The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1871-01-18

Y 4
IF the late conflict have not been as
snaee.l, and that no symptom OF re-
vivins love for the Government is per-
ceptible. it would not be an nnproil'a-
bic e,nplny,l lrnt for these who are sur
prised at such n result, to inquire no"
much Of rl,is is dine to needless ana
gratuitous l,nmiliat!ons imp'sed np"h
il people, " no were permitted no inter
val from insult lest they might f"rget
the presence of those who had power
ta intlict it.
Let MS turn aside from these refiec-
tons and pnt them from MS while. we
are contemplating the character ana
cnn,luc, of the great Dead. IL Is difh-
cult to avoid giving mt least brief ex-
preston t" them, for they rise unhld-
den, and are thrust npon me by the
theme upon which | am speaking. How
| can illustrate the military genius at
him, ~ lost. life and deeds we are now
| c ,m,. ennl a ing, unless l advert tn the
campaigns directed, aud tie battles
won by hin, over the foe he fought with
~nch splendid ability How can ex-
hihit the nobility If soul Will, which he
accepted the fate of the vanqnished. II
/ emit to allnle to the provocations
that the conQncror supplied, melting
t" il less patient submissioi,f
Turn we again then to the field Of
his glory-see him holding at hay the
hnr,lps that swept dawn fra,D every
field and hamlet and city of the North.
, i'm Quick succession hurting hack these
! ayalanches Of men. and scattering them
f like chaff before the wind. Listen
again with excited apprehension to the
a tramp of the advancing foe, and the
/, shock of his a,lillery as they in vain
!, essay ed to storm the heights OF Fred
!. e,icksbnrg-i,ea the crash of arms
: from tic,lepshs of the Wilderness ex
: nit again at the shout of triumph from
IS Charlottesville, and monrn anew Over
l. the loss Of him whom Lee called his
20 fright ARM" and 20 whom he wrote
IS ere it was yet known that the stricken
N Svl,lier must die, .sconld have direct
T. ed events, / should have chosen, +"
tn the GOOD of the country to have bee,
ut disabled in Your stead" Go with hiu
er back to Richmond, while the enemy
ne collecting a mighty and thorough
te appointed host, and see him prepar
he for the tiuai struggle against odds ihi
&c were enough to appai the stonie'
,e. heart. Follow him IN his retreat fr"'
lip Petersburg when his army had diwil
Ter died to less than corps of his antai
NC onist, and there was no hope "freple'
its ishnent. How majestically he t"we
WIS hetme us in the closing days Of I"
IT. lost cause! What indomitablc for,
the tu,le, what matchless fertility "f
of source, what unfaltering constnney
self purpose CLEAN upon us from The glo'
ned of this last campaign!
The expiring Confederacy was gas
and ing in the commissions of its dying
ell onv-tl.c final hour was at hand,
sti- the superb, old cavalier mere Il
me- ever looms mp, the central figure
Yves that gloomy picture. Erect, and "
lion martial micn-majtsty sitting on
de- brow and overlapping him as Wit
nch cloud. those who had seen him in
the flush of his victories, were struck m
,ese than ever now with the grandeur Of
iple appcnrance, and the princely air
able which he confronted his fate. w
ern- can now be- done, said his officers "
y or they realized the hopelessncss OF
bout T. or rcsisaance. at were strange
Is its deed if human virtue were not eqna
oun- human calamity" are the mcillor
t;ons words he uttered in reply.
~ an His career was ended. The PHI
not .ied shouts of joy that psnun'lcd
,u,ar every quarter of the enemy's cou
may at,ested their recognition Of the Y
, cir of the conquest. He VIII" had so
and hatfield their hopes that despair
Io ho more than once gnaAed them to
ut;on peration, was now a prisoner.
e,or. General who had accomplished
train albeit by the simple process Of sac
, ex- ing three soldiers for one, WAS de-
.,a worthy Of the highest honors a
.der,- iul people could l@st"w. He hs
= wa ceived his reward. He il entitl
,.rtr whatever honor may attach to the
,,;,J, . ture of II handful of men by an ar,
,+o,j, one hundred and forty-tlI"usan
,rts to his panrgArists can find IN that
r,stal any justification of their rxtrav
os,o, laudations, let them enjoy it in
.o.;o,s own way, but among the seven
,oders sand raptives was Lee, until TN
,.tt,a,s viucihle, and it is not snrPriSin;
,nd,na gratitude WIS not stinted. by
,uta !, ever means accomplished, the s
n,.t der of Lee was obtained, ant
o,o,i.s knew the fatal consequences
,;d,,;,c Confederacy which ninst ensne.
Sc who The long strife was over. but
ighting ,lence spared him yet a. little
emories that as he had been our great LEI
penera- var. sO he might he our grand