Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1873-05-29
General Il. +. Lee.


General Il. +. Lee.
The following review of an article upon Geu.
r. + Lee, in the Edinburgh Review, ~ from
,lo ionJon Standard of the Goth of April. 1t
;"e ''' n"IIc tribute to the great chieftaiu, aud
viii he read with the deepest interest not only
iy Irginians, but by the admirers OF true
srcatu.ss wherever the English tongueis spoken
aud the manly virtues hel1 In reSpecL ne
Standard says
''Thc most interesting, perhaps of the articles
NJ an unusually lively author of the Edinburgh
Review is one reviewing what is, as yet, about
thc best lite of the great Confederate comman-
der. and the best account Of the war 10 pir-
gina. that has been published, and >ketching
the later career and character Of General! Lee
That career was, 10 military point OF view, SO
rIorious so full of brilliant achievement aud OF
merit more solid than striking, so grand les
>ln in the art OF war and in the qualities of sol
liclShp that character is, from every point OF
view, 50 admirable in its moral grandeur, its
rcrtrct simplicity, its close approach, to the
hirhcSl ideal of the Christian soldier and gen
,lrmap, that they command an interest which
docs NOT fade with the fading memory OF the
keen excitement aud often passionate sympa-
,hies Of ten Years ago In the story OF the Con
i.lcratc war We read lessons Of the highest po-
litcal moment and of the profoundest military
significance; in the character Of the Vlrglnlan
leader we have model of all that q hero OF an
enlightened and christian age should be, than
which no nobler example can be set before the
youth entering on the temptations Of military
lille, or the trials and perplcxities of great
public career.
We have also an historical question of con-
siderable Importance practically solved, tor all
those who are not too prejudlccd to accept
SOLUTION which does not suit their fore Judged
conclusions, by the conduct of such men as
icu Lee at the outset of the war. No one
can read the story OF the secession movement
in the documents of the time without seeing
that though slavery was the open sore that
kept the passions Of the North and South IN
constant irritation. and afforded occasion tor
the violent collisions of Kansas and Harpers
Ferry, which precipitatcd the issue and made
us decision by any other arbitration than that
M the sword impossible, ii was not the issue
itself. Slavery had no place in the counsels
which hurried State after State out of the
Union for slavery was the interest OF the few,
and it was ty the many that secession was pre-
cipi'ated The Southern people resented
Northern dc'atiou. Northern assertions OF
superiority, Northern pretentions to an exclu-
sive right in their territories, Northern inter-
mcddllng aud Northern invaslons, as the most
furious Of English Dssentcrs would resent the
iutrrpoStion OF the Roman Catholic Powers in
the questions Of Church Establishment in Eng-
land When the seven Southern States had
withdrawn, the Border States, which were
most deeply concerned in the Northern attacks
on slavery, still cluug to the Union Virginia,
despite the practical invasion Of her territory
and the midnight robbery and murder passion
atey sanctioned by her New England sisters,
still refused to secede and only when the
treachcrous attempt of the Federal Govern
mcnt to reinforce the fort it had promised to
cvacuate, and surprise Charleston with an arm
cd fleet, precipitated the reluctant sections To-
to war, and when4Mr Lincoln forced upon her
the choice between fighting for Southern free.
dom and State rights or Northern ascendancy
and Federal despotism, did she throw 10 hel
lot with the Confederates. Slavery. then, was
not her determining motive. Slavery makes
DO appearance in the private letters OF the men
who, one after another, went with their States.
Its remarkable fact, that while scores OF
leading Northern men denounced the
war, not single Souherner of high char
ac,er education and influence, deserted
the cause of the South. They universally held
that their allegiance was due to their native
States; aud on that ground alone they threw
up career fortune, fame, and placed themselves
at the disposal of those who claimed their fealty
1t is absurd to call such men rebels; they were
l"yalIs,S to all that they had been taught to
obey to all the principles recognized, up TO that
moment, by three Americans 10 four. 10 Gen.
Ice the Federal service offered everything that
ambition could desire He was its foremost man;
he was the iavorite of Gen. Scott; he might have
mad The chief command as the price OF treason
Nug'ula. His feelings were divided; his IN
i ntes'S We're all on the Federal side; but as his
I". ,I''.tS new published show, he was convinced
.''"' n, ms "nty was to Virginia, and he decided
,, ,,IeoIuilgly With him went Stonewall jackson,
t:'l '"o 'oht'>tons, every Southern soldier in
jI lug" VI low command. The cause SO espoused,
rI ruu 'y such men, cannot have been what Eng
">" ran'crS and Radicals call it. Good or bad
.l' .ss'"ce' II was so strong in apparent justice
an .ia' n"t one man of character aud weight whose
nSahc' 1t pretended to claim declined to sup
j., It's failure had nothing to do with its alleged
"e.per'tS. The South was crushed by weight,
u'' oroken by weakness. Three things determin-
. Gu 'he late OF the war-the closing of her ports,
sne superior wealth, and far above all, the
overwhelming numbers of the enemy. The
.or'h Was corn growing and manufacturing
country, aud had open to her the markets of Eu-
rope; she had unlimited command of all the
resources OF the civilized world. The South
was subject to the disadvantages both of
an agricultural and of non-agricultural
c'nntry She had no manufactures, and
YET she lived by manufactures, and not by
asnruure; by producing clothing, not by
Producing food Her wealth was at once
hhInhatcd by the blockade, which prevented
her from selling her cotton aud tobacco and
sugar; her supplies were cut off, and she had
a bare sutfciency of food and total want of
every other necessary of life and war. She OBJ
tanned powder and arms from the enemy; boots
and clothes and blankets she had to want.
Her finances broke down at once; for her ex-
ports were her wealth, aud exports had ceased.
But, above all, she was crushed by numbers;
the North could recuit at home four, men, for
one, aud could hire the off scourings Of Europe.
Aud it was this alone that decided the issue.