The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-01-22

f"dsrate. Veterans, at Jefferson me-
mortal, Forest park, Saturday, In
ccmmanloration of the 1llth anniver-
sary of the birth of Robert T.. Lee.
iiis address follows:
Thomas Carlyle declared that.
There Is divine idea pervading the
universe, which visible universe is IN
deed but it's symbol and sensible
manifestation. having in itself no
meaning or even true existence In
dependent of IT. TO the mass OF men
this divine idea lies hidden: yet to
discern and seize 1t and live wholly
In 1t is the condition OF all genuine
virtue, knowledge. freedom, and the
end, therefore, of all spiritual effort
In every age
In this statement we are furnished
with a principle by which 10 account
fo- the continuous and growing In
Euenee OF every great man. The rea-
son why the machinery Of the uni
verse periodically publishes larger and
larger editions OF certain great men
is because they discerned, seized and
wholly lived in the divine idea per-
vAd. ng the visible order history Is
gradually unfolding, Because OF this,
new and up-to-date volumes of Moses.
Job, Homer, Isaiah. Ezekiel, Plato,
Tacitua. John OF Patmos, St Paul.
Dante, Ceryantes4 Francis Of Ass al,
Copernicus, Shakespeare. OHM Yves
ley, John Henry Newman and Oar
win are issued annually by the wheel
work OF the centuries.
I'VE have new Pinto every year
because he discerned. seized and who'll
" lived In the divine idea IL Is the
function OF philosophy to interpret
Hence. he constituted an intellectual
height from which speculative think
ers have been taking their bearings
for twenty-five centuries. Copernicus
wholly lived In the divine idea 1t Is
the function of the consultations to
express, SO that the morning stars
have never been able TO sing since
lie lived without fl.ng the heavens
it'll music in his honor. Darwin
wholly lived In the divine idea ex-
pressed through the method of crea-
ton; hence. the birds and the flowers
aave been filing me sky with melody
and perfume to remind the world
every coming spring of his great
achievement.
Lees Divine idea.
The divine idea General Lee dis
cerned seized and wholly lived IN
was not the intellectual aspects of 1t
with which speculative thinkers are
concerned. nor the biological aspects
! of IT with which the naturalists are
! concerned. nor the NEE handcal az
poets of II with which astronomers
are concerned but It was with the
distinctly human aspects OF II with
which lovers ard heroes are con-
cerned. IT In left to the universities
~ guard the fortunes OF Plato and to
tho ohseTvatories 10 keep fresh the
memory of Copernlcus, and to the
/ uaturalists to take care Of the accom-
plishments OF Darwin; out TO human
I tty, the top and epitome of all crea-
ton. is committed The glory OF re-
counting to itself. over and over again
TIL the last page OF human history
is written the brilliant and maRnin-
cent qualities which united to make
/ The vast character of Lee.
! Tradition has IL that, 1000 years
ago, one OF the giant statues on the
/ plains of Egypt emitted beautiful
notes OF music when struck by the
first rays of the rising sun. In Lee
Of Virginia the riddle of Memnon has
been solved, with the difference that
Aemnon was n classic Action while
Lee was an actual human being who
holds almost the chief place amone
: the military leaders of all story
As a living personality, the RAYS OF
the rising sun never struck the mob g
form of Lee without calling forth
the music and beauty inclosed with
ir his great soul. II statue Of him
erect on his charger and wearing the
insignia OF his Confederate rank.
could be erected on the Virginia
shore, in the grounds OF his once
dearlv-loved home at Arlington
Heights. we could see then the light
OF heaven would perpetuaily strike
from that great efigy, lifted up &c
nj Ee{
OF harmony his countrymen were &C.
customed to hear played from his
/ life as he moved among them while
| alive on the earth.
: Qualities Of Greatness
There have been generals, doubt
| less. who from merely military
standpoint were the equal, or even
the superior of Lee, but IL lie not easy
to recall one who measured up to him
.~ all the qualities and elements Of
character which unite to make "A
great man. This period. particularly
when the whole world Ia torn with
the passion and the strife of war
gives us fitting opportunity 10 take
the dimensions of Lee.
He was q soldier trained in all ths
discipline and learning prescribed ror
the military men of his day He was
a great strategist. He inspired the
respect. confidence and love OF those
who served under him. His restraint
In the midst OF victory was recognized
by all. His patient endurance in the
face of adverse fortune made of him
an object of admiration the world
around. The serene dignity which he
exhibited at Appomattox Courthouse
on the eth of April. 1865. when, as the
loader OF the Army of Northern Nir-
rinia, he surrendered to Ulysses s
Grant. converted his defeat into trI.
umph equal 10 that OF the victorious
Union general II may be said In
reality that the two victories which
distinguish Lee and Grant more than
any others connected with their ca
rcer in the Civil war, they both won
at Appomattox Courthouse, in the at
tttude the one assumed to the other
at the time OF the greatest crisis In
our national life. because 1t was the
direction of the current American
history,
The distinguished feature OF Lees
character. however. the one which
saces him among the greatest heroes
- ei time. not only as military
'eaGer, but as a man. Is the scrupu.
lous regard he manifested and prac-
ticed In enforcing upon those under
his command the most advanced and
humane rules OF civilized warfare