Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1871-01-05

GENERAL LEE.-While the Senator's in
Congress are wrangling over the estate of
General Lee, it mag not be inappropriate
to publish this beautiful and comprehen-
sive tribute which forms part of the in
troductory chapter of biography of the
great commander, now in the press of the
Applctons, and soon to be issued. Colo
mel John Esten Cooke, the author, writes
as follows
the NAME OF LEE rs BELOVED AND
RESPECTED THROUGHOUT THE WORLD. Men
of all parties and opinions unite in this
sentiment. not only those who thought
ana fought with him, but those most vio-
lcntly opposed to his political views and
career. cit is natural that his own people
should love and honor him as their great
leader and defender in a struggle of in
tense bitterncss-that his old enemies
should share this profound regard aud ad
miration is due solely to the character of
the individual. His military genius will
always be conceded. and his figure ~~--."'il
conspicuous landmark in - C., - p I:
this does not accou.s IT, an III 49, ,.;.. us
very enemies lys; No. ns ~; A'' P.n".'
character = &c origin OF this sentiment.
T rn " ~-"rie Of the North, no less than the
people of the South, feel that Lee was
truly great; and the harshest critic has
been able to find nothing TO detract from
chi. view of him The soldier was great,
bC. the man was greater. No one was
eyer simpler, truer, or more honest. -
those who knew him best loved him most.
Reserved and silent, with a bearing of al
most austere dignity, he impressed many
persons as cold and unsympathetc. and
his true character was long in revealing
itself to the world. To day all men know
what his friends knew during his life
that under the grave exterior Of the SOL
der, oppressed with care and anxiety,
beat warm and kindly heart, full of an
even extraordinary gentleness and sweet
Hess; that the man himself was not cold,
or stiff, or harsh, but patient, forbearing,
charitable under many of his eguanimity,
and magnanimous without effort. from the
native impulse of his heart Friend and
foe thus to-day regard him with much the
same sentiment. as genuinely honest
man. incapable of duplicity in thought or
deed, wholly true aud sincere, inspired
always under all temptations By that pri'sca
rides which purifies and ennobles. aud res
olutely bent in the dark hour, as in the
bright, on the full performance of his
duty. Duty is the subli-1est word in
our language he wrote to his son; and,
if We add that other august maxim, HUI
man virtue should be equal to human ca
lamity,' we shall have in few words a
summary of the principles which inspired
Lee.
"The browning grace Of this man, who
was thus not only great but good, was the
humility and trust in God. which lay at
the foundation of his character. Upon
this point we shall quote the words of
gentleman of commanding intellect, BIT
ter opponent of the South in the war:
g. Lee is worthy of all praise. As
man. he was fearless among men. As
soldier, he had no superior AMI no equal.
In the course of Nature my career or
earth may soon terminate. God grant
that, when the day of my death shall
come. | may look up to Heaven with that
confidence and faith which the life and
character of Robert F. Lee gave him.
He died trusting in God as good man,
with a good life. and pure conscience"
''He had lived, as he died, with this
supreme trust in an everything and mer-
cifal Providence; and this sentiment per-
sading his whcle being. was the origin OF
that august calmness with which he greet |
ed the most crushing disasters of his mil |
Isary career. His faith and humble trust |
him after the war, when the woes of |
The South well nigh broke his grea; spir- |
i; and he calmly expired. as a weary |
child falls asleep. knowing that its father
5 near"