The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1878-03-14

| DLite, WHICH PlotcCLo Hiul aux ueSo d Gi1V
to command him, has in it nothing Of the
treachery, infdelity and moral depravity
of treason. Loyalty, like charity, begins
at home. It's most sacred obligations
originate at the fireside for wife, children
and friends, and then expand until they
embrace the country. When the State
rears her standard and commands the
obedience of her sons, it is solecism in.
terms to call the rigbtful obedience she
exacts treason in any odious sense. This
principle was recognized by England, so
tenacious of the loyalty OF her subjects,
when at the close of the Wars OF the
Roses she declared, in the famous statute
of Henry the Seventh, that obedience to
de .facto government is not TREASON.
Our case is much stronger, for the State
Government il admitted by all to be also
de .tacto.
It cannot be dishorIorable to follow
earnest convictions at the risk of life and
all that life holds dear. That is the line
on which heroes fall, martyrs die and pa
triots are made immortal. But while we
claim this for ourselves VIC should be will
ing to grant it to otherG. Fidelity to the
death is the highest test of sincerity, and
the Just and brave true soldiers, whether
they wore the grey or the blue, are al
ways willing to respect honest convictions
baptized in blood. 1 venture to predict
that this will be the universal voice Of
the whole country and of the world when
the clouds of passion aud prejudice shall
have rolled away.
There is another duty incumbent on us
in connection with this subject-the sol
emn obligation, as sacred Us honor itself,
out of our slender means to- care for those
of our companions who lost their limbs
or were otherwise disabled in the strug.
gle. All established governments, not
excepting that of the Turk, delight 10
make provision for their disabled soldiers.
But it is not one of the least misfortunes
of an unsuccessful effort to establish q
government, that the MANNED and wound
ed are cast upon the cold charity of the
world without halfpay, bounty or pen
sion. Unable to labor, they have NO
support but the voluntary contributions
Of friends, and the consciousness of duty
performed.
But there is 3 higher and moro tender
obligation-thst Of providing for. the
helpless ones, the widows and orphans Of
comrades who fell. And what shall we
say of those comrades themselves who lie
buried on every battlefield from Gettys-
burg to the Rio Grande? There is no
grateful government to erect monuments
| for them but, loved companions, sleep
sweetly in your soldier graves, you shall
not be forgotten! When we provide, as
best We can, fos those for whom you died,
we will mingle with the pious act some
tears for you. In that grand army, mar
shalled on .fame's eternal camping
ground, now as in the former time their
old leader is their companion, and I am
sure that, living or dead, with or without
monuments, there can be no disgrace in
being with that perfect type, Of his couu-
trymen and exponent of the Southern
soldier-Robert Edmund Lee.
WASHINGTON AND LEE.
If we had modern Plutarch to write
the "paralleI/ lives" of the great men Of
this Continent, know of no man who's,
character could be- weighed and balanced
with that of Washington but Gen. Lee
The pervading tone of both characters
was the same-well balanced, se2f-con.
tanned, prudent and conservative, devoted
10 truth, and willing to suffer martyrdom
in the line of duty. While campaigning
in Virginia around the old family home
steads where they both were born and
lived and died, / have often mused upon
the striking parallels in their life and
character. They both sprang from good
old Anglo-S Saxon stock, reaching far back
towards the Conquest. The same ancient
Dominion gave birth to both, and their
characters were moulded by the same
cultured civilization of Lower Virginia.
Coming as they did from the same neigh
borhood, their families had been intimate
| from a time prior to the Revolution, and
became connected by the marriage of Lee
with Miss Custis of Arlington, the great
granddaughter of Mrs. Martha Wash
ipgton. Lee not only inherited the es-
tates, but possessed all the knightly mod
esty, the high sense of duty, the unswerp-
ing patriotism, and that even balance Of
the qualities of head and heart, that
characterized the Father tof his Country.
Washington was loyal subject of
King George. His first public acts were
| in the service of his sovereign. He stood
in high favor with the mother country,
and had no personal grievances to re-
dress; but when principle and the well
fare of his native land made a separation
necessary, he formed his decision delibe-
rately.. 1t cost him struggle to part
from his late comrades in the British
army, and from his gentle neighbors of
BelIoir-the Fairfax family-but he did
| not hesitate to forsake all and to stake
his all for the liberty and independence
of his country; and he maintained that
| resolution with unfaltering perseverance,
to the glorious end.
Lee was true and loyal citizen of the
| United States. His father, "Light Horse
| Harry" had been famous in the Revolu-
ton, and favorite of Washington. He
had himself rendered gallant service, ,.and
was already distinguished officer in the
army. l remember one splendid feat in
Mexico which was the dawning of his
fame. On the dark and stormy night of
the 10Th August, 1S47, he crossed and re-
crossed on foot the almost impenetrable
"Pedrigal" around the flank of enemy,
and arranged that splendid combination
which resulted in storming Valentia's
camp at sunrise next morning and the
crushing victory of Conteras. He, too,
had no personal grievances to redress.
He loved his fellow-oficers and he loved
the army. He loved the flag under
which his father had fought, under which
he had won his cwn glory, and under
which he had been invited to take COM
mandipg position in the impending strug-
gle between the.States. He considered
we'll, and took his position from principle.
He could not draw his sword against the
bosom of his mother, Virginia. He re-
signed his commission, left comrades and
friends, and cast in his lot with his 'peo-
pie, "bone of his bone and flesh of his
flesh" The separation cost him also a
struggle, but his deliberate, conscientious,
L. 49,,