Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1871-11-28
NUMBER 10.
THE SOUTHERN DEAD.
Grafton by General Jubal Early.

The annual oration before the Survivors As
sociatiou Of South Carolina, delivered Friday
the 17th, at the Baptist Church, in Colum-
bia, by Lieutenant-G General Jubal a Early,
has been published in full in the Columbia
Phoenix by authority of the Survivors Asso-
citation, and is well worth perusal After re-
view of the principal events of the war, Gen.
Early said:
.'No man could look upon that scene at Ap.
pomattox Courthouse, and for a moment, in
his heart, believe that the followers of Robert
f. Lee were traitors or rebels But, my COM
rades, the victor on that occasion had not the
remotest conception of the true meaning of the
word 'magnanlmity, much less of the senti-
ment. Talk of Grants magnanimity on that
occasion, in conceding the terms that he did to
Gen. Lees demands | scout the idea. Gen.
Lee went to that interview with the firm resolve
to cut his way out with the small remnant left.
If terms were not granted him deemed honor
able in war. Grant saw the blue mountains
not far off-he had sad experience of what
that little army was capable-he was afraid
Gen. Lee might make his way into those noun
tains, and then he would lose the supreme glo-
ry OF terminating the war by the surrender to
him OF his great antagonist, and he granted
the terms, without which he could not have
procured the surrender,
''Call you this magnanimity? But it is said
he prevented Lee from being prosecuted for
treason. He had, then, fortunately for him, a
mentor, who forced the idea into his dull brain
that his own honor and glory were IN some way
connected with that matter, in maintaining in
violate the parole granted General Lee and his
soldiers, and he acted in accordance with the
suggestions made to him. That mentor has
since gone, and what has been his course, as
the head of powerful Government, towards
Gen. Lee and his followers? Compared to
what has been done to our people, it would
have been mercy to have hung all our leaders,
civil and military, and then granted peace and
amnesty to the masses. Jefreys, himself,
could not have devised more exquisite torture
and cruelty than has been inflicted on all our
people.
The Grafton concluded as follows;
I'VE must and will preserve, green and fresh,
the memories Of our dead heroes, while the
noble and true women of the South will cone
tinue, from year to year, to strew flowers on
their graves, and teach their fair daughters to
perpetuate the pious custom and We will ad-
here to the principles for which Lee. Sidney
johnson and Jackson fought and died. To
show to all ages that we were not unworthy to
be the soldiers Of our great leaders, let US rear
a monument, or monuments, to them, which
Suall tOWcT lOHdTuS tue uOdNCuS, duQ tcoLuy3
for all time, that the men who were true to
them in life did not abandon them in death
Such monuments are not necessary to perpetu=
ate their fame, for that is as wide as the bounds
of civilization, and will be as enduring as the
mountains, and hills, and plains, and valleys,
and rivers of their own well-boloved South. 1t
is to ourselves that we owe the duty of furnish
ing an enduring witness of our fidelity to our
cause and the memory of our great leaders.
L Il
ways PREVAIL just and righteous God rules
above and over all and however dark and
gloomy everything may now appear around US,
| have firm and abiding faith that the time
is coming when it will be higher and more
honorable title for man to be able to say
My ancestors wore the gray, and fought in the
same great struggle for right to which Robert
E. Lee, Sidney Johnston and Stonewall Jack
son devoted themselves than to be sbe to
claim descent from one who fought at Ronces-
valles, or came over with William the Con-
OueTOr ~