The Forrest City times., 1900-12-28
AN INSPIRING EPISODE
Mai. Gen. Fitzhugh Lee at the New England Society's Dinner
 at St. Louis.
WARM TRIBUTE TO THE ARMY AND NAVY
Gen. John w. Noble Greeted the For mer Confederate Cavalry Leader, The Guest of Honor,as n Represen- tative of the Highest Type of American Manhood.

St. Louis, Dec. 23.-The sixteenth annual dinner of the New England society of St. Louis, which was given, Friday night, in the banquet hall of the Mencantile club, resolved itself into a veritable love feast after the last course of the elaborate bill of fare had been disposed of, and toasts were declared in order by President ". B. Homer.
 The climax of goodfellowship was reached when Gen. John w. Noble arose, with tears in his eyes and his voice choked with emotion. and, fac ing Gen. Fitzhugh Lee, the guest of honor, said:
 ''I love America.
 "I love the American spirit.
 'I love the man who has the cour- age to stand up for the right as he sees 1.-the man who will fight for his principles.
 "I know you believed the way you fought, Gen. Lee, and honor you as a representative of the highest type of American manhood!"
 While the impassioneu tribute from the New England bred, Ohio-raised veteran of the union army was being paid to the Virginia descendant of the cavaliers, who fought for the con- federacy, the large audience sat mo- tionless and listened with bated breath. When the speaker had re- sumed his seat there arose cheer that might have been heard for blocks V. l,.. most dramtic incident ever witnessed at a social function in St. Louis.
 Gen. Noble's remarks were, in part, in answer to the speech of Gen. Lee. The eX-confederate, the consul to Gu ba, the commander of the department of the Missouri, had shown himself in a new light that of finished ora tor. His audience was taken comp pletely by surprise, having expected a mere formal and soldierly reply 10 the toast, The Army and Navy
 Gen. Lees Speech.
 Gen. Lee spoke eXtemporaneously He said, in part:
 'I am glad that it was possible for me to come here to meet the New England society, and to renew my acquaintance with the good old city of St. Louis. I was never before at banquet conducted just on the plan as this one. In my state the men always do their feasting and word painting unrestrained by the presence of ladies now realize that we do not know now to do things properly, and when 1 go back l shall insist on a reform. l never fully understood before what was needed to make an occasion of this kind per 'I have been asked to respond to the toast The Army and Navy My eXperi- ence has taught me that, whenever op- DOTtunltA a lhe United States speak for themselves. Need l remind You of the armies of Wash lngton and Nathaniel Green, that gave us thls country? Need mention the army of Generals Scott and Taylor that fought its way through the burning sands of MeNi- .p lo uhdylng fame! Need recall any ot the glorious achievements of the arms ot our country, when they are so indeibly stamped on your minds and in your hearts as chapters in the history of our great nation?
 There have been some references here Tonight to former differences of opinion. Nith reference to these differences it is but natural that I take the standpoint of my people, the people of old Virginia, the state that gave to the country Washing lon, the soldier whose sword carved out the union; the state that gave Jefferson 10 frame the Declaration of lndepend- once the state that gave John Marshall, the greatest jurist and first supreme iuCge ot his nation; the state that gave Patrick Henry whose fiery eloquence first made the throne of England trembe
 We Nirginians were brought up to
 
 to look with jealous eyes on any move ment looking toward a relinquishment of any of the sovereign rights of the indi- We believed we were right in resisting the encroachments of federal power, and when the bugle rang out over the hills and through the valleys of our land, We came out and formed in battalions and regi- ments and armies, and stood for four years for our principles
 Tribute to American Soldiers.
 You, gentlemen, were reared to think the other way. 1ou were just as honest ana y,a lust as earnest in your conviction as We were. You, too fought for what you thought right; and, If my memory is cor rect you won.
 Our forefathers had neglected to set tie or were afraid to tackle, the question 1hat brought on the civil war-that of Soales rights. The question was settled tpS the war. We stand by that decision in o one south. We have no desire but to make ir iuF lair southern commonwealths shin tbs jewels in the dadem of brotherhood re,tni crowns and will forever crown the 4tuiited states
 in 1hrmies have accomplished a great deal vat 'ne m worlds development: and there IS Of tba bmluth n to be accomplished. The valor in tt rt American soldier has been written "G|iignt letters on the scroll of fame helfoDlpdrlsons are hard to make, but nn5imeVe that the historian of the future eva Veelare that no better armies nave heep 'rod the face of the earth than have olo2d in the United States.
 hisA Al waterloo, when Napoleon staked ii@a all m m one grand clash of arms. he re- net ,et on his famous old Guard There was rt rUt as gallant a body of men in all r.u- tbev ds as mat Old Guard, but they failed NsE had attempted the impossible.
 At the battle of Fredericksburg the idnt nerse or the federal troops was as gal ,ona ana daring an attack as was ever nlade by man. but they were cut to pieces ,iapw, nUWh ,uoWn like hay, and driven back in possible u a''SiP'Su '"e ii- ,Qn the third day of the battle of Get SsSSouIs' When nine little brigades of con Seel"'es attacked the intrenched federal harGr at GattNsh1,rsr h ns -. N III.