Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1866-11-10
OUR LEADER IN WAR, OUR EXAMPLE
IN PEACE,

The most quiet man at this time, is he
who once led armies and shook the hills
with the thunder of his cannons. Re-
tired to peaceful life, he no longer lifts
his voice among those who make the Ba-
bel of the hour. His own Virginia no
more free State, and himself no longer
citizen, he yields to circumstances and
resigns his great soul to whatever fate
may threaten. If he was first among the
leaders of armies, he is first in the pur-
suits of peace. AS gentle in peace as he
was terrible in battle, he filled the pic
ture of SHAKESPEARE
In peace there's nothing SO becomes q man
As gentle stiffness and humility;
But when the blast of war blows.
Then initiate the tiger.
The world, filled with admiration of
his wonderful campaigns, kept its eyes
upon him for four years of carnage. The
success of his arms was not more notable
than the moderation of his character.
He followed the example Of no antago-
mist, and therefore retired from the
field with no innocent blood on his hands
There are no spectres of victims slaugh-
tered in cold blood, to rise up and
frighten sleep from his eyes and peace
from his heart. He was performing
great and solemn duty, and did it in the
spirit of hero and Christian. When
he beheld victory no longer prize
to be sought, and the overthrow of
his countrys fortunes inevitable, he sur
rendered his sword, and bowed to the au-
thority of the conqueror. He might
even have won victories, but decay had
fastened in the vitals Of the Confeder-
acy, and further resistance would have
been criminal slaughter. He would not
lead the veterans who had never faltered
under his eye, into slaughter-pens which
protraction would have erected. He saw
the fall of Virginia, the South, and, true
to them in death as well as in living tri-
umph, went down with them.
And now, the test of his character was
to be made. He could not know that he
would not be executed upon the scaffold,
and does not yet know that some Bur
LER will not demand his blood. Ger
tainly there is more danger now of harm
to his person than was to be apprehended
last week, for BUTLER has triumphed,
and cries aloud for his life. mistaken
amid the quiet hills of his own loved,
but lost Virginia, he counsels youth, and
smiles at the tempest that would devour
him. That grand face, no longer black
ened with battle. is beautiful to look
upon. A child can love it more than a
BUTLER can hate it. 1t bears no trace of
passion, no aspect Of revenge, but
beams unclouded and undismayed as
the evening star when sole mon
arch Of the sky. His wisdom
is as void of pretension as his heart is of
ambition Nature constructed him upon
no known model. While it denied to
him some of the higher faculties, it en-
dowed him with every quality that adorns
humanity. There is nothing in his
character that every virtuous man may
not love. The mean may hate him, and
do, but. it is the hate which the fallen
angels bore the hosts ofheaven. Whatever
his future may be, he will yield nothing
of his manhood to the demands Of malice.
Brighter his fame will grow as years heal
over the wounds Of war, and plant flowers
on the graves Of his invincible legions.
May we not follow his example, now that
the verdict of the North has warned us
that agitation is useless, and that we
must submit to the consequences of sub
iugation2 Can the people of the South
not rise to the sublime hight of ROBERT
L. LEE?