The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1873-06-08

We publish to-day the 6rst half Of an ar
ticle on Gen. Lee from the Edinburgh Repie1
for April, which has excited more IA
vorable comment throughout the country
than anything of the kind We have hereto
fore seen. The writer was evidently fami-
liar with his subject, his style is clear and
vigorous, and he portrays the character of
our calm, grand soldier hero in colors that
leave such an impression on the impartial
mind as Gen. Lees countrymen could best
wish. To us, however, itappears that the I'M
iversal attention attracted by this article 10
dne to another cause a. much az to the writer
himself. 1t seldom that q British maya
zine displays SO Thorough an acquaintance
with events and individuals in this country
AZ this article exhibits. It offers to the
reading public of Great Britain an estimate
of the great mans character based onfacts
which We know to be indisp utable, andfrom
which We have no fear that any but cor
rect judgment Of Gen. Lee can be formed.
the seven days' battles around Richmond is
Get forth briefly, bat moro intelligibly than
any we have seen, and shows Gen. Lee to
have possessed that quality Of mind pecu-
liar to great soldisra alone, by which he
knew when to assume the boldly o6ensive
in the face of vastly superior numbers.
Yet, thoagh We fully accord with the
and ability, we mast take exception to his
Rratcitous opisiea - to the administrs-
ton of tho Confederate Government, and
particularly 90 what he considers its culps.
bic failRre to store adequate supplies In
Richmond. five reflect that during the last
year Of the war, Northern Virginia had
ceased to produce anything, ard conse.
quently the two railroads running through
that country had become useless az food
bearing channels that the Petersburgh
Weldon and WILMINGTON road, from it.
exposed route along the sea-board was. al
the mercy Of the enemy, who had several
times raided upon aad rendered it useless
by destroying its bridges; and that The
road through Danville to Greensborougl
was tho only line by which supplies could
be forwarded to Richmond, some faint ides
may be conceived Of the difaculty Of sup.
plying the city and army. But the fact
that this was the only line of supply wal
not the chief obstacle to the proper work,
ing Of the government. Owing to the
seareity Of machine shops, and the neeesaa
riiy remote position of those which we did
have, our locomotives were seldom repair.
cd, and gradually deteriorated until theil
maximum attainable speed was not greater
than twelve or fourteen miles per hour
These arc but few of the considerations
which should be weighed by one who
comments on the Campaign Of 1s64.5. II
arraigning the administration for failing tG
supply Richmond, we believetha the writel
has himself failed to give proper though
to this question of supply. Gen Lees fame
is too firmly established, his figure loom,
up through the gloom Of those times toS
brilliantly conspicuous to justify his eulo
gists in seeking to dim the regulations o
other prominent actors in those scenes
he cannot be made greater, for we believ,
him to have been all that was greatest, an,
In this belief a. one of his most ardent ad
mirers, We deprecate any attempt to belittl
others with the design of elevatinR hin
by the contrast.