Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1870-11-11
I'M MEMORIAM.
MEMORIAL SERVICES lN NEWBERN.
GRAFTON BY MAJOR JOHN HUGHES.

The services were opened with prayer by
Rev. James Weston. Rev. l.. Q. Vass re
cited poem. Major John Hughes de-
liyered the Grafton. Rev. L. Thorne
offered the closing prayer. and Rev. l.. L.
Henderson pronounced the benediction.
Major Hughes spoke as follows:
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN Perhaps at no
time since its introduction has that won
derful and mysterious vehicle, the Electric
/ Telegraph, borne heavier freight of grief
than that which told to the world the
woful fact that Robert Ed ward Lee, the
patriot, hero. soldier and Christian gentle
man, bad forever ceased to move in his
proper person among the children of men.
The weight Of it bowed down the hearts of
our people with sorrow that words
bow of Hercules the many fond hopes and
bright expectations of future usefulness
and prominence that we had nnrsed for
our great hero. But while We shall never
gaze again with admiring eyes upon his
noble presence yet within that Altar in our
hearte, whereon We place our votive offer
ings to manly virtue and true greatness,
We will forever hold him enshrined.
It is for the purpose of commemorating
his virtues, and making. 50 far as in
our power lies, his noble life and q bright
example for the guidance of the present
and future generations that we are as
enkbled here to day.
In the great plain of humanity Lee
looms up like some grand and splendid
mountain, towering far above all his sur
roundings-a guide to the wandering, a
beacon to the doubling, and beauty and
glory to all mankind. AS the natural
mountain receives on its top the first rays
OF the morning sun, and furnishes the last
resting place for the final splendor of the
setting sun, so our lamented Lee has been
the recipient OF the early rays that shone
| in the roseate colors OF hope from our
young Confederacy, and 1t was upon his
head that its dying sun shed the last bril-
liant CLEANS of its glory. A glory that re-
NAMED like splendid crown about his
grand and pee !ess head, the radiance of
which will forever be a shining light to the
feet of travellers along the great highway
| of life. 1t will show them how they should
live i'll order to be loved how they should
bear themselves III peace and how deport
themselves In war, 81 that when death
places his cold hand upon their earthly
tenements they may still lave a home in
| the warm hearts of q grateful and loving
people. And it will teach them, that not
outstanding they are born among the
mortal they may still earn place among
! the lmmortal-fOr men like Lee never die.
Mankind is too proud of all that tends to
| elevate the race ever to permit so grand
an embodiment Of all that is good and
great to perish.
When the genius of poetry takes it's
boldest and bappiest flight, Lee and his
life must be the theme. When religion
would select from among its votaries one
who, In the path Of peace or amid shocks
OF cOntending hosts upon the field of bat
tie, never forgot his obligations as u chris
tlan or his dependence upon the goodness
and providence of the God who made him,
who among those who now live or ever
have lived in the past can surpass our
great captain? When etiquette would |
choose from all TIE world one man as an
example of courtIy dignity and elegance
of department. Of kindly regard for the
feelings aud gentle forbearance towards the |
preludices of others-in fine, one who en- |
bodied in himself all that constitutes a
truly refined and highly cultivated gentle
man, that man would be Robert T.. Lee.
Amid all the excitement and bitterness of
never forgot that he was gentleman,
while he remembered that he was gen
eral His great power in the latter capac-
ity never tempted him to trench upon the
duties and obligations of the former.
When history would illumine her brightes |
pages, she will select the deeds of proves
upon the field OF battle that have been so
nobly done by Lee and his legions And
fame, with its eternal trumpet, will forever
throughout the ages sound the glory of
him whose memory we here commemorate.
Meu, like all things else, are great or
small, good or bad. according to certain
rules growing out of comparison and con-
trast. According to these rules a man is
great or the reverse by comparing him
with other men and contrasting his quail
ties with those of others. Let US try Gen.
Lee by these miles.
Alexander the Great, whose victories
embraced the then known world, had two
prominent vices, viz: inordiuate ambition
and extreme int temperance, from the latter
of which he died at the early ge of So
years.
Hannibal was grand in his victories, but
wretched in defeat. He lacked the mag {
of Lee in the former, and his I
spirit of resignation in the latter aud Fl
nally persisted miserably by his own hand.
Sclpio Africanus, whose great military {
genius enabled him to put successful ter
to the second Pnnic war, became
q victim to the suspicion and jealousy of (
his people, and in bitter disappointment ]
and deep disgust quilted public life and i
retired 10 his country seat, where he died. l
Miliades, the celebrated Athenian Gen .
eral, who, with a handful Of men compar5 i:
atively, routed the Persian hosts at Mara s
thon, incurred the displeasure of his coun- I
trymen and died a lingering death in 7
prison.
Caesar, the most accomplished military s
,hieftain Of his day, was slaughtered by I
his friends as we'll as his enemies, IN order
hat they might put permanent check f
20 his ambitious views, which were deemed =
Incompatible with the true interests of his /
II
Napoleon, who was d consumm mate SOL a
lier, fell victim to his own mad ambi- e
ion, ''by which and his dislike to the true c
principles of liberty he detected from the i
light and true path to real greatness aud f
lied miserable death in exile, unmourn /
ID by the friends of liberty and 20 the su- s
'reme joy and delight of the rulers OF the g
kingdoms. 8
And SO might go on and multiply in e
tances without end, but sufficient mum a
Der has been cited to show that as general t
hing, g
SIT is the curse o! greatness 6