The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1870-10-26

bosom of his mother. When offered
tho command of the Federal army, he
said II look upon secession as an.
archys If I owned the four millions
Of slaves in the South, ! would sacri
fl,e them all to the Union hat how
can | draw my sword upon Virginia,
my native State" To his sister he
wrote "rbe whole South i, in a
state of revolution, into which, Vir-
ginia, after, a long struggle, jus been
drawn; and though ,evosniza no nc.
cessity for ,tlls state. Of. thing, mud
would have iorborne and pleaded to
the end, for, redress Of ,gricv,nces,
real or supposed, yet iu my osp person
| had to meet ,he question: whctler
| should take. Part against ny native
State With all my devotion to the
Union, and the, feeling of loyalty and
duty ofan American citizen, ! haye
not been able to make UP ny MUD to
raise my hand against my relatives.
my children, my home" When call,
ed to, 1.-The command Of the forccs of
Virginia, he said "Trustiag in Al
mighty God, and an approving cou-
sciencr, J. devote mysclfto the service
of my native State, in whose behalf
alone, will ever again draw my
sword" lie felt that he owed allie.
glance primarily to his State, md in
the painful sac.i!ices whlch. he made,
tho agonizing struggles through which
he passed, in supreme devotion to his
sense IF duty, ho prescptsto the world
spectacle Of moral greatness, which
challenges the admiration Of friend
and foe. In this sublime attitude he
stands crowned With glcry not uu-
like that Which angels wear. "IIc
that rnlcth his own spirit, is better
than he thut taketh. a city," With
this moral halo covering his military
genius and exploits his name will
ever shine like tho sun iii the hravens,
though poli,l"il focs may view it ouiy
through the clouds of,ta defeat. Au,
other eiement Of his moral greatness
was his unsc!fM character, ,auLordi-
mating all thugs 70 seiise Of duty,
tberc we're no personal considerations
which he, did not ehcerfully sacrifco
to the. public good. He never sought
nor crayel political promotlont lie
would rather have scrrcd, IS a humble.
private in the defepser OF ! Lis State,
and suffered tho loss o., all things,
than to have sat iu the Presidential
chair for the sake of personal aggrah.
dizement. And when exalted to the
position of Commaudcr,in"chief, the
only effect Of official promotion seem
cd to be to deepen his sense Of respon-
sibilty, while a ,copfding people
were ready to proclaim him Dictator,
and were regrettipg that be exercised
50 modostly bis supreme authority
Clad in simple gray he moved among
his troops, scarcely distiuguishable
from a common soldier, encouraging
them with words of sympathy, after
their weary marches, and iexhausting
campaigns, bidding them not to rise,
to Do him homage. Il, ~ .,s.r'
When amid the fortunes Of, war,
his property was swept away, and his.
family were about to, become homeless,
hearing, thptT Congress was taking
measures to purchas. him a residence,
he addressed a note to that body;de-
string them to oproceed no further, but
to devote whatever means they might
haHe, tospafe for this purpose to the
|rclief of the families of tho soldiers
who gre ere more needy and deserving
ilc. fought no battle that tho glory.
of victory might brighten the ,,us-
ire Of his fame. When some generals
would have s,crfced whole armies to
their individual ambition, be never.
se!fshly exposed the lives Of his men.
Modesty, humility. geotlslcss, conie-
sccnsion, generosity. were /, qualities.
which clustered around his , benevo-
lent heart, the very t,ai;s which, every
imitator Of the Divine Man., ever
regard q, as ,tbe elements Of true, great.
ness, dPyTtssmids,, are pyramids, in,
Yales'" and the great General, Mas
never more tfYi5 great than when hc
stooped to offices of kindness and
charity, towards tho lowliest of man-
"Iuil y,a aOa-!.L ,il'.2s",t .i'ro
But tIiq crowping eloment of moral
greatness ia derived from n conscious
relation to Tho Infinite aud Eternal,
not ,aslan abstract law, a blind fate,
or atgaspe, oveHuling,P ,Ppwcr, but az
the living, Personal God 10 whom We
are rosPopsible for onr eondnct,lwlloso
favor is life, and whose frown is death.
The, Relation Of patriotism attooReli-
gi9n ID clearly Expressed in che words
of Joa "Be of good courage, let MS
play tho men, and lot the lord do
what tseemeth good, "Ile is a. patriot
who, with o. brave and maulyrheart,
endufes labor and sae,ilioet for the
good Of his eonntry,r' Hetisl A. chris.
titan patriot, whonrecognizes, this ros-
ponsibi)ity,lt Ito God, relies upon him,
for success and cheerfully abidos the
issues of his tPrDyiflannn 1t Was