The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1871-07-08

! WoRDs OF W1sDoM. We find ahont
On extract from q letter from General
Moltke to the poet: :Dscaftvon Redwitz,
who addressed TO- him his ''SoHg OF the
New German Empire, which is as much
calculated to excite admiration for the
great PruBsian generals estbetical and
wise thoughts as admiration for his posi-
tive acts rs q military man. Says Gene
raj Moltke:
"To the poet. it is permitted to he
prodignl. He Bows with full hands
diamonds aud pearls, the stars of Heaven
and the flowers of the earth, md in tho
Same spirit he bestows his praises In
this sense only. can T receive your song
comparing ms to the great men of the
past. These have been great also in ad-
versity, and especially 10 adversely. We
have had nothing but successes. Let it
DO cnllel chance, destiny, fortune, or the
ways Of Providence-men Rlone could
not have done it. Conquests SO great
FRA essentially tho result of n state Of
things which we can neither create nor
dominate. The excellent but uniortu-
nnte Fopo Adrian had the following
words engraved on his tomb: How diff
lerent is the action OF even the best of
men according to tho times in which he
lives! More than once the most capable
bns failed, owing to the invincible force
Of circumstances. while n less capable hns
been carried by it to success II sec
mysolf constrained, not by u false .nd
vain modesty, to consider ms not deserved
pnrt of the praises bestowed on me- I am
not tho less indebted for them; for verses
like yours may last longer than many q
brnuZn f1r Ynarf,in m opup,upt
These arc great truths. nttestol rs snch
by NIL history, but never uttered more
impressivcly than by the victorious
leader Of tho German armies, AVID uttered
by him under circumstances which would
have tempted ordinary men to have
| ignored them altogether. That more
than once the most capable has failed,
owing to the invinciblc force of circum-
stances, while less capable has been
carried hy it to Success" is Il fact OF such
frequent occurrence i'll the conduct Of
affairs, both military aud civil, that
almost every man can verify it by his
| own observation. What General NIoltko
says OF the greatest Of mon having been
especially great in ulversity, is also
eminently trnc. The genuine quality
and temper of greatness can neYer DO
asccrtainod till it is tested by both OK
tremes Of fortunes. Perhaps General
aloltke had in his mind the grsnt Ere
derrick, who, when suffering "A series Of
disasters such rs would havo broken the
hcart Of almost any other commander,
overwhelmed by misfortune and sick ct
life. is said to have been more admirable
IN dcfcnt. in flight. and in what seemed
hopeless ruin, than on tho field of his
prondest victories. Washington, in the
darkest hours OF the revolution, WAS one
| OF the few who nevor despnired Of the
cause, and by the strength Of hia inli-
viduhl will and resolution, carried it
triumphnntly through crisis OF such
peril thnt scarcely any one but himself
brenthed freely. And few Americans of
either section will refuse to accord to
General Lee dignity and patience 10
misfortune. nm uncompniningness md
u solicitude for the welfare OF others,
which. in conjunction with the qualities
OF intellect and soldiersl,ip displayed in
his previous career, showed the truly
great man, aud presented n striking con
trast to that Querulousness and vain re-
pln!nS Ct the weak in disappointment,
which proYokcs contempt instead of
sympathy. Even bad man. who enlnres
tho calamities he has brought upon him
degree Of respect; much more good
man wien he submits with calmness and
nnrntlled constancy to that which is not
his fnult, but his misfortune.
It is true of nntions, oven moro than
Of individuals, that success is not tho
standard by which to ascertain their
greatness. 1t may be the result of Il
stnto Of things which they could neither
create nor dominate. And if General
Moltkc can say this. without nfftc.n,ion,
OF Prussin, which has shown such fore
sight and system, and so thoroughly ex-
hnustca nll human means i'll preparation
for the late struggle, much moro is it
applicable to nations Shich hnve cx-
hlbitod less sagacity and vigilance in
adapting their means to their ends. AS
to the merits OF u cause, no ono, We be-
licvc. has tho ignorance to pretend that
the results of war determine them. But
for the triumphs Of might against right,
few OF tho chief military powers Of an
cient or modern times would ever have
had n name in history. No doubt there
IS such thing ns national rctribution,
hut it is generally in the last act of tho
drama that tho villain is punished, and,
in national history. many generations
often pass away before tho end comes
nnd tho III ornl is disclosed.