Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1909-05-05
Mr.. William u. Mcdowell Tells of
Heroic Deeds

Mr.. William u. Mcdowell Tells OF
Heroic Deeds
Following is the add ss OF Mr.
William G. Mcdowell on the occa'
sion of introducing the speakers
who presented the portrsits Mon
day in the Courthouse
We have Assem- bled this morning
to do honor to men worthy OF all
homer, for what they did and the
lives they lived.
1t was the proud boast OF the
Apostle Paul, that he was citizen
of Tarsus, no mean city. Tits ourf,
that we are natives Of the grand
and historic County of Rockbridge,
of which we need feel no shame,
that we are the children OF clean,
brave. generous Christian ancestry,
whose deeds of valor, self sacri-
fees and devotion to duty we be-
lieve worthy to be perpetrated In
some enduring form.
Want of time will not permit me
to rehearse before you in detail the
services of her cons to County and
State. Suffice it to say, eight OF
the some of Rockbrldge were United
States Senators representating six
of the Southern States. One OF
them the president Of the Repub
lie of Texas, governor of two States,
and Congressman and Senator from
Texas. Another represented the
United States as minister at the
Court of France, for ten years was
governor of Louisiana and repre-
sented that State In Congress and
the United States Senate. Rock
bridge furnished eight governors to
Southern States, more than twenty
| Judges to the United States and
State courts. Ever foremost in
educational lines, she gave, to
Princeton her greateet professor,
Archibald Alexander, and to Cum
berlaud University its president.
the gifted and learned Priestly.
She gave to the world her Bishop
William Taylor, and to the Con-
federats cause she gave 2Ob5 OF her
sons including 1872 commissioned
offlcers-as gallant host as ever
marched to martial music or faced
a foe. Many of their number form
ed the nucleus of that noble
phalanx known in history az the
Stonewall Brigade, which received
it's name from an adopted son OF
Rockbfidge, Stonewail Jackson,
whose grave is with us, at his own
request. We gather in the sping
time to call to memory and do hon.
or to these heroes and we strew
their graves with the sweetest OF
May blossoms. This is well, but
why should we nct do something
to honor the men who gsve to the
country such sons and soldiers
l wish to correct an erroneous
i'm preston which has gotten
abroad thatlt is our intention OF
placing in this building only the
portraits of distinguished judges
and iurists, and this is most
worthy, but this Courthouse is the
property of all the people of Rock
bridge and it Is our Intention to
make this undertaking historical
and representatives of the sons oil
Rockbridge in every walk Of life
Not only her judges, but her states
men. her captains of Industries.
her ministers of the Gospel, those
that built bel roads and furnaces
and opened her mines, her soldiers
and every son of noble deed, how
ever humble his origin. The only
artistocracy that Rockbridge &C.
knowledges is the aristocracy OF
labor, the fellow that does things
"Kino hearts are more than coronets
And simple faith than Norman blood.
would be disappointed indeed
il this new movement stops here
1t is my hope and my desire that il
will lead to the formation OF the
Rockbridge Historical Society
whose purpose will be the placinl
on the printed page the names and
deadly Of our fathers.