unfeigned affection and from a sense of the public merits of our late
colleague, but where there are so many to speak, it is not necessary for
one to attempt a catalogue of his private virtues and of his public
services.

Perhaps I may fitly add a word in closing as to Gen. LEE's military
career. From a captain of volunteer cavalry he rose on his own merits at
the age of twenty-six to the rank of major-general. I have not searched
the annals of war to recite his military history, for it is not the
soldier that I have been commemorating, but I may recall a testimony not
improper to be placed on record here to-day. I happened to be in company
with Gen. Joseph E. Johnston about the time that Gen. LEE was first
nominated for Congress. The old commander, who, as all know, was not
given to effusive speech, expressed to me his hearty gratification at
the event, and in doing so his high estimate of Gen. LEE as a man and of
his ability as a soldier. His praise was strong and unstinted, and no
one will question its sincerity. Mr. Speaker, what more need I add than
to say that in all the acts and relations of life, as son and soldier,
as husband and father, as private citizen and as Representative of the
people, as friend and as Christian, our departed colleague left a memory
we may well cherish and an example we may well follow.




ADDRESS OF MR. CUMMINGS, OF NEW YORK.


Mr. SPEAKER: Great as is our country, its history is comparatively
brief. Though brief, it is exceedingly instructive. So far as there can