The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1869-06-24
?Y}1iseetlaueut@s Artiftes.
Gen. Robert E. Lee.

Gen. Robert E. Lee.
The great crises of the worlds progress
are sure to develop or bring forward great
central characters, men of exceptional
power and genius round whom not only
men but events naturally group them
selves Such an one, beyond all doubt, is
the man whose name we have placed at
the head of this article. Whatever differ
ences of opinion may exist as to the ma
ture of the moral responsibility which he
assumed in accepting the command OF the
armies of the Confederacy, it is hardly to
be presumed that many men, even at the
North, are still so blinded by the bitter
feelings engendered in the great conflict
that they fail to discern and acknowledge
the remarkable ability of the chieftain
whose single name and individual force so
long sustained a sinking cause. Hardly
in the gathering clouds of the closing
scenes Of his military career is the
strength and dignity of General Lees char
ter obscured. Even those who fought
against him, and We are among them, can
not withhold from him certa in amount
of respectful admiration.
Our object at this time, however, is by
no means to prepare eulogy upon the
great Southern leader and champion. In
previous articles we have tried to point
out the fact that more than few OF the
representative men of the North were
silently but assuredly awakening to the
truth OF the position which the Imperial.
list SO boldly assumes, and it is our belief
that the stronger and clearer minds among
our Southern fellow citizens are not wan
ting in a similar perception. We have
therefore selected General Lee rs q name
sufficiently prominent to point our moral.
From the day when he surrendered to
General Grant, accepted the failure OF the
political enterprise for which he had sac
rrifced so much, his position has been one
of silent and dignifci acquiescence in the
result of the war; but it is not to be
gathered from this that he fails to COM
prehend those results in all their length
and breadth. 1t may rather be believed
he clearly perceived the drift of public
affairs, and is contented, like thousands of
others of our best and wisest, to wait in
peaceful patience for the inevitable devel'
opments of the future.
Conscious that the old republic has
ceased to exist, the sagacious leader sees
no reason for trying to persuade himself
that the country can continue forever ln
it's present transition state, but calmly
waits for the future in the attitude of q
man who will assume no responsibility for
that which he cannot prevent. And in
all this Gen. Lee and those who initiate
him, are acting we'll and wisely. Their
course can give no offence to any, while
it tends to allay those partisan preJudlces,
which, if fostered by the jealous watctul-
ness which their too speedy return to pub
lie life would cause, might hereafter in
terfere with there patriotic usefulness IN
the better days to come.
Still in pondering tho great events IN
which they have been partakers, such
men must at times be struck with the
vast difference between that which they
attempted, and that which they accom-
plished they attempted simply to divide
the Union, and they determined the tact
that Republic was no longer possible IN
America refusing longer to be governed
by the Constitution, they enabled the
country and the world to see that the
Constitution no longer governed any
thing; in defending Estate rights" they
secured the abolition of even State lines,
and they may now, as they consult TO-
gether over the past and the future, say
to one another, 1--WE indeed failed, but a
great work has been done, nevertheless.
Let US wait"
That General Lee has no very high
opinion of our existing institutions must
be evident to all, who have watched his
course nor can even the most rabid ido-
later Of the caucus form OF government
blame him, if ho refuses to shut his eyes
to the hope OF better things which is held
out to him by the greater national
strength and industrial freedom which
the Empire will guranteo.
We have simply presented General
Lee as q representative man, proml,
nent type, but there are others not SO, OF
whom we shall speak hereafter. lmper'-
alist.
SUCCESS successful man is not
l.. al !