The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1905-04-20
United States army, retired, was then
introduced and spoke briefly. He said:

United States army, retired, was then
introduced and spoke briefly He said:
1t is with great pleasure that |
have the honor of meeting you here
to-day, and want to thank you and
your most worthy and enterprising
comrade, Major London, for the cor
dial invitation that finds me in your
midst and affords me an opportunity
to help honor the valor and heroism
Of the soldiers Of North Carolina. As
the owner of this historic and immor-
tai spot. known through all time as
the battlefield OF Appomattox, was
proud to be able to donate the land
necessary for your noble purpose, in
order that you might erect a monu-
mpnt to mark the spot where the
brave and dashing Tar Heel soldiers
fired the last shot that ended the
awful conflict between American SOL
diers And when the terms of peace
were agreed to here, the foundation
for one OF the greatest, strongest and
,, most intelligent nations on earth
was established and made forever
imperishable."
Major Armes explained that al
though a aVirginian by birth, and hav-
ing brothers in the Confederate army
and marine. his lot was cast with the
North, in which he fought from 1861
to 1865, his last fight being at Ap-
pomattox. Thus he claimed to be in
a position to substantiate the con-
tention in the inscription on the mon
ument to-day unveiled.
Ma jor Arms paid beautiful tributes
to general Gordon and other South
ern generals, and also to his old COM
mander, Hancock, the Superb"
GENERAL ROBERTS ADDRESS,
General W. p. Roberts, who was
the Youngest man in the South to
wear a brigadier-generaFs star, was
next introduced.
General Roberts commenced his
speech with a magnificent tribute to
the courage. bravery and daring of
the Army OF Northern Virginia and
the Confederate soldier, saying: His
splendid valor and knightly bravery
upon the field of battle. his chival-
rous gallantry to his foes, his gener-
GUS rivalry for martial honOrs, his
patient endurance of the winter cold
and the summers heat, his modera-
tion in victory and his couragein de-
feat, find no parallel in the history of
the world. His was the courage that
considered not the hardships, a pa
tience that knew no weariness. His
was devotion that triumphed over
privations. fatigue and want. and
, fought on for country that scarce
ly had food and raime mt to give him.
Splendid valor, splendid devotion,
worthy of a final success that never
was to come.
"Of the men who warred under the
star-lit banner of an ill-fated cause, it
may be said without extravaganza
OF enthusiasm that four hundred
years will read with raptures Of thrill
ing delight and swelling soul the won-
drous story of their heroic deeds and
more than human sacrifices, and give
thanks to God that such men have
lived. The example of these mems
lives will continue to exert an unseen
influence in moulding the characters
Of the coming generations to love OF
all that is good and manly in men,
long after the marble shafts which
commemorate them shall have crum-
bled into dust, and as long as the
universe shall endure"
OF The army he said: ''1t was the
grandest and noblest army the world
ever saw or ever will see, and the
noblest and grandest hero in that
army was its immortal commander.
Only such q man was worthy OF such
an army; and only such an army was
! worthy of such a man. One could
scarcely have been possible without
the other.
"Robert E. Lee listened not to the
temptations and solicitations of am
bition. but refused the crown to ac
cept the cross"
The speaker rendered with beauti
full effect "The Sword Of Robert E.
Lee," the famous poem by Father
Ryan, the poet-priest.
TRIBUTE TO WOMEN.
General Roberts could not conclude