Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1898-04-13
GENERAL LEES RECEPTION.

GENERAL LEES RECEPTION.
The train bearing Consul General
Lee, Governor Tyler end others of the
party, which left the depot in this city
about ten minutes past two o'clock YES.
terday evening reached Washington
twenty minutes later where the ovation
which has been rendered General Leo
ever since he landed at Key West was
continued. He found another large
crowd assembled in the Sixth street
depot, and as the General stepped from
the train he was greeted with an out
burst of applause. Women waved
their handkerchiefs and men tossed up
their hats. Several personal friends of
the General pressed close enough to
shake hands with him, and lady
presented him with bouquet of roses
Tied together by ribbon of national
colors and bearing miniature Confed-
crate flag. The crowd cheered hearti-
ly as the General walked slowly down
the platform with uncovered head. He
soon entered carriage and was driven
to the State Department.
1O Wv bllOh " luO NcDcIhl
ed at night in what was in many ways
one of the most remarkable demonstrs-
tons Washington has ever seen. The
city turned out in thousands, when a
serenade WAS given General Lee at his
hotel, and stood for hours in the street
waiting for e glimpse of him. The
United States Marine Band had been
secured and the Seventy first Regi-
ment Band came over from New York
on the afternoon train. The crowd as
sembled without calling, and by eight
o'clock was five thousand strong in the
streets about the Shoreham Hotel,
where General Lee was quartered. Be
fore the close it was twice
that size. 1t was after nine O'Clock
be fore the General appeared on
one of the small corner balconies.
accompanied by committee of the
Union Veterans Legion, and the Cor
federate Veterans Association, which
were jointly in charge of the affair. The
band struck up the "Star Spaneled
Banner" and there was burst of fire
works from the neighboring houses,
while mounds of red, white and blue
lights famed at intervals along tho
street, throwing the crowd on the bal
cony into sharp relief against back
ground of flags. The crowd yelled
itself hoarse, calling for Lee by name
and demanding speech.
The speech was brief, and so much
broken by applause, that the crowd
caught probably !little more than It's
general drift. Gen. Lee said
"After all the speeches I have been
forced to make in the past two days, /
can hardly hope to make myself heard
over this great gathering. l can only as,
sure you that such a great demonstra.
ton seems to me out of all proportion
to the simple fact of my humble pre-
sence here, and ! am frank to say
don't see that l deserve it, having only
tried to do my duty ss an American,
where circumstances placed me.
have simply discharged my duty as the
representative Of the American nation
in far-of country. can
imagine no higher compliment
representative of the United States
could receive than this splendid in
dorsement of my official course
Now, my fellow. citizens, whether We
have war in q few days or in few
years, this fact has been demonstrated
that the North and the South are stand
ing shoulder to shoulder for the rights
of American citizens, whether in Cuba
or anywhere else on the face of tire
globe. This demonstration, / say again,
is happy in the fact that it shows that
from the lakes, the gulf, and from ocean
to ocean, we are all true citizens of
common country, and all committed
and pledged to the maintenance OF lis
glory, integrity and honor. And, NY
friends, should trouble come, the only
rivalry between all the sections of our
country should be as 10 which State
would carry the flag the farthest. Now
my fellow citizens, you know | have
sense enough to understand that we
would all rather hear the band play
DeafeDing applause and cheers fol-
lowed.
General Lee stated last night that he
thought he had finished his hearing be
fore the committee on foreign relation
and did not expect to appear before it
again. He expects 10 remain in Wash
ington several days.
The electric cars which left AIexar-
dria during the early part OF the night
were densely crowded The five
minutes ovation given the General
here, while pleasant, was deemed too
briet by many; hence the rush for
Washington, where it was known the
enthusiasm would be more prolonged.
The Alexandria visitors did not go as
organizations, but there were scores OF
of oil classes in the
crowds which assembled around the
Shoreham. II was past midnight be-
fore they all returned home.