The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1907-04-26
ST GEORGE

gIUhVE
cos.laasa Pare one
Iterestto the occasion as they e6ntem.
plate with eager Gle his happy rean.
lon o. all The peoples q America on
the h%eartistone Of The mother o. them
alL.
The men behind the guns, who have
wrought this great work, have had
the liberal patronage Of the Federal
Government, and the governments OF
the several States. All that education,
science and skill could produce, with
the limited means at their command,
has been invoked for the completed
work. The Federal Government stands
faeile prineeps In its liberal benefac'
lions and each State present has free.
ly given OF It's substance in proper.
tlon to It's means for It's proper repre-.
s~entatIon here to-day. In It's forma.
ton and building, the points of Ii
compass have been disregar1ed or
lost, for here there Is no North, no
South, no East, no West; but we are
each "as distinct as the pillows, but
one as the sea-"
As We rejoice in the work before
us, and congratulate each other that
the longlooked,for day has come and
our hopes are at last realized, we can.
not forget thDt there is one vacant
chair in our midst. Despite his years
Of leadership. Moses. who led his PEG.
pie successfully through the wilderness
was never permitted 10 see The Prom.
isei Land: so. Fitzhngh Lee. under
whose stimulating leadership the
foundations Of this work were laid.
and who for two orduous years OF his
life, led his people through the Wilder.
ness OF Doubt and Distrust into the
smiling valleys Of Hope and Conf.
dence. is denied by Providence the
privilege Of seeing with us the work
Of his hand finally and successfully
completed.
And this day. which 10 many OF us
Is the realization OF the hopes OF
years, S thus saddened by the fact
that our first. our great President, is
not allowed TO share our Joy with us.
In this presence We lay the tribute
Of our obligation 10 him on his tomb
this day. for his Invaluable work for
this cause, and with II the tribute OF
the sincere affection Of all who shared
his co~mpanionship or claimed his
friendship.
His great zeal, his CHEEKY nature.
his greatness Of soul and his charm.
Ing personality contributed as much as
any other cause to enlist the interest
Of the country in this great project.
lie possessed n zeal that accomplished
something; a heart that loved some.
thing; n faith that believed some.
thing; and Il patriotism that was ready
10 Vile for something. Whether fol.
lowing the plow o. the bugle or the
serious work Of this enterprise, he
Ever with n frolic welcome took
The thunder and the sunshine"
Honor beat with his blood. and all
things high came easy 10 him; he
fetched his life from men Of royal
siege! The very government under
which he lived was fashioned into
shape and usefulness by his maternal
ancestor. George Mason, whose brazen
image In yonder city keeps watch
over Virglnia's great son. Upon sire's
side, what n pedigree! From the hour
when our race first planted foot upon
Virsinia's soil. some Lee has made
her annals i~liustrious, and one has
made her name 10 fame over the earth
with such fierce light rs 10 blind the
Stars" in their courses.
And. among the innumerable. the
cons amt the nGyeTending acts Of
Kindness, always Sc cheerfully bestow.
ed upon this enterprise by President
Roosevelt. and by his great and noble
Secretary of War. who honor MS with
their presence this day; We cherish
none more cordially than those dell.
cate acts Of sympathy extended to us