The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-06-11
More Than Sixty Alumni Vet
Grams Attend Commence
ment Exercises.
ADDRESS BY JUDGE sPEER
Speaker Pays Eloquent Tribute
to Lee and to Army OF
Northern Virginia.
Especial to The rlmes-Dispatchl

Charlottesville. Va, June l0.-This
| day in the program of common cement
| exercises at the University of Virgil
| mia was By no means crowded with
formal events. 1t was rather a day
OF arrival and greeting. for. in spite
| of the fact that sunday Is an import
ant division of commencement week.
things do not move very rapidly until
| Monday evening.
This evening has claimed the at
| tention more intensely than is usual
even here. because OF the fact that
| survivors of the student companies
+; that left the university in the spring
/ of 1861 were to appear and be seated
on the rostrum. The nifty years that
have passed since that memorable
spring have changed them from boys
| OF heroic spirit TO grizzled men OF
| heroic memories. They were warmly
received as they took their places on
the platform.
AS they arrived at the university
| each alumnus Of this little group re-
| ceivcd n numbered button. which, to-
| gether with printed list on which
each veterans name appeared with
| the same number as that on the but
! ton. enabled all Interested TO identify
! them. and without formal Introduction
| TO greet them In manner that dis
| closed the warm feeling entertained
for them. The local camps of Con
| federatc Veterans and Sons OF Con-
federate Veterans and the Albemarle
. Chapter of the United Daughters of
the Confcderaoy were present in their
honor.
| Address by Judge Speer.
| It was very appropr' ate to have an
address on General Robert f. Lee and
the Army OF Northern Virginia. and
| fortunate that so distinguished and
accomplished an orator as Judge
Emory sueer. OF Macon. Ga. was Sc
lectcd 10 pronounce it. II was the
case of veteran speaking TO vcter-
ans. for Judge sDcer entered the Con-
| federate service at the age of fifteen
as a member OF the Orphan Brigade
OF Kcntuckians At Macon. on the
occasion OF the latest Confederate
| reunion. he was appointed assistant
adjutant- general with rank OF lieu
| tennt- colonel In the Kentucky Divis-
| ion. The speakers fine tribute to
| Lee was heard with every manifesto
ton OF satisfaction. Most fortu-
naiely for American character" said
Judge Spcer. after referring to the
passion OF a furious internecine war,
the maSnanimity Of popular govern
rnent has at length worked it's perfect
work. Our rational countrymen, North
and south. 10 man repel the slight
est imputation on the military and
personal honor of Robert E. Lee. And
more. they now concede that South
ern men may rejoice In the reunited
nation. and yet yield not O. heart
throh OF devotion to tho noble sol
diery of the South and their incom-
parable chiettain. Now, with the ma
tional brotherhood restored, every
Confederate soldiers grave will pc
| the trust immortal OF our reunited
land"
Whether he sleeps where the
withered leaves OF the wilderness
rustic TO the eddying gust or in the
dark swamps where the Mississipni
pours It's turbid volume TO the gull.
or by the crystal waters OF the Shcn-
andoah. or by Chickamagua's sullen
MOOD there. honor points the hallowed
SPOT where valor proudly sleeps
Notwithstanding the perfect reunitica-
ton In which all Americans of al,
sections rejoice. 1t is true that un
qualified devotion to our country and
our whole country has broadened but
slowly down from precedent to urece.
dent, while successive generations of
me american people have lived and
died" anu
Stirred by Hoicombe.
Inc presence OF the alumni veterans
cans 10 mind the fact that three mr.
-FOUR companies made up of studapts
marched TO the front from this mi.
Fersity. The eloquent voice OF Hol-
connie had stirred them. Thtee OF
these companies were named "tbo
Southern Guard" the Sons of r,ihertv"
ana the University Volunteers" But
whether as members OF these CON,
Pahles or otherwise. practically every
student of the something like 7no
round their way to the battletields. on
inc walls of the rotunda at the uni
.ers'ty are bronze tablets containing
the names of 500 OF those who lost
their lives in the military service If
me Confederacy. a minute of the
faculty. dated April I6. 1861. i,Iue
trates the temper OF the time: "The
Governor OF Virginia having. as was
represented. authorized the volunteer
companies at Charlottesville, In concert
win companies at Stanton and othe,
places, TO march to Harper's Ferry
with view of capturing it and Sc
curing the arms and machinery at that
place to the use of Virginia in the at
utude of resistance she is about q,
assume toward the wicked government
at Washington, an Invitation was px
tended by Captain Duke. OF the Abe
marie Rifles. to the two volunteer
companies OF students to ioin In tho
expedition. The invitation was re-
ceived with so much enthusiasm by
The university volunteers that the
chairman, the faculty concurring.
deemed 1t ineXpedient to oppose an Of
hcial in'erd!ct to Its acceptance. 1t
was deemed best under the circum-
stances to give the procedure the
FORM of regularity by granting leave
OF absence for week to such as an
Piled with "a view of going on the ex-
petition. At the same time all undcr
twenty years of age were earnest
~ advised not to go"
Among the officers of the student
companies still living are Second
Lieutenant 4. Govan Hill. Fifth Ser
Geant William e. Day. and Frank =
Robertson. orderly. both of the Univ.r-
sity Volunteers: First Lieutenant Geo
Ross and Third Lieutenant John NJ
Payne. of the Sons of Liberty The
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