Vicksburg weekly herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1868-1883, 1870-10-22

htAASsAA IN us people 30 uAAttEent
from that for which he struggled
through four years Of stormy and
peFilOus greatnessl Ifa man live
long enough, and well enough, 10
make bis death seem 10 thousands
of his fellOw.men an irreparable
loss, he may trust Death to give ef-
feet TO his life, and draw his dying
breath with confidence In the ap-
plause Of pOsterity.
Men are unwilling to recognize
the fact-but It is nevertheless true
that death Is a moral as well az ma
tural necessity. But whatever may
be thought Of the influence which
the perpetuity of originating genius
and organizing and controlling
power might exert upon human in
stitutions, 1t can be easily shown
that as far as Christianity is con.
cerned, there are deep and unan.
swerable reasons, why neither its
Divine Founder nor It's human
builders should have remained upon
earth. Christianity Is dis
clpline, human life itself is
a discipline, aud their object is not
In Christianity for itself, nor
In life for itself, but to develope the
spiritual nature of man and edu-
cate It for q higher, Interior destiny.
Now this end would not be pro.
noted but defeated, If during the
entire existence Of christianity
there continued to exist such a man
as was Elijah in Israel, or st. Peter
In the Church or If through all the
secular ages" men should survive
who were cast in the magnificent
mould Of our George Washington
and our Robert Lee or others
amongst the few men of the sword,
in modern times, who are fit to be
associated with such ~venerated
names. There would be danger
that men might surrender up every
thing to their authority and become
mere moral automatic, acting with
out sense Of responsibility and ut.
terly incapable of grasping the
principles from which their actions
proceed. II was the sense of this
danger that led CinCinnatus and
Washington when still in the prime
Of life, and at the height of their
influence and power to lay down
their greatness at the feet of the
people and commit the leading
staff of Government to other hands.
And l honestly believe that it was
q similar mo i've that led the IL
lustriOus soldier whom we now la
ment, TO exhibit q marked reserve
in regard to public affairs, and use
with so much mOdesty the influence
he undoubtedly possessed. A great
man, not pulled up by greatness,
above all a good man, n good chris
lian he recognized the limits OF hu.
man responsibility. He had done
his best; and he retired-and left
the rest TO Almighty Providence.
This truly great man, to whom fail
IRE itself but seemed to be like the
dark relief in pictures that brings
out the figure in stronger outlines
and more striking proportions, has
been credited with a degree OF
modesty equal to his merit. l do
not doubt the justice OF the impu-
tation. But | think that his reserve
and silence, after resistance to
overwhelming numbers had ceased
with his surrender, was due not so
much TO native modesty (far less
ditlidence) as to a profound christian
philosophy. He must have known
his potential influence with his
Southern c%ountrymen. He must
have felt that u breath from his lips
would have controlled their action
in any crisis of the grave circum-
stances In which they found them
selves placed by the failure OF
their arms. The leaders of unsuc-
cessiul revolutions are generally the
re-brands of their own aud other
lands. We have seen in our day
these restless wanderers, these de-
termined agitators, filling foreign
lands with their complaints and
examinations, aud catching desper-
ately at every straw that seemed to
float upon the great tide Of human
affairs in Il direction that offered
some chance OF recovering their
lost influence, and a return 10 pow
err. But he who in spite of failure
retained his influence used 1t only,
or at least mainly, TO impress upon
his cOuntrymen an example Of pa
lient aud sublime trust in the NOR
al power Of principles that in the
trial OF physical force had been
borne down into the very dust.
The secret of this seems to me to
lie in the fact that this grey.haired
warrior was wise with a wisdom
uul VI lilH Nullh III NtAlCl MOlNh
l. at he was Il dcyOut aud humble
christian. lie believed in some
thing stronger than the sword,
more irresistible ia the end, than
improved cannon or 1.-THE heavy
b|aCtaliuns." Failure did not prove
10 him that he was wrong; but ii
proved TO him that proyi-
dcucc in the permitted issue
had designs greater than his
right-desigus before which 1t
must Tor a time retire 10,
claim aud wait tor their develop.
mvuL seem also 10 see, blended
viii hi, native mOdc,ly aud cGrls.
tiau humility, a true respect iorh !,
country mtn-a certain faith IN their
power 10 think AMI ret for them.
selves. lie believed that to render
mon capable OF this is the great
purpose Il human education. |
suspect that he would have felt
rather oppressed thu gragiied had
an intelligent people insisted Ou re.
rpiyinw and being guided by his