Year: 1870

1t is with no ordinary feelings, my friends,
that address you to-day. The subject pro-
! posed for consideration is one that brings
up thoughts almost too deep for utterance


The event which we contemplate has caused
pang Of grief to pierce the Southern heart,
and has sent thrill of sorrow through the
world. The man whose loss we mourn was
renowned in every nation of the earth, fear
ed and respected and even admired by
those opposed to him in war, and loved with
a devotion almost amounting to idolatry, by
his own people. A man of eonsummate
military skill, Of unimpeaehable moral
character and an humble christian Such
was Gen. Robert E. Lee But he is dead.
We may take up the words of the text from
David's lament over Abner, the great captain
and leader Of Israeps hosts and say: A
prince and great man is fallen 1 cannot
of course enter upon a history of Gen. Lees
life. This will be done in the proper time


and place by many and far ADLER pens. But


we desire to join in the almost universal
effort to do honor to the memory of such


man. We would give expression to the
feelings of our hearts, and mingle our notes
of sorrow with the strains of grief which


float oger city and town, mountain and val


ley, river and gulf Lee is dead Lee is
deadI a prince and great man fallen !
l need hardly pause upon his military career,
although that is what has spread his fame


throughout the world Mexico bore witness
to his skill and prowess ; and his superior
officers there delighted to do him honor


His maps and sketches were relied on by


the General in command, and on one oc.
casion the salvation Of the entire army was
attributed to him His bravery was con-
spicuous and he was repeatedly advanced
from rank to rank for gallant conduct in the
field And as to his achievements in our
great Southern struggle, they are 6armiliar
to you as household words. They flash again
and again and again before your eyes, they
vibrate forever in your ears and are remem-
| bered and cherished with undiminished in
| terest in the inmost shrine Of your hearts.
| The achievements of Lee with those Of his
great strong arm, jackson, will live upon
the enduring page while there is historian


to write, or poet to sing. His name shall
stand in the bright galaxy Of names, with
those of Leonidas, and Kosciusco, and La
| fayette, and Washington. l pass on to say
| that his greatness was further manifested in
his high moral character He used to say
the noblest work in which a man could be
engaged was doing duty There IS the key
stone of his life. Around this, lesser prin-
ciples clustered, and conspired to form the
| grand Arch of his grand character. He
never seemed to seek greatness. He never
courted popularity, but he considered that
whatever was worth doing, was worth doing


we'll Doing duty involved a great princi


pie. 1t was not acting for effect 1t was
not playing part to be seem of men, or to


be link in a long chain of scheming foI


the promotion Of self; but 1t was a constant
endeavor to do right Whether any one
saw it or not. whether any one knew 1t oI


not The soldier who, almost over CONC


with a sensation of drOwsiness, would Wig


orously walk his beat, during his whole


watch, to keep himself awake and doing


duty, was doing as noble work, though no


as conspicuous, as the one who performed


miracles of gallant conduct upon the field


in sight of all. This principle may be seen


in oil his life At the very beginning of oul


war, he an old regular army officer may have


hestated to take the step, ne may have doub


ted the expendiency of the same, he may


have anticipated failure, defeat from over


whelming numbers, he may perchance have


seen himself in the future bereft of his


beloved Arlington and much, that was ever


dearer to him than Arlington, but his native


State, the glorious Old Dominion, haC


spoken and his duty was to her. Duty Il


his State, duty to his Country. He swerveC


not then from his principle of doing duty
: And bow did the noble old warrior obsery,
his principle during the entire war


Whether in the saddle or in the tent, on th


march, or in the battle, whether there wa


hope of victory, or prospect of defeat, hi


place and part were ever the place and par
of the true soldier doing his duty. | almos
fancy | can see the secret workings of hi
y breast in that severest hour Of trial ben al
: hope was gone, when his little handful 0
t gallant men, wheatherbeaten and battl
z stained and SCARED could not possibly hol


out much longer against the fearful odds


yet ready, to follow their leader to the yer


last, to conquer or die, in the struggle