall BE- written or said OF
| General Lee in the next few days, whei
every effort viii be made Ia DO juStlc'
TO his lofty character, surely no tri
butte can sIrpass this one spoken iwentl
years ago, not only memorable for elO
quence and appropriateness, but dig
niied by the source whence 10 came
aud treasured as the utleraDce Of hp'
now closed in death. If, then. this ar
ticle has for It's object the honor o
General Lee, it cannot be out Of place
here to quote part Of this touching
address
Soldiers and Sailors of the COnfed
eracy, Countrymen and friends: As
sembled on this sad occasion, viii
hearts oppressed with grief that fol
lows the loss of him who was oui
leader on many a bloody battlefield
there is a melancholy pleasure in th'
spectacle which ispresented. Hitherto
in all times. men have been hOnore,
when successful, but here is ,he case O
one who, amid disaster, went down &
his grave, and those who were hi
companions in misfortune have assem-
bled to honor his memory. 10 Is a
much an honor to YOU who give as q
him who receives, for above the vuiga
test Of merit. you show yOurselve
competent to discriminate between
him who enjoys and him who deserve
success.
Robert +. Lee was my associate an'
friend in the military academy, and W
were friends until the hour Of hi
death. We were associates and friend
when he was a soldier aud ! was
Congressman, and associates AN,
friends when he led the armies Of th
Confederacy and held civil o$ce, and
therefore, may claim TO speak as ON
who knew him. Ia the many sac
scenes ana perilOus Circumstance
through which we passed together. on
conferences were frequent and full
yet never was there an occasion Oh
which there was not entire harmony @
purpose and accordance as TO means. ]
ever there was difference of opinion j
was dissipated by discussion, and har
mOny was the result. / repeat, VI
never disagreed, and | may add that
never in my life saw in him The light
est tendency to self-seekng. II wa
not his to make record, II was not mi
to shift blame 10 other shoulders: bu
il was bis, with an eye fixed ON The
welfare of has country, never faltering
to follow the ilue of duty % the end
His was the heart that braved ever
difficulty; his was the mind thai brough
victory cut Of defeat.
He has been charged with want O
dash. | wish to say that | never knew
Lee decline 10 attempt anything tina
man NAV dare. An attempt has ais
been made TO throw cloud on hi
character because he left the army O.
the United States to Join in the struggl
for the liberty of has STATE. WilhcU
entering into politics, l deem it m,
duty to say one word in reference .,
this charge. Nirgiuan born, descend
ed from family iliustriOus in the COLO
/ hi'i AtosVAN VI y IL 6ih4A- hiNit 4li4n
trious still in her struggl
for independence, and mos. il
lustrious in her recent effor
to maintain the great principles, de
clared in l716; given by Virginia to thl
service Of the United States. he repre-
scented her in the Military Academy q
West Point. He was not educated Is
the Federal government, bat by Vii
ginia: for she paid her fun share Tor th,
support OF that institution, aud was en-
| titled TO demand in return the service
of her sOns Entering the army of tn.
United States, he represented Virgin,
there also. and nobly performed hi
duty for the Union, sof which Virgin;
was member. whether we look TO hi,
peaceful services as an engineer or tt
his more notable deeds upon foreigi
fields of battle. He came from Mexico
crowned with hOnOrs, covered b,
brevets- and recognized, young as he
was, as one OF me ablest of his coun
try soldiers.
"When Virginia joined the Confeder-
acy, aud the seat of government was
moved to Richmond, Lee was the high;
est officer IN the little army of Virginia,
l.. III 4