The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-05-30
GENERAL LEES LECTURE
AT THE AUDITORIUM
Greeted by a Large Audience That
Listens to Sketch Of United
States and Cuba.

A large and representative audience
greeted General Lee at the Auditorium
at sI5. Capt w. C. Ward, Maj. w. j.
Miner and Maj. w. A. Moody, Mr.. q.
T. Taliaferro and several other MEM
bers of the reception committee, occupied
seats on the stage. Capt. Ward made the
speech of introduction, in which he paid
a glowing tribute to the sons of old Vir-
giria, and to Fitzhugh Lee in particular;
also a tribute to President Mckinley His
remarks were greeted with rounds or
applause.
General Lee began by acknowledging in
graceful terms his appreciation of all that
Captain Ward had said, and then spoke
stirring words of the valor Of Alabama S
gallant troops in the civil war. He could
never forget, he said. the brave Fourth
Alabama, Captain Wards regiment, at
the first battle of Manassas.
He announced che theme for his lee
ture, The United States and Cuba. "
Starting with the landing Of Columbus,
whom he pointed out, gave to Spain a
colonial empire compared with which that
of Great Britain is inconsiderable, Cen
eral Lee sketched briefly the history of
America. He drew a magnificent picture
OF George Washington and delineated
with TuTc pOW6T VI c&pEcS6lOn OLuSI lOt-
able characters who help to create and
shape the republic. He pictured the wars
that had been fought and sngularly
graphic was the description of the Amer
lean soldiers who won spurs In Mexico
and who afterwards achieved fame on
one side or the other In the long and
bloody combat between the states.
In abiding to the causes which led to
the civil war. slavery. he said, had some
thing to DO with tho war. but 1t was not
the chief cause. The principles for which
the south fought grew out Of the doc
trine of states rights. He discussed this
question for ton minutes or more. and
then let 1t go in tervtd tribute 20 the
United States, our country.
We'll" said the speaker, after two
wars with England. a war with Mexico
and civil war one might have supposed
that the United States had satisfied Its
ambition" He then told of the causes
that led to tho war with Spain. Cuba,
only ninety miles from our door. had oc-
cupied the thoughts of all tho Presidents
and Secretaries of State in recent times.
Various attempts had been made to pur-
chase the island but Spain would not
sell.
When President Cleveland sent Lee as
consul general to Cuba war had been in
progress there for ten years. General
Lees account of the terrible conditions
in Cuba and of his experience with Gen.
eral Weyler and afterwards with Cen
eral Blanco were full of interest. He
told of episodes which came under his
observation and of his correspondence
with the State Department that are now
historic. While Lee did not use any
harsh language in speaking of Weyler,
1t was quite evident that he regarded
the Spanish Governor General as a cruel
tyrant
Lee said his life was frequently threat
ened toward the last. Among the anony-
nous letters he received was one in
which he was warned that on a certain
day he would he tied to the tail of horse
and be dragged down Obispo street. The
general said he laughed at all of the
notices telling of plans for his assassi-
nation. When he heard of this horse tail
arrangement he said he did not mind that
at all, for the Spanish horses were so
poor and weak that no one of them could
pull him far. The horse would be dead
before he was.
The only time when Lee thought he
would have to do some shooting was
when a cadaverous, unkempt stranger,
wearing only hat and a linen duster
came into his cafe and eyed him closely.
He took the fellow for a would be assas-
sin. Lee put his hand on his revolver
and was about to draw tit was the
first he had carried since Appomattox-
when the stranger spoke. IT am Ameri-
can. I have been fighting for Cuba. I
have been sick and want to ask you to
get me back to America
What state are you from?"
Kansas"