Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 17.djvu/201

 The Monument to General Robert E, Lee. 193

whom he might be brought in contact. You all remember the disas- trous character of that campaign in West Virginia, to which I have referred. He came back carrying the heavy load of defeat and un- appreciated by the people whom he had served, for they could not know that had his plans and orders been carried out the result would have been victory rather than retreat. You did not know it, for I would not have known had he not reported it, with the request, however, that it should not be made public. The clamor which then arose followed him when he went to South Carolina, so that it became necessary to write a letter to the Governcr of that State telling him what manner of man he was. ' '

Mr. Davis then spoke of the straits to which the Confederacy was reduced, and reviewed her sad and glorious history through the advance into Pennsylvania, the batde of Gettysburg, the final sur- render. He then proceeded :

" Here he now sleeps in the land he loved, and that land is not Virginia only, for they do injustice to Lee who believe he fought only for Virginia. He was ready to go anywhere, on any service for the good of his country, and his heatt was as broad as the fifteen States struggling for the principles that our forefathers fought for in the Revolution of 1776.

" This day we unite our words of sorrow with those of the good and great throughout Christendom, for his fame has gone over the water — his deeds will be remembered, and when the monument we build shall have crumbled into dust, his virtues will live, a high model for the imitation of generations yet unborn.

OTHER ADDRESSES.

Mr. Davis was followed in eloquent addresses by Colonel Charles S. Venable, General John S. Preston, General John B. Gordon, Colonel Charles Marshall, General Henry A. Wise, Colonel William Preston Johnston, and Colonel Robert E. Withers.

Resolutions were then passed organizing an association to erect a monument in Richmond. The following officers of the association were elected :

President, General Jubal A. Early ; Secretary, Colonel Thomas Mann Randolph Talcott ; Treasurer, Colonel William H. Palmer ; Auditor, Sergeant C. P. Allen.

There was an executive committee located in Virginia, and a