The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1873-06-18
GENERAL r. E. LEE.

burgh Review, is from the London
Standard of the Goth Of April. It is a
noble tribute to our great chieftain, and
will be read with the deepest interest
by the admirers of true greatness where
ever the English tongue is spoken and
the manly virtues held in respect. The
Standard says:
The most interesting, perhaps, ofthe
articles of an unusually lively author Of
the Edinburgh Review is one review
ing what is, as yet, about the best life
OF the great Confederate commander
and the best account Of the war in Viz.
ginia, that has been published, and
sketching the later career and charac-
ter of General Lee. That career was,
in a military point Of view, so glorious,
so full of brilliant achievement and of
merit more solid than striking, SO
grand lesson in the art of war and
in the qualities of soldiership; that
character is, from every point of view,
so admirable in it's moral grandeur, its
perfect simplicity, its close approach to
the highest ideal OF the Christian SOL
der and gentleman, that they COM
mand an interest which. does not fade
with the fading memory ofthe keen ex-
element and often passionate sympa-
thies of ten years ago. In the story of
the Confederate war we read lessons
of the highest political moment and of
the profoundest military significance;
in the character ofthe Virginian lead
er we have a model of all that a hero
of an enlightened and christian age
should be, than which no nobler exam
pie can be set before the youth, enter
ing on the temptations of military life,
or the trials and perplexities of great
public career. - ...' ~
We have also an historical question
of considerable Importance practically
solved, for all those who are not too
prejudiced to accept a solution which
does not suit their fore-judged conclu-
sions, by the conduct of such men as
Lee atsthe ouset of the war. No one
can read the story of the secession
movement i'll the documents of tho time
without seeing that though slavery was
the open sore that kept the passions o.
North and South in constant irritation,
and afforded occasion for the violen,
collisions of Kansas and Harper's Ferry
which precipitated the issue and made
its decision by any other arbitration
than that Of the sword impossible, il
was not the issue ITSELF. Slavery ha(
no place in the counsels which hurried
State after State out of the Union; fol
slavery was the interest of the few
and it was by the many that secession
was precipated. The Southern peopl.
resented Northern dictation. Northern
assertions of superiority, Northern pre-
tentions to an exclusive right in thei
territories, Northern intermeddling ant
Northern invasions, as the most furiou
of English Dissenters would resent tn
interposition of the Roman !Catholi
Powers in the questions Of Church Els
tablishment in England. When th
seven Southern States had withdrawn
the border States, which were mos
deeply concerned in the Northern at
tacks on slavery, still chung to tn
Union; Virginia, despite tho PIRATES
invasion of her territory and the mid
night robbery and murder passionatel
sanctioned by her New England sis
tiers, still refused to secede; and onl
when the treacherous attempt of til
>. Federal Government to reinforce til
f fort it had promised to evacuate, an
a surprise Charleston with an armed fle,
precipitated the reluctant sections int
q war; and when Mr.. Lincoln forced vi
' on her the choice between fighting fl
Southern freedom and State rights, {
Northern ascendency and Federal de-
7 positism, did she throw in her lot vii
tho NnnEodornfos Clnuoru ,4l,or m.