In this episode of General Lee Speaking, host Kamron Spivey sits down with W&L sophomore Louisa Rudolph to explore the Franklin Society — a literary debate society founded in Lexington around 1800 that counted Stonewall Jackson, Robert E. Lee, and Governor John Letcher among its members. They trace the society's evolution from informal candlelit gatherings to a cornerstone of civic life in Rockbridge County, discuss its rules of civil discourse, its remarkable library, and how its debates reflected shifting attitudes on slavery and secession. They also share why The Generals Redoubt has revived the Franklin Society at Fancy Hill — and what its legacy means for civil discourse today.