The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1868-06-10
From the London Daily Telegraph |
Robert E, Lee,


AT Lexington, in the State of Vir.
ginia, there is college which bears
tho name Of the most illustrious citi
zen ever born in the "Old Dominion, y
+ fertile as that land has been in heroes
nor could George Washington him
self have wished that the college
erected in his honor should have for
President a worthicr chief than the
one who quietly entered upon his du-
ties just fortnight ago. The new
President is still in the prime Of man
hood, though already his hair m.d
beard arc gray; he hrs long been ac-
customcd to command he is familiar
with hardships as with famc-has slept
for months amid the woods Of Virginia.
and has crossed The Rappahannock
Northward at the head Of Il victorious
army; he has been proved u,kc by
good and evil fortune, and when
threatening the Federal capital, or
when surrendering his sword 10 a Fed.
eral Captain, ho has ever borne him
self as besccmcd man noble alike
by ancestry and by nature. The dc.
scendant Of "Light Horse Harry" has
dotted the gray uniform for the garb
of peaceful professor nor can we
own that change is II degradation, even
for Robert Lee.
There is Il difference in the mode
of action, but no alteration in the OBJ
,iect, which is simply to render the
best service he can to his native State.
10 that single aim he has never once
been unfaithful and he will still pur-
sue it, We may rest assured, with the
old high enthusiasm, tempered By Il
cautious brain. Throughout the war
nothing was more remarkable than
Lees personal influence tho manner
in which lie impress scd every
one who approached him. That men
with Jackson's purity and camcstncss,
with the dcbonnairc and graceful valor
of Stuart, should appreciate the illus
trlous qualities Of their leader. was
only natural but even the humblost
soldiers in the rank felt, though they
might not have bccn able to express
the moral power which Lee cxortcd.
The war was, in all conscience, san
culinary enough; but there would have
been very carnival of rage, devil
ish outbreak Of all mans iicrccst pas
-i,A""' "a. a. - G"lAth.,'" l,.,I," 1---..~
of different temper. Gallantly rs
the Confcdcratcs fought, we must ncv-
CT forget that their armies were
often composed Of somewhat question:
able raw material !; thai the yolun.
tccrs, with all tho instinct Of bravery
which seldom deserts q dominant
class, had likewise many of the vices
which are invariably cngcndercd by
the possession Of arbitrary and lawlcss
power. Accustomed to tho mchccl;-
ed license Of authority, the slavchold-
crs might pcrchanco have been ready
enough to give the war character Of
internecinc hatred and it was cmi-
ncntly due to Robert Lee that the
courtcsics and humilitics of fcivilizcd
warfare were, on the whole Observed.
The general nature of the man never
dcgcncratcd into weakness; with u
high hand he could restrain excuses,
and admirably did he exercise his
power. There arc no purcr pages in
tho history Of the civil war than those
which relate to his invasion of Mary
land and Pennsylvania, at q time
when the temper Of the Southern pco-
pie was sorcly tried. Such qualities
as he displayed conld not faIl, IN u long
run, to win the regard OF a manly and
aflectionate people and while we find
that he was loved like father by All
those who shared .is immediate perlS,
we have not yet forgotten that when
the victorious veterans Of the North
were marching home through Richmond
they burst INTO splendid shout OF en-
thusiasm as they recognized, gravcly
contemplating them from curlaincd
window, the familiar form and face Of
Robert Ice.
SOMETHING WoNDHpFuL.--On Mon
day, as the list of Jurors for the County
Court, now III session, was beng called,
two Of the negroes composing il and re-
gardei rs the most intelligent Of their
race in the county, cndeavorcd to escape
the new responsibility thus thrust upon
them.
They made oath that they were not
at all competent to act as Jurors knew
nothing about such things, and would
much prefer TO be out at work on their
crops, and leave such matters to those
better qualified.
The Court at first refused 10 enter
tain their excuse, but somo few hours
later when the negroes made a second
application on the same grounds, they
were excused, and departed on their
| way rejoicing. u
This is the most remarkable instance
of tho kind yet recorded, and reflects
much credit upon the good sense Of tic
fwo colored men.
How many more such negroes can be
found similar to Barb Brasswell and
VIM. Lloyd, Of Edsccombc? As wc
said before, they are considered among
the most intelligent of their color.