The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1903-02-12
TRIBUTE TO GEN. LEE
Charles Francis Adams Lauds
the S0uth's Chief.
Responds to the Toast of "Robert e.
Lee" at the Thirteenth Annual Ban-
quet of tile Confederate Veterans
Camp of New York, Held at the
Waldorf Astoria.


Waldorf Astoria.
At the thrice annual meeting
OF the Confederate Veterans Camp of
New York. held Jan. Doth, which was
signalized by a banquet ut the Wal
dorf-Astoria Hotel, Charles Francis
Adams, Of Massachusetts, IL soldier
OF the Union, responded to the toast
of ''Robert l.. Lee Henry Waiter
son, Il soldier OF the COIIfederacv,
paid tribute to the character of
Abraham Lincoln. The third toast
to Jefferson Davis was responded to
by William Hepburn Russell, formerly
OF Missouri and now Commissioner OF
Accounts of the New York City gov
ernmeHt:
The opening toast to The Presi-
dent and the Army and Navy of the
United States-A Prince Among the
Rulers OF the World and but the Ser
want of Free People'-was drunk
standing amid great applause, the
orchestra rendering Hail Colum-
biH
This was followed by the toast to
General Lee, mature Made Him and
Then Broke the Mold.' In responding
Mr.. Adams said:
a New Highlander, by birth, de-
scent, tradition, name and environ-
mcnt closely associated with Massa-
chusetts, | WAS II Union soldier from
1861 to 1865, and the one boast |
made in life was, and is, and will ever
be, that also bore arms and con-
fronted the Confederacy and helped
to destroy it. Formerly of the Army
OF the Potomac. through long years
| was intent on the overthrow of the
Army of Northern Virginia. So far,
moreover, as that great past is con-
cerned, having nothing to regret, to
excuse or to extenuate, am yet here
on this day to respond to Il senti-
ment in honor OF the military leader
once opposed to us-a Virginian and
a Confederate.
Nor, all this being thus and so, if
asked why am here, would the an
swer be far to seek. Primarily, as a
Massachusetts man, confess to a
feeling of special kindliness toward
two other States OF the UniOn-twO
Of the original thirteen above all the
other present forty and tive-SOuth
Carolina and Virginia. Those, with
Massachusetts, | hold to have been
essentially pivotal States-commun-
tiles peculiarly prolific of men the ex-
ponents of ideas From them have
gone forth those migrating columns
which met in fierce grapple for the
maintenance and the ascendency OF
that III which they believed.
80, if | may be permitted thus to
say Il word personal to myself, when
the other day-scarcelya Il month ago
i was called on to ospeak in Charles
ton to an audience OF South Carolin-
ians. | responded at once and | did
so because my heart went out to
them rs those of my countrymen to
whom had once been most bitterly
OppOsed-cOuntrymen still, though |
had come to know that as fOemen
they were men of whom it behOoved
us most to take heed AS opponents
of ideas-right and wrong-Massa-
chusetts and South Carolina were
peers. They had not followed; they
had led
"And sO-as told them-fully con-
scious that | was walking on ashes
still hot. in the very crater of what
had within all our memories been the
most terrific volcano of a century,
walking there amid sulphurOus
memories, | chose for my subject the
constitutional ethics of secession. In
a wholly dispassionate spirit | ad-
dressed myself to it as purely aca-
demic question; but WANTED to OknOw
whether the time had indeed come
when the old friendly feeling was re-
stored and the foes of q former gen
Grafton could again talk tOget her
calmly and as brethren over issues
once burning. The reception ofwhat
| said justified my faith in those to
whom | said it. Never have | met
with more cordial welcome; never
did | receive n more fraternal re-
sponse.