The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1897-01-19
GEN. LEES BIRTHDAY
ltWlIl Be Generally Observed To-day ln
the States of the South.
BRIEF SKETCH OF THE GREAT COMMANDER

4
! tie Nobility Refused Ibcm ALL
| Banks, Public Offices and Schools
l. VIII he Closed.
Thirty-ive years ago the 18th of Jam
uary was. so far as the South was con-
cerned, an unmarked day In the calen-
| dar. 1t came and went in the ordinary
placid fashion of any other uneventful
date. To-day, the almanac holds for
Virginia and the Southland no date more
glorious, for 1t commentaries the birth
OF man whose magnificent genius for
ba tile alike with his splendid heroism in
peace. made him the marvel OF the world,
ana whose blameless life and gentle
| nobility rendered him a model for all
ages.
AN EVENTFUL LIFE.
This man was Robert Z. Lee. who
first saw the light of day exactly ninety
years ago. at Stratford. in Westmore-
land county, Va. His was an eventful
career. At the age OF four he moved
to Alexandria with his father, and two
years later was taken to the West In
dies. He returned to this country after
his fathers death. and In 1926 entered
the Military Academy at West Point,
where he was associated with many
gallant men, whom he was afterwards
destined to meet upon the field of bat
tie Upon his graduation he became q
lieutenant OF the Engineer Corps and
later fought through the Mexican war
with notable valor. When civil war be-
came Imminent. he resigned from the
United States army and cast his lot with
the Confederacy. The part he played In
he great four years struggle between
the States Is too well known to need rep
etition.
EVENING OF HIS LIFE.
When the war was over, after General
Lee, commander In chief of the armies
or the Confederacy, had surrendered ut
AppomattoX. he came to Richmond,
where he remained short time, going
from there to the home of Mrs. Eliza
beth Preston Cooke. in Cumberland
county, where he remained until called
20 the presidency Of Washington and
Lee University, where he passed the
evening of his life.
In accepting the position of college
president General Lee refused many
| masnan!mous and brilliant offers.
among them one from a number of Eng
l:sh admirers who wrote him that $780,
| 600 had been put TO his credit in the
Bank OF England, and would be his IL he
would consent to come to England to
live
| a LEGAL HOLIDAY.
| The Legislature of Virginia as we'll as
| or majority Of the Southern States, set
aside the 18th Of January as legal holi-
day, and 1t Is generally observed, espe-
c-aily In the Old Dominion, his home.
In Norfolk the banks and public Of
hces Will be closed. and also the public
schools. Sunday hours will be observed
at the pos.-office. and a number Of husi-
ness houses will give their employees a
day or a half day off,
a special feature OF the day Will be the
annual banquet of Pickett-Buchanan
camp, always one of the most notable
events of the year. The Camp will turn
out in body, In uniform. and the occa-
son VIII be made doubly memorable by
the toasts that Will be proposed and the
IONS nave been made, and this banquet
Is expected to surpass in interest any
| that have preceded It.
A FAMOUS EULOGY.
| or all the eulogies in literature there
IS none more teaut full than the followine
upon General Robert L. Lee. 1t fel
from the silver tongue of that eloquent
Georgian. Senator Benjamin II. Hill
and Is said to have been extempore:
when the future historian comes &c
survey the character Of Lee he will
lind 1t rising like high. mountain upor
the undulating plain OF humanity, anC
he VIII have TO life his eyes high toword,
the heavens to catch its summit H,
possessed every virtue of the other grea
commanders without their vices III,
was foe without hate. friend withou
treachery soldier without cruelty
and victim without murmuring II,
was Il public officer without vices. n pri
vate citizen without wrong, q nelghbo
without reproach. q Christian withou
hypocrisy, and man without guilt. Fl
was Caesar without his ambition Fred
er!ck without his tyranny. Napoleon
without his selfshness. and Washingto,
without his reward He was as obedjen
10 command as servant, and royal II
authority as aking. He was as gentl
as woman In life, pure and modest a
a virgin in thought. watchful as q Ro
man vestal In duty, submissive to lay
as socrates. and grand in battle n
Achilles"