Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1906-05-03
FITZHUGH LEES SPEECH.


How the General Captured n Dele |
cation of Indiana Editors.
A few evening ago n number OF the
hotel habitues were sitting in the lobby
of the New willard swapping stories
when one Of them told how the late
General Fitz-Hush Lee captured
large company OF Hoosier editors.
ut was In June 1890" said the mar.
rator. land the Republican Editorial
Association of Indiana WINS making a
tour of Virginia. At that time it was
the custom Of this association to make
summer excursions to some section or
other Of the country, generally giving
from two TO three weeks to their ont
, ing. On This occasion we had passed
through part of Kentucky and had
entered Virginia, intending to make
several stops at various pieces OF i'll
tcrcst. We had given n couple Of days
10 White sulphur Springs and sovrra!
hours to Clifton Forge, at last arriving
one afternoon at Natural Bridge. In
our party were about 100 men and
women. and we had been having n
most delightful time.
.tl -Nu,uadl I'IlupP, tVi we NC"
partaken Of dinner. the landlord came
TO me and informed me that General
Lee was then in the dining room, hav'
ing Just arrived. General Lee had only
short time before that finished his
term as governor Of the state. asked
for an Introduction To the governor
and on being presented said TO him
hn I iA ~
citation touring Virginia that the AS
ISOLATION was composed of Indiana
Republican editors and their wives and
that felt sure they would he highly
pleased If 10 would address them. He
asked what he could say. I told hilr
he could talk about Virginia -that We
were there to learn all we could abou
the grand Old Dominion that had giver
birth to so many great men 49, or h'
-, could talk on any topic that pleased
!, him. | noticed twinkle in his eye
;. as he said:
"'Ilow would your people stand ;
little talk on the late war;:
81 replied that If would suit them
that a number OF them had served il
D, the Union army and would not obiec
to hearing an c1-reb. He accepted IN
invitation and word was sent aroun
. TO the company to collect in the pa
vlion.
u The general branChed off into
glorifcation of the deeds of the soutl
:, ern soldiers | looked over the aud
;, ence and thought l saw disposltio
TO resent this apparent glorifcation {
= the southern soldiers and the souther
" cause but the speaker was not int
ruptcd. Presently the speaker hega
to talk about the courage, enduran'
and hcrosm Of the northern troop
81. In eloquent strains he pictured Il
y. awful struggle OF those momcnto'
=, four years. the carnage. the final de
:. peration OF the south. the terrible d
struction of property and then the oil
l.. Ry this time his audience was enth
-, siestic. Tears had been seen in mo
~ than one eye az he depicted the suff'
49, ing and death 81 so many brave 6
ders and the deSolaiion of SO ma
-. homes. He then changed his thei
l.. again and talked Of patriotism and 10
~. Of country and reverence Of the f
80 and told OF the new loyalty Of
~ south aud the acquieSconce Of
90 south in the result of the war closi
n. with a doclara ton that shonld W
,d Aver again come TO the country his y
NJ dicnce would find the south rival
M the north in heroic devotion to the Il;
His Dcroration was exceedingly e
70 Queut. and hy the time it ended
n, IIoosiers surrendered uncondtiona
od to the gallant Nirgnian and gave h
~. n reception rs warm as he had ever
Of pcrerced from the people Of his o
q te."-Washngton Letter in Bun
nj, News.