The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1907-01-11
The Lee Centennial.

ert E. Lee the American nation pos
sesses a priceless heritage. Neither in
| our own country nor in any other can
there be found a more shining example
Of the soldier, the gentleman, the man.
In all the range of our own history,
there are few names that can be placed
alongside his for that combination o
splendid ability and exalted character
which constitutes the surest title or
true greatness; and even among these
few. while some Of them played an
even greater role than did Lee upon
| the stage OF history, there is not one to
| match Lee in that prity of nature and
that completeness with which his life
bore out his ideal of conduct, that give
to the career of the southern Chief
tain its most remarkable characteris-
tics.
Most people doubtless look upon
| General Lees presidency or WASH
| ington college-afterwards named
Washington and Lee uniyersity-aS
little more than an honorable retire
ment. They know that he declined OF
fers. which, according TO the standards
of commercial age, would be rated as
vastly more tempting than that OF the
headship of a small and struggling
college,: they know. too, that II was
open to hin to accept more than n
proposal of sinecure posts which would
have been gladly placed at his dis
pOsal in recognition of his splendid
services. They understand the spirit
which led him to prefer the presidency
of Washington college TO either OF
these alternatives. But it is only a
all r,,,,f.o, nc ropr1o Nrhn know he
actual value Of his service in this in
conspicuous but not unimportant post.
And vet it would not take much effort
of imagination to conceive or the ma
+ure of the influence which might have
been exerted upon a body OF southern
vonths. at the most impTessiOnable
period Of their lives, by such a man
as Robert E. Lee. AS a matter Of
fact, those who had the rare gOod lot
tune to spend the precious days OF col
lege life at Washington college When
he was its head testify to the I'M
mense impreSSiVeneSS n Denent Oh
that influence. Lee was not a ngure-
head college president; he was a Nv
in force in the college life; an agency
of education in the highest sense, an
up-builder of character, a promoter OF
high intellectual and civic ideas. mat
he did these things not Simply D!
preaching them occasionally and not
merely by the inspiration effect or his
very presence, but by faithful devotion
day after day, to every duty that pre-
sented itself to him, it is Unnecessary
l to assert in the case of such a man as
Lee. .,
The 10Th day of January next vii
be the hundred anniversary OF Lee
birth. Not only in the south but als'
in the north, may be counted on TO az
due honor to his memory upon ina
occasion. His magnificent militar!
genius, his splendid defence of a losln'
cause, his noble bearing in adversely
the example he set to all IN the pro
motion Of American brotherhood "hel
the issue between north and south MAJ
been settled by the ordeal OF War-al
"a these things are felt and acknowledge
by every right-minded American
whether his home bein Maine or Texas
and they will be cOmmemorated l
many places upon his hundredth birth
- dav. But it is fitting that a specla
celebration of notable character, o
held at the institution to which ne de
voted the last years OF his lie, an
which has preserved in it's name an
memory of that held at Washfngto
and Lee university will cover t"
DAYS, January IS and 10. It's mo:
special feature will be a reunion
those alumni who were students
n Washington college during Gener'
Lees presidency, and it is hoped tn;
a large proportion of the five hundre
of these who are still living will a
tend. Another, and a most notao
feature of the celebration is to
found in the fact that the annlversal
70 grafton is to be given by Charb
] Francis Adams Of Massachusetts,
y Baltimore News.