The Opelousas courier. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1852-1910, 1870-11-26
0pelousas Parish Of st. LandryfLa, November &c.

III triumph or in defeat, as General Lee
has done When Commander-in-C { hief
OF the Southern armies he moved from
point to point, as duty required, with
less parade than an European general of
division, wearing no sword, attended by
no other staff than the immediate occa-
sion demanded, and chatting with u COM
rade or visitor with simple courtesy
. which had in it no shade of condescen-
sion. Only on one occasion does he seem
to have been aecOutered with the slight
est regard to military display, or personal
dignity; and that, Enthusiastically, WAS
the last occasion on which he wore the
Confederate uniform-the occasion of lis
Interview with Gen. Grant on the 9th of
April, 1865. After the war he retired with
out word intu privacy and obscurity.
Rnlned by the seizure and destruction
of his property, which Mcclellan pro-
tectcd, and which his successors gave up
to ravage and pillage, the late command
erin chief OF the Southern armies accept
ed the presidency of Il Virginia college,
and devoted himself rs simply and earn
estly to its duties as if he had never filled
higher station or performed more ex-
citing functions. Well aware OF the ,jeal-
GUS temper OF the party dominant in the
North, and anxious, above all things, to
avoid exasperating that temper against
his conquered Gouutrymeu, he carefully
abstained tronl~appea"ing in any public
ceremony or taking any overt part in po-
litical questions. His influence has been
exerted quietly but steadily in one di-
rection, with o. single view to restore
harmony and good will between the two
sections, aud to reconcile the oppressed
Southeruers to the Union from which he
fought 80 gallantly to free them. He has
d>countrnanced all regrettul lonyings
after the lost vision of Southern indie
pendence; all demonstrations in honor
of the conquered b.nner;'. and has en-
cOuraged the South to seek the restOra-
ton of her material prosperity aud the
satisfaction OF her national feelings in q
frank acceptance of the result of the war
and loyal adhesion to the Federal bond.
1t was characteristic and worthy of the
man that lie was among the first to sue
for formal pardon from President john
son; not for any advantage which he
personally could obtain thence, but to act
the example of submission to his coni-
rades in arms, and reconcile them to
humiliation without which the conquer !
6rS refused them that restitution to civil
rights necessary to any effort to retrieve
their own or their countr,''s fortunes. |
Truer greatness, IA lotticr nature, a spirit |
more unscltisll, IL character purcr, more !
the. world has rarely, if ever,
known. OF stainless life and deep reli
gious feeling, vet free from all faint of
cant and farmticism, and as dear and !
to the cavalier Stuart us to tire !
puritan Stone wall jackson uDambitious
hut ready to sacrifice all at the call of
duty; devoted to his cause, yet never |
moved by his feelings beyond the line
prescribed by his judgment never pro-
voked by just resentment to punish wan
ton cruelty by reprisals which would
have given Il ch haracter of needless saw
agery to tue VI l,r-both North and South !
owe deep debt of gratitude to him, and
the time will come when both will be
equally proud of him. And we'll they
may, for his character and his life afford
a complete answer to the rcproaches
cast on money grubbing. me
America. A country which has
given birth to men like him, and those
who followed him, may look the chivalry !
of Europe in the face without shame for
the fatherands of Sidney and of Bayard
never produced nobler soldier, gentle
man and Christian than General Robert
E. Lee!