Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1867-07-23
A High Tribute to the Character of
General Lee.

In long editorial article calling for the donation
OF Gi",0OO to Washington College, by the friends
and admirers of General Lee in England, the Lon.
don Standard speaks of HIM a follows:
There Is no living hero-therc are none if apy
whose name shines with the purest lustTe in bisto
ry-whosc cha raCteT has CONN auded So hiph a tTi-
butte Ot affection and admiration from their friends
OGrCspeCt nd honor from their foes as thatof
eral Lee. No life more perfectly heroic, no repu-
tatiOn more untarnshcd even by the minor hIcm
lshcs which are not uncommOnly found in union
with the highest heTOism, has ever been Connected
with great national struggle. No shade Of vanity
or cgonsm, nothing of the self will or petuencc 50
often characteristic of conscious genius no tinge of
ahectation, no faint even of the pride almost
Table from ordinary greatness of mind, which can
endure everything but humiliation, and regards
submission as disgrace, alloy the simple grandeur
Of the Nirginian soldier nature
plcty without the slightest shadow of Pharisa-
Ism, sense OF duty to which the crifce of every
personal feeling and interest appears a matter of
course, have marked his whole course and guided
his every public act, whether az a colder or ne
citizen. family connection nd the uearcs, IvDo a.
representative OF the great champion of ATneri,aT
Independence, General Lee has been the Washing.
ton OF the Confederate war; like WashInU,oD
man ''vhom envy did not hate but without even
the one dark stain of doubt, if Ofdishono which
the death OF Major Andre has left his pTototvne
No selfess man nd stainless gentIemaricvcr
lived; no soldier ever set "a more admirable exam.
pie OF the sodery virtues OF honor, chivaric gen.
erosty, and manly simplicity: great ina n ever
retired into ObscuTIty, after witnessing alike the
ruin Of his cause and the destruction of his private
fortune, with more Christian patience and un-
shaken foTIitude. ~
Oi his military achievements we need not speak
1t Is enough to say that nearly all s victor les
won against enormous Odds and that his four years
defence Of Virginia has few parallels in history az
an example of great results accomplished with
small means and a fearful diadvantage.
What Is now more interesting 2 to remember is the
personal character Of the man, displayed in the
various eNigencies Of that trying Struggle; the
simple honesty aud kindly feeling which prompted
him to console his soldiers they TecOiied from
the cannon n-crowned heights of Gettysburg, with
the assurance: 'lt 10 all my fault the Unaffected
self depreciation which pronounced, when Stone
wall jackson fell, 81 could wish, the "a ke Of
our cause that had been disabled rather than you
the Christian chIvalTy. which outrage could pro-
woke TO TetaliatIOu; which after Virginia had been
rendered desert, withheld the army that invaded
Pennsylvania from ufctIug the most trivial iuiu ~
on person or property; which, when his own estates
had been plundcred, TavagCd and cOnfIscated took
care to protect the buses aud property of his
mies; the horror Of useleHs blOodshed which with
stoOd the cry for TGtrbutoH excited By the murder
OF Southern prisoners in cold blood, and supported
the resolve If the President that unicsz the
murdeTers were ia ken no blood should be shed but
on the field OF battle; thetOuChing uuselfshpess Of
his last words to his disbanding army. on the soT-
rowiul 9Th of April, al have done Ia best for YOU
but II was when all was Over-when the chief Of a
great aud long victorious army was a private man
and Paroed prisOner-that the peculiar greatnes,
Of General Lees nature shines out with upeouaIed
brightness.