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

COUnelS StFuctUrc, anu tHc ny bliu tUil- I
posite that has succeeded it, neither re-
public nor monarchy, with all the faults
| and vices Of both systems and the viz
tues of neither With what indignant
disgust would he behold the Govern
ment that was proclaimed to reposc
upon the consent of the governed as
/ upon the rock of its foundation, viola
ting and disregarding that sacred prin
ciple, and through military satraps, IL
legal legislation, fraudulent elections,
and rigid prescriptions, holding in I'M
willing subsection a people who num-
Der larger population than the ag-
gregate of several of the smaller King
doms of Europe?
If his work has thus failed, shall we
say that in the final practical, tangible
result, so far as we can now measure 1t,
he accomplished more than Lee, who
sought to vitalize the same principle
and perpetuate it in continued obser-
vance by Il nation, but whose failure
differs from that of Washington only
in the circumstance that it was imme-
+ diate.
The life and character of General
o Lee may well challenge the admiration
, of his contemporaries. M man of the
p present century has received 50 mani
J. nous need of praise. No man OF
"a that lime has SD completely escaped
a defamation. Courage and generosity
% were recognised as necessarily ms
!, characteristics. for he came of knight
" stock and he conld not be alien t"
. tie traditions of his blood. Serene III
ii danger, he bore the rcversts or the
a. campaign with the same equahimHy
with which he announced his most
go splendid victories. Who can torSet
al the thrill of gratified pride and exul-
he tant joy that filled our breasts as we
~ read those modest bulletins that pro.
no claimed the result Of his hard fought
M battles? Who dues not remember the
nd ASSN ed confidence every on" inst'hct
al iyely reposed in the truthful accurac!
an of every Statement: made under tina
short and magic signature
Of That, he should be the idol OF his ar
i nv and his people followed as conse
of unence from his character as event
,rv unfnlded it. Devotion to duty-t" q
i'm What was right, when his mental con
n, vicliun had once pronounced wherel
,u- the right iay-thi was The germ OF il
MI, his conduct, the pivot upon whlc
at- turnpd his moral nature He ";
nil rrandly oblivi"us of self. Disinteres
.r.r I'd in his own natives, magnanimo,
an i'm his estimate of the motives of otl
,rs, rrs. he cared but to- find where dut
q to nointed. and he untlinchinely enter'
,erv it's thorny path. No low amhit''
oars threw it's haltful curtain before !
far eyes. No thought of self-agarandiz
pre- ment distorted his mental vision.
ex- Single hearted, rcsulute, he did Il
lone seek the applause even of his "'
fur- countrymen. though he loved !ht
the well, for as in the choice he made
nro- the cause to which lie should give
rters labors and his life. he did not seek
ned. please men, ST. in the fnltillmcnt OF
# in duties to that cause he tndeavorcd
f his do only what his conscience approx
alton 1t does not need to he told here t
nra- his soldiers adored him, and f"liov
ldeur where he 'ea' OF "e"' ""e'e ne :"
an TO without question or mnrmur. Rags
on n shueless, hungry, weary, no call II
+ the ..Uncle Robert" as they lovingly c
ener- ed him, fell upon their ears nnheet
d his Noble band of niatchless heroes,
onslv lutte Won with rrvcrential admiral
ne his Spirits of the dead, whose bones
AFRO ten the fields OF Virginia, ye have
birth welded mp your lives in vain.
ON to memory of youi deeds sheds an Ell
b;sto- bling influence over those who sur
.aatest Won. Embalmtd in the grateful a
. birth lions of your cnuntiynen, your NJ
u spcb sacrifice shall not be forgotten,
when the youthful student shall
infer of Spartan courage and Roman e
do mt rance in the annals of the past,
uO Hot
lsed of hearts shall turn 10 Tue he''s WIZ
asured We lie and find there examples OF
!, tbe true soldiers can dare aud do. fu
the re- noble, full as grand, full as hero
riuced, any that Spartan or Roman can
ere ac- i'm the brightest pages OF their MS
IS aiant The military genius of Lee, L
ople.- already said, is now recognized Ill
hellion sally to have been of the highest'
n hero and It is great hut not exagse
genius praise to say, his army and his p
roppled were worthy Of him. The rapid
If with opment and prompt exhibition d
onsness army of those snldierly qualitle
n know, have generally been thought to l.
ults ac only to trained veterans, and tn
GLANCE during fervor and patriotic sac
4 n Re- of tho people vind,cated their cl'
the neo- independence, while the admit
tories of tive capacity that moulded thes
which is. ments into shape, and the sp
I, a,.,,lsb;n that directed their