The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1896-06-26
ROBERT EDWARD LEE.
\ TRIBUTE TO TIE SOCTI'S
GREATEST GENERAL.
AN ADDRESS DELIVERED EN FRO
FESSOR \. T.. STROBE BEFORE
CAMP niON, L. 4. V. AT
EIDGEWNN y. [.

T;Htlplnen. hen some three months
ago | waS requested by this body To
speak here of the life of YOUR leader, |
felt the compliment of your choice. found
in Your bidding no less tl:am a command
and then resolved To merit your conf
dence AZ lNSt | could.
But when applied myself to the
study Of the subject for which YOU en-
pressed preference. day by day the
conviction grew upon me. it is too great
and cannot attain unto il. and despair
might i!av" been my portion. had not
remembered :Otr generous lartialitv in
calling me iTrm my hlmb.c station az
@m Instructor of youth to speak in this
aSsemhlagc of those who have felt the
fiery breath OF battle who have .Sturmvd
the looming in>tionS fringCG with fire, -
TO win FOR themselves an undying fame
on theW:%ci of heroic history.
In such an asSmhIagc should have
been we'll content To sit Il silent nearer
beholding in every man who wore the
grey. Iny fathers brother.
But since you have honorcd me with
the encouragement Of your approval.
>hal! address myself rs lest | can to the
subject Your .pnrtiali;y las assigned ne.
but praying that Nun will continue TO
indulge my shortcomings.
In the l,ortin.r;i part of the good old
state OF Virginia. there lies between the
Rappahaunuck and Potomac rivers. Il
section Ct country Snn!c thirty miles in
Lengths with an average width of fifteen
miles. Within these narrow confines
have ircm lorn statesmen. soldiers and
patriots Whose names illuminate the
brightest pages of american history.
I.,,. E,
lCre James Monroe tlsi saw the light
and rear the birthplace of these two
James Madison waS usl!ered into the
world.
TO this section there came from Eng
land i'll !6il tn? Lees. belonging 10 one
of the oldest families in the mother
country. And ii it has been said of this
that il has perhaps given more states
men and warriors To therncw home than
ANY other OF our Old colonial proGenitOrS." :"
To this family belonged Col. Henry
Lee Of Revolutionary fame. more ia
miliarly knownaS Light Horse Harry" :"
Early iii the Revolution nominated ly
Patrick Henry. then Governor of Virginia
10 lc Il Captain Of cavalry he become
the we'll hclUycd Gf Washington. was
commended ly Congress for conspicuous
''hc seemed Ia lave come out of his
mothers womb Il soldier" Having won
high honor in Tie Revolution he was.
after iiC return Of peace. elected Gov
ernor uf Virginia.
IinM Tie death of Washington he WAS
chosen by Congress tn deliver IN Oiati ion
upon the life Of the great Patriot. This
il waS that i:C closed with these words.
f.,, .tS IA.
culugy. ''iiiSt in war. lirSt in peace. and
first in ;l!c hearts of his fellow country
men.
General Henry Lee was wounded
While striving to QEcll Il riot in Baltimore
;,t ri Tie laS; years nf his life were spent
Va. MY seeking u restoration of strength
in ne West Indies.
il : lrttcrS 10 lis family during this
pcrin ut lis %nlictiuH are models of
cl.iS,t and elegant OPPRESSION. of noble
d.c;ioL and lofty rirccpi$. III one he
writes. ''.Uinc in ailn& or art is nought
unless u 'tru,hrl to virtue. How well
his great SON illustrated with his .:fc this
maNiiu. II ;!Ir world Knows.
Grnc,2I Henry Lee was married twice;
the second tin" 10 .inri" Hill Carter Of
an OIL Virginia family. noted" we are
The fourth son i'y thir, marriage WAS
Robert Edward Lee. born January l4
1907. al %tratGurl. Wc>tmovcland county
Virginia. ~ t!.r %amC room in which two
signri% Il the hcr!ai"lion of In,lcpcn-
dcmc" fins; %%W .lc light.
Amid :Hlch SlIrrg!MdinGS linked 10y so
many aSs""iHt;onS To an inspiring past
Ruh;lt Lee grew u noble hoy. Walking
T., .I,,l 4, 4,
Washington. hr locked upon the sam"
noble river that g!caiHc'l for the eyes oi
tiiat great patriot.
We are told that the ancient Greeks
adorned ilrir cities with the nO!cSt
specimens "f architecture and sculpture
tl;aI thor yuujlr, irhui,ling the beauty
ul outward form might themselves i'll
clin" 10 til" beautiful and the good in
lh"ir u"u Gcyr!uPlhciIt. How much
"i"!c iuirni ;3S an inspiration 10 hulc
cudcHyor mlis, hr thc contemplation oi
tlr GlIvViHl Outlines which mark the
development OF hubIr !ifr. .tmd before
tie MID al Euhrrt Lcca dcIO;u Il mother
ever kept the images of high ideals.
After his seventh near hC Er!rr SAW his
father. ll! tiIal father still spoke 90 Tie
son llruUgh those faded letters written
upon Tie RACES ri pain. and around the
son. Win N,., Ia her ~; Slm herself Eurc
witness. l"'h son and daughter Were
thrown all tine tender >Olcitudc and
iaStcn'H" care ni It GoIlv mother. To
!!"r tlr!i more diam anyone else is due
the pjis" i"r hi,; nobility OF life
.imnuG his fellows he WAS popular and
gGUd. II there WAS ever time IN hIS
Ii'r Mi,cn h" "'"W'd wild oats. Il most