Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-12-08
THE SOUTHERN DEAD.
Grafton by General JubaI A. Early.

Grafton by General JubaI A. Early.
The annual Grafton before the Survivors
| Association Of South Carolina, at Column
bia, by Gen. Jubal A. Early, has been pub
lished in full in the Columbia Phonir by
authority of the Survivors Association, and
| is well worth perusal. After a review of
the principal events Of the war, Gen Ear
ly said:
"No man could look upon that scene at
| Appomattox Courthouse, and for moment
| in his heart, believe that the followers of
| Robert E. Lee were traitors or rebels.
| But, my comrades, tie victor on that oc-
casion had not the remotest conception Of
the true meaning off the word smagnanimi-
| ty,' much less of the sentiment. 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
honorable 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 bis way
into those mountains, and then he would
lose the supreme glory of terminating the
war by the surrender to him of his great
antagonist, and he granted the terms, with
out which he could not have procured that
surrender.
"Call you this magnanimity But it is
said he prevented Gen. Lee from being
prosecuted for treason. He had then, for
tunately for him, 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 inviolate the
parole granted Gen. Lee and his soldiers,
and he acted in accordance with the sugges-
tons made to him. That mentor has since
gone, and what has been his course, as the
head of a 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 lead
eTs, civil and military, and then granted
peace and amnesty to the masses. Jeffry's
himself, could not have devised more ex-
quisite torture and cruelty than has been
inflicted on all our people,"
The Grafton concluded as follows:
ave must and will preserve, green and
fresh, the memories Of our dead heroes,
while the noble and true women eff the
South will continue, from year to year, to
strew flowers on their graves, and teach
their fair daughters to perpetuate the pious
custom; and we will adhere to the princi-
pies for which Lee, Sidney johnson and
Jackson fought and died. To show TO all
ages, that we were not UNIV orthy to be the
soldiers of our great leaders, let us rear
monument, or monuments, to them, which
shall tower towards the heavens, and
testify, for all time, that the men who were
true to them in life did not abandon them
in death. Such monuments are not neces-
sary to perpetuate 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 beloved South. 1t is TO ourselves
that we owe the duty of furnishing an en-
during witness of our fidelity to our cause
and the memory of our great leaders.
''Nly comrades, might and wrong cannot |
always prevail-a just and righteous God !
rules above and over all; and however |
gloomy and dark everything may now ap- !
pear around us, have firm and abiding |
faith that the time is coming when it will |
be higher and a more honorable title for |
a man to be able to say: "AIy ancestor wore
the gray, and fought in the same great |
struggle for right to which Robert E. Lee,
Sidney johnson and Stonewall Jackson |
devoted themselves, than to be able to claim !
descent from one who fought at Ronees
wales, or came over with William the Con-
querOr."