Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1875-08-17
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CharlestoWn, JeRerson County, We.t Va.
TUESDAY MORNING, AUGUST IL. 1915.
JACKSON AND LEE.


Jackson and Lee in the following truthful and
eloquent language: sai sastErs
When we pass to the contemplation of our
departed heroes there are two whose na1ies
are enrolled on the highest tablets of fame,
who appear as pre- eminent for their virtue as
for their valor, for their moral and religious
worth as for their martial fame. No people
can exhibit higher types of. character than
those of Stonewall Jackson and Robert E.
Lee. ~ 3sl-
jackson was emphatically. the hero of our
struggle. beloved and admired by all His
military genius was only equalled by the un>
bounded confidence of the army in his in
vincibility. He was taken from us in the
very MONDAY blaze of his glory triumphant
and victorious in his last flank movement
His brilliant, although short. career has im>
pressed his followers and the world with the
power and grandeur of genius when guided
by deepsreligious principle. He was spared
the last test to which the great Lee was sub
jected. 1t was the fate Of Lee to survive the
shock of battle, and after furnishing us an
example of what is due to his afflicted coun>
try by the soldier when overpowered and
crushed, he has left us character pure, ex-
allied and grand, to be loved, admired and
revered. sf'
will not speak on this occasion of his
genius as great captain, but prefer to allude
to him in his still greater character as true,
noble man. Lee as successful general, the
victor of many hard fought fields, is great !;
but Lee as the true Christian, the pure, uu>
selfish man, seeking the path of duty and fol-
lowing it, whether in the hour of triumph or
in the day of disaster, is greater STILL Lee
wi 10 nf Of h.
portrayed by the artist, mounted on Traveller,
at Spotsylvania, among the advancing reg
iments, is grand but Lee writing to his faith
ful lieutenant, who had been wounded at
Charlottesville, 'tI congratulate you on the
victory which is due to your skill aud energy"
is grauder still.
Lee as described at tho Wilderness again at
the head of his advancing lines, but forced to
retire from the front of his men, uneasy for
his safety, with the assurance that if he would
go to the rear they would go to the front, is
glorious; but Lee after the repuIse at Gettys-
burg, saying ''All this is my fault" and as
suming the responsibility for the reverse, is
more glorious still,-it is subime-showing
US how true greatness, generosity and magma
nimity, can bear itself in defeat. Lees mill,
tary genius is conceded, and he will unques-
tionably rank among the foremost captains of
history but Lees noble manhood, exhibited
in the hour of disaster at AppomAtt5x, and
in the subsequent days of advorsity, is price
less legacy, as an example, far more valuable
than his military renuwn.
Lord Bacon has told us that success was
the blessing of tho Old Testament, but ad-
versity that of the New; and that the virtues
Of adversely are of a higher order than the
virtues.
While Washington represents in the his
tory of the country the virtues of success,
Lee represents the virtues of adversely.
The classic matrou was wont to study the
lives of great heroes, hoping thus to transmit
to her sons their virtues, their valor and in
one sense there was deep philosophy in the
idea, as the mother must herself hare become
fully imbued with the spirit of those virtues
she would impart to her son. In the case of
Lee, both parents reverenced and venerated
Washington, and the happiest of maternal in
fuences'presided over his infancy and youth.
The love of the father for Washington natur>
ally impressed itself upon the son, who
adopted him as the ideal of his youth, as the
model by which he sought to mould his own
character. It is not surprising, therefore,
that the good seed of Washington's example
sown in such soil should have yielded an
that we should accordingly have in Leo
greater even than Washington for our matrons
to admire and honor, and for our youths to
initiate. p
Lee himself, then, is the chief fruit of
WashiDgton's example, and furnishes dis
tiuguished illustration of the value of great
exemplars in forming the character of youth.
When we recollect that Lee, lavishly endowed
by nature, was reared under these hallowed
influences; that duty (Which he styled the
sublimest word in our language) was the
"key-note" of his life, the poIe>star of his
every thought and action, and that he was
ever sustained by his religion in this unwaver-
ing and conscientious adherence through life
to the. call of duty; we recognize the presence
of every essential for developing the most ex-
alted of mankind. We had accordingly in
Lee that rare combination, the highest order
of genius with the purest morality of its day;
the supreme valor of an Alexander with the
answering justice Of an Aristides; the bril-
liant talents of Caesar with the stern virtues
of Cato the transcendent genius of Ma
poleon with the unselfish patriotism of
Washington
. ga combination and a form indeed,
Where every god did seem to set his seal
To give the world assurance of a man."
We have accordingly in Lee the last, best
gift of the Mother of States and statesmen,
uniting the valor of the warrior with the gen.
tleuess of woman; the wisdom of the sage
with the purity Of the saint; the virtue ofthe
patriot with the humility of the Christian
the brilliancy of genius with the simplicity of
faith. We have accordingly in Lee the most
perfect embodiment yet developed of the ideal
manhood of our Christian civilization
Nature, birth, home influence, and social ad-
vantages, and his own aspirations for moral
and Christian excellence, all combining most
happily to produce in him the purest and
greatest man of, all the ages. May his grand
character, as bright example, shiuiug
light bless his cn1intrumen IN rarnntart s..,a.