Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1866-09-11
General Lee.

n = long editorial article calling Tor sub
ec,i5ton of 10000 to Washington College by
he friends and admirers Of General Lee in
England, the London Standard Of August 18th,
speaks Of him as follows:
There is no living hero-there are few, if
sry, among those whose names shine with the
cures. lustre in his,ory-whose character has
commanded so high tribute of affection and
admiration from their friends, of respect and
honor from their foes, as that of General Lee
Nc life more perfectly heroic, no reputation
more untarnished even by the minor biemlshes
Which arc not uncOmmony found 10 union with
,hc highest her0isn, has ever been connected
with great national struggle. No shade OF
venitv Or egotism, nothing OF the seli-Wlll or
1ctnIancc 50 often characteristic OF CONSCIOUS
Genius, no tnge OF atcclatlOn, no talnt even OF
The pride almost in>eparabe from ordluary
Greatness Of mind, wA!ch can endure every
,1iHc but humiliation, and regards submission
IS disgrace, alloy the Simpl grandeur OF the
T;rcin!an soldier nature. \ plety without
ne slightest shadow Of PhariSaism, sense OF
:G.iy 10 which the sacrifice of every personal
feeling and interest appears matter Of course,
having marked his whole course and guided
MS every public act, whether as soldier or as
& citizen. \ family connection and the nearest
living representative OF the great champion OF
5marican Independence, General Lee has been
.h, Washington OF the Confederate war like
Washington, man whom envy dared not
haze" but without even the one dark stain of
doubt, which the death Of MajorAndre has left
o. The memory Ct his prototype. No more
"sclIless man and stainless gentleman" ever
IiycG; no slQier ever set more admirable
2.amp!e If the soldicry virtues of honor, chiv
slr;c generosity, and manly simplicity; no
rieat man ever retired into obscurity, after
viIuessing alike the ruin OF his cause and the
destruction OF his private fortune, with more
oI Christian patience and unshaken iortltude.
Of his military achievements, We need not
speak 1t IS enough to say that nearly all his
victories were won against enormous odds, and
ihat his four years defence Of Virginia has few
parallels In history as an example OF great re-
suits accomplished with small means and at
fearful disadvantage. What it is now more
interesting to remember Is the personal charac-
ter of the man, as displayed in the various
exisencics of that trying struggle; the simple
,onestv and kindly feeling which prompted him
&c console his soldiers as they recoied from the
cannon-crowned heights OF Gettysburg, with
tile assurance. 1T is all my fault; - the un-
effected setdcpreciatjon which pronounced,
.rhcn Ctonewal Jackson fell, Il would wish,
ioI 5he sake of our cause, that had been dis
2blcG rather than you;' the Christian chval-
~, which no outrage could provoke to retalia
ion. which. after Virginia had been rendered
" tesert, withheld the army that invaded
..ennsylyania from inhictng the most trivial
injury Oh person or property; which, when his
oTa estates had been pipndered, ravaged and
conf>csted, took care to protect the houses
md property of his enemies; the horror Of
rsaless boodshed which withstood the cry for
rct,ibulion excited by the murder of Southern
prisoners in cold blood, and supported the
resolve Of the President that unless the
ectOal murdercrs were taken, no blood should
5e she'd but on the field OF battle the touching
poSoltshness of his last words to his diSband-
jag army Oh the sorrowFu 9th of April, Il
hare done my best for you" But it was when
iii ,Ta2 over, when the chief Of great and
o1a victorious army was private man and
perol2d prisoner-that the peculiar greatness
c. Cen. Lees nature shines out with unequal
e Brightness