The union Democrat., 1870-11-05
sAruRDax monNIsc, Nov. 5. ls,o


How the announcement quivered along the
heart-strings of every Southern man; what d
host OF mournfGl memories il has conjured
up. What emotions Of pride that name has
kindled. Prostrate before the wrath Of the
c0nquering power we have been, listening
the while, TO the regiings Of every wordy
scribbler but in the midst Of all humil,a-
ton, there has been one consideration which
has borne us up--it was the glory of RQber.
Lee. Rufians, slaye-drivers, enemies OF civ
ilization, foes TO progress-all this we have
been called-but could listen with patience.
If not disddin, for tee hare produced a RoBERT
LEE. Search the annals Of history, and
where can you find name to be placed by
the side of his? Where can You lind mill
tary genius. which communicated to troops
halt clothed, and half fed. the clan Of Euro
pean veterans and an enthusiasm so sedate,
and yet so fierce, that outnumbering legions
shrunk before them as before the flaming
swords Of revenging oherobims Where
else do you find moderation so consistent, and
90 unfeigned aud modesty, which the ac-
claims Of an admiring world could not seduce
into one concession to the spirit of pride, and
vain glory?
1t isa natural tendency in war to under
estimate the size of figures, which have the
concession Of individual greatness. is gener-
ally made, therefore, in favor of some man,
in whom one single characteristic has excess
i've and monstrous development. The grand
eur Of Gen. Lees character is therefore OBJ
secured to popular apprehension, by the very
harmony Of its proportions. and the SYM
metry, and completeness of its parts. But
approach close to it, apply the measure,
which ia derived from an exhaustive analysis,
and just comparison, and we can we'll say
that no time. and no country can produce
his equal. Washington was his predecessor
in showing that il was possible to carry into
public life an undertaking devotion TO princi-
pie, and to duty. But Washington was not
hi, equal in culture. and his Fabian skill,
the only merit of which was its patient, and
exhaustive determination, cannot be named
by the side of that sublime military genius
which was illustrased on hundred fields,
which defied the odds of numerical superior
ity, and which never failed as long as there
was an army, and a commissariat.
Thus passes away the old regime. There
wore two names that were it's chosen repre-
sentatives, and they designate live men no
longer, but the Homeric heroes who have
tassed into history and song. Those names
were Robert +. Lee and Stonewall jackson.
w q are not Oh tuuSo WHO WOulu pTUtTdCt Ue-
vond the destiny which God has assigned to
il. an extinct form Of civilization. We yield
without repining, to the decree which has or.
dnined, that social good is to be reached
= through the throes of social CONFUSION, aud
change. Butas the old regime passes into
history, there is no place for the grinning
adrivellers--the fgeators of the time, who
sing psalms to the divinity that rules the day,
s hut have nothing but mockery and derision
/. for the life that has gone on before. We
have bright anticipations for the future we
let no anchor go to hold our craft fast to any
bygone institution but we repel the attempt
to bury the old institutions in the midst Of
obliquy and contempt. History will not ac-
cept such verdict. Much it will have to
condemn, but there ia one fact which is Ger.
tain. II will always trace on its brightest
page the institutions, and the era which gave
birth to Robert E. Lee.-Felicidaa Demo
crdt.