. Report of proceedings incidental to the erection and dedication of the Confederate monument. constitution and most honest citizenship in the whole Nation. Few would claim for Robert E. Lee a higher place as a soldier thanI would cordially yield, but I love best to think of him as a model ofcitizenship when Appomattox was behind him and when, with his mate-rial fortunes apparently ruined, he was showing with what dignity, withwhat charity, with what modesty a great man can teach his followershow to bow to the decrees of Providence. He did not stop to bewail thepast, lie did not hide himself i
. Report of proceedings incidental to the erection and dedication of the Confederate monument. constitution and most honest citizenship in the whole Nation. Few would claim for Robert E. Lee a higher place as a soldier thanI would cordially yield, but I love best to think of him as a model ofcitizenship when Appomattox was behind him and when, with his mate-rial fortunes apparently ruined, he was showing with what dignity, withwhat charity, with what modesty a great man can teach his followershow to bow to the decrees of Providence. He did not stop to bewail thepast, lie did not hide himself in despair, nor shirk the duty whicli cameto hand. By every word and every act he set the of acceptingresults without reserve and bending every energy to bring Virginia andher sister states out of the straits which necessarily followed such a war. •With a fine sense of propriety, he hesitated to accept even the head-ship of an institution of learning till he could satisfy himself that it wouldnot give public offense on account of his prominence in the great strife. ,. v»^>^.. 178 He was ready to becoiiu- a plain farmer and get liis bread by the laborof his own hands if that would best teach his peopli- the ijuiet. unques-tioning obedience to the laws, which was the first condition of a solidhrenewed citizenship. (Great applause. ) But when he went to preside over the college at , theclosing scenes of his career lent a new dignity to his character and drewthe hearts of candid and thoughtful persons toward him with wondrouspower. I-fis influence on the young men who crowded about him waselevating and inspiring. His daily life was a lesson in letting the deadpast bur\ its dead. His every word taught good faith and earnestnessin accepting the t>liligations of citizenship. With a grave and noblecheerfulness lie showed that the future might be every great and gloriousthing the young men of the generation would patriotically determine tomake it. I am sure i
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, bookidreportofproc, bookyear1896
