rt
has reference to his custom in springtime of bringing to this Hall from
his farm great quantities of lovely roses, and having them distributed
to his associates of both political parties on this floor with his
compliments. Here we have a practical illustration that flowers are the
interpreters of man's best feelings. In oriental lands the language of
flowers was early studied and made expressive. As Percival says:

Each blossom that blooms in their garden bowers,
On its leaves a mystic language bears.

With Gen. LEE they bore tidings of good will to partisan friend and
partisan foe alike. They bespoke in mute eloquence the expansive heart
of one "that loved his fellow-men." Little, however, did he think at the
time that these beautiful roses were especially speaking to him as
emblems of a near immortality. Awakening from their sleep of winter,
they were also harbingers of a brighter day to him and of the bloom of
a glorious resurrection. The Germans have a saying that "he who loves
flowers loves God." If this be applied to Gen. LEE, we have the blessed
assurance that he has approached close to the celestial throne.

Gen. LEE belonged to one of the most historic families of America.
Looking back to the early settlement and the pioneer struggles of the
peninsula and then through the plantation and colonial period of entire
Virginia, we everywhere discover the genius, the dauntless courage, the
independence, and the resolute patriotism of the Lees. It has been well
said, sir, that Virginia is the mother of Presidents; and this is true.
A momentary reflection does not suffice to demonstrate the various
causes which combined to bestow upon the Old Dominion this prominence. A
mature study, however, will serve a double purpose. It will teach us not
only how Virginia more than any other State became the nursery for
Presidents and statesmen, but how at the same time were given character
and fame to its distinguished family--the Lees.

The permanency and prosperity of states and political bodies are as much
due to the character of their superstructures as are the strength and
stability of the material edifice to the foundation upon which it rests.
The Argonauts of Virginia united in a remarkable degree the pride and
culture and learning and loyalty of the Cavaliers with the conviction of
purpose and martial courage and discipline of the followers of Cromwell.
First came the heroic vanguard--the men like Capt. John S