The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1901-07-25
THE PAST AND THE FUTURE
a. Graphic Description of Robert T..
Lees Appearance Before the Vir-
ginia Secession Convention.

g111ia Secession Convention.
The Richmond Chamber of Com
mcrcc gave an excursion on the Jane.
river a few days ago to members o.
) the Virginia Constitutional Convcn
ton, OF which Hon. john Goodc Is the
president. MIR. Goodc was called upon
for Il speech, and he paid glowing
tribute to the Richmond of to-day, the
result Of untiring industry, pluck and
energy, and then he continued "But
gentlemen, my mind rcvcrts to the
Richmond of other days. Grand, old
historic Richmond How k,nd and
hospitablc her people have always been
to me Well do remember my first
coming in 1852, when but boy, and
the friendships formed here even then
that lasted to the graves Of SO many
hcrolc souls. Well Go | remember
when as Il member of the convention
of 1861 not only Ell ioycd Rlchmond's g
and shared the labors of Niryinla's his
tolic band, only five of whom now
walk above the sod. Wcll do | rcmem-
Der it was the first time | behcld the
great, the grand, the immortal Robert
E. Lee. (Grcat applAusr). Ate" Sc
| ccding from the Uulon and before join
| ing the Confcdcracy, Virginia Was an
independent nation, and II +. Lee was
made commander in chief Of The forces
OF the Commonwealth.
"Well do | remember his grand
phyalquc as he came into the Conven-
| ton Hall, where we here have left to-
| law Of NIL,
Munson, and stood before ;hc prcsl-
| dent OF that convention, who sat where
have the honor to sit each day now
! We'll do remember the salute hc gave
when the president addressed him,
] saying that Gin the days when the re-
public was created all eyes turned TO
| old Westmorcland, in Virginia, for i'll
| spiratiOn and guidance, aud called her
son TO first preside over the dcstinics
| Of that republic, SO now, when we have
to again adopt heroic measures TO pre-
| serve The blessings of independence,
all eyes again turn to old WcStmorc-
land, made ever glorious by WASH
mgtun and Lighthouse Harry Lee,
and you, her son, our dear beloved, we
greet to-day and invest you with our
power Mr.. Lee mCdestly replied that
he was profoundly impressed by the
solcmniLy Of the occasion and the grave
duties he assumed with the honor ac-
ccptcd. Il accept it he said, with a
prayer to Almighty God that shall be
given grace to please Linn and strength
TO serve you, IN whose behalf alone |
shall ever'lraw my sword again. And,
oh what peerless captain he was
'Pcacc hath her victories 10 less re-
nowned than war; and when that glo-
rious chicftain accepted the albitra-
ment of the sword. and rs president OF
Washington and Lee University de-
voted the rest Of his life tJ the cduca-
ton Of The sons of Virginia, he crown
ed an already lllustri0us name with u
| sweet and inpcrishablc glory. 1t is
good to think of old historic Richmond
and Lee together.
"Old Richmond My fricrds, | re-
cur to the days when Mr.. Lincoln told
the peace commissioners TO $50 back
and tell your people to take off the
gray, lay down their arms and | will
see what can be done for you.' When
Stephens came back with his message
to old Richmond a great meeting was
called in the old African Church, and
a monster gathering took place that
filled the streets block away.
"It seems but yesterday when saw
the great Judah u. Benjamin and JEFF
f, rson Davis (grcat arplau,c) walk
| down the aisle Of the old church, and
heard the laundering applause that
shook the very ,altcrs. 1t IS impossi-
bic to describe the speech that JrlIcr-
son Davis made. Demosthcncs' most
celebrated philippe never cqualcd it,
and not Il citizen Of glorious old Rich
mond went to sleep that night without
VOW to preserve with hlc's blood, il
need he, the honor Of The Common
wealth. And | remember OLD Rich
mond a few years later in The yrandcu
of her ruins. Heroic, un stained, OK
| ccpt with patriots blood, TO the last
+ Behold her then, cast down but no
dismaycd. See her to-day, Il represent
( ativc Of The twentieth century prog
f rcss.
, Dear old Virginia ! GCd bless her
. To many of us here have you place
! her dcstlniGs for the future. think
: can promise you that they are safe il
q our hands. (Applausc).
y "I'hc past is behind us, and It's gIc
n rics will endure so long as our blu
mountains lift their SUBMITS TO tn
q everlasting sky.
"YOur Constitutional Convention il
: Richmond, let me assure you, has il
eye set I'll The morning Of new exist
cucc a morning bright with sunbeam
J, and sweet with dew upon the flower:
% a morning also ;"ni Dctokcns day {
!. strenuous life, industrial achievement
~ political rr,i, commercial greatness
~ peace a" GoSpcrity now and TO
., ever"
----,-.-,ro -
~ Mrs. james " Il, of Woodhal
K Ont, who recently celebrated her OF
l. .l.-D-