The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1870-10-26


in his arms, Lee retreated to the line
Of the James, and from the Sth of
May, 1864. to the Cd of April 1855.
now COMMEMORATIVE Chief of the AR
nles Of the South, devoted his energies
TO the defence of Petersburg-aRd
Richmond. But military skin, brav-
cry and devotion could not hold
against such odds as were brought
against him. His worn out RAGGED,
half fed army stood by his side, until
the Confederacy .crumbled and went
to pieces. On the 9th of April he
eapitulated, and with that surrender
died forever the hopes OF Southern In
dependence .fnyoq 19r5o.
The close of the Var did not find
General Lee a suppliant at the feet OF
the government against which, he re-
bellsd ; he simply accepted the situa.
ton, and without sacrificing his man;
hood, he betook himself to the Festoi
ration of his f~ortdnessq and DEVOTED
himself to the building ups0f 5the
South. 1t was in this regard that he;
showed his sterling worth, and won
for himself SO many friends atbthe
North. Eachewing politics he enter
ed the inviting FeIds ,oflitsratpre5 and
ON the second day Of October was
made President Of Washington Col
lege, at Lexington. Virginia. occa-
sionally his voice. went ont to the
world, but It was only to give advice
andacennsel to the people whom he
loved 30 well. Here, as well as inthe
field, be was the true friend of the
South. He was not one of those who
felt Mt the close of the war that there
was nothing to live for, but turning
to peaceful pursuits, he saw the col
lege, over which he was called to pre-
side, grow from a weak tendril, to a
mighty oak, and second to no institu-
tion2of learning in the land. His
plans for the future were manifold
OF these, the convention thst sat in
our city last week had proof All
this while General Lee kept himself
aloof from the world of politics, strife
and intrigue, and, Though his potent
influence was felt throughout the
south, he, himself, like the hero of
Childe Harold, was reserved and re-
tired, I .'r7rl
"And the soft, quiet hamlet where he
dweh ~
Was one of that complexion which secni-
ed made fF1o A9SC IL XIV
For one who, haying his mortality, felt,
Had sought a refuge from hh hopes de-
cayed."
Its scarcely possible within the
space of a journal to pro.
no unce such an eulogium as General
Lee deserves at our hands, nor can
we enter into such detail of his life
and career as might be considered
necessary to logically establish his
as a military chieftain. The
world knows of bis virtues and his
worth, and the men who have
armies car bear witness
his valor and skill as azman of
arms. he was the great General of
he rebellion, and compared with him
he bloody Corporal who sits at the
White House to-day sinks in the scale
Is would a John Balfour, of Burley,
f weighed with Miltiades. 1t was
lis strategy and superior military
which kept the banner of
he South a1oat; so long and the cam
,aign of the Wilderness, the defense
f Richmond, and the bold advances
nto Maryland and Pennsylvania,
which only failed because of Insult
lent numbers, sSestablished him long
'efore the close of the war, as one
Thom the powerful press of England
night well pro claim "the Great Cap
ain of the Age" There is no man
o bigoted to-day as to not believe u
hat if Grant had commanded the III
rovided, ha1ffed army which stood
Ike a wall of fire around Richmond,
nd the command Of that Grand Arb
ny which went down into the Wilder
ess could have besnsgiven to Lee,
he flag of the Union would have float
d over the Confederate Capitol long
efore it did. But a point SO well es-
.blished, and 50 generally conceded,
eed not be argued Lee was the
reat General of the war, and it did
OF require the tertimony of the brave
herman to determine the fact z
We look upon the death of General
zee as a great calamity to the people
f the South. His example to them
incalculable in its results, and it
upon such men that the South
as wont to lean in this the hour of
err humiliation6a and woe No event
-hich could have befalien1 that asec-
could have created such a pro- o.
,und feeling and ven here in the
forth, where many men were ! dis
osed to look upon the brave old war
ior as a misguided; but nevertheless,
onest man, a sympathy will be erea- sf
- Ii .