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

Ctatr, uLicu protects Nun aud has right
Il command him, has in it nothing Of the
treachery, infidelity and moral dcpravity
Of treason. Loyalty, like charity, begins
at home. lts most sacred obligations
originate at the iireside fo7 wife, children
and friends, and then expand until they
embrace the country. When the State
rearis her standard and commands the
obedience Of her sons, it is q solecism in
terms to call the rightful obedience she
exacts treason in any odiOus sense. This
principle was recos .iized by England, 20
tenacious Of the loyalty OF her subjects,
when NJ the close of the Vans OF tn.
Roses she declared, in the famous statute
of Henry the Seventh, that obedience to
n de Jdcto government is not treas0n.
Our case is much stronger, for the State
Government is admitted by all TO he also
dc (acto.
! 1t cannot be dishonorable 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 wc should be will
ing TO grant it to others. Fidelity 10 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 ia blood. | venture 10 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
III connection with this yubject-the sol.
eHn obligation, as sacred III honor itself,
out Of our slender means to caro- for those
OF our companions VINO lost their limbs
or were otherwise disabled in the strug.
gle. All established governments, not
excepting that Of the Turk, delight to
make provision for their disabled soldiers.
But it is not one of the least misiortunes
of an unsuccessful effort To establish a
government, that the MANNED aud wound.
ed are cast upon the cold charity of the
world without half-pny, bounty or pen
sion. Unable to labor, they have no
support but the voluntary contributions
OF friends anu the consciousness of duty
performed.
But there is Il higher and more tender
obligation-thet Of providing for the
helpless ones, the widows ald orphans OF
comrades who fell. And what bhall 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
sgeet!y IL yo"- aoidior graves, YOU small
not be forgotten! When we provide, as
best we can, for those for whom you died
, we will mingle with the pious act some
,, tears for you. In that grand army, mar.
! shalled Oil flames eternal camping.
ground, now as in the former time their
old leader is their companion, and 1 am
sure that, living or dean, with or without
monuments, there can be no disgrace in
being with that perfect type, Of his coun-
, tryincn and exponent of tho Southern
, soldier-Robert Edmund Lee.
!, WASHINGTON AND LEE.
If We had IL modern plutarch to write
, the parallel lives" of the great men cl
this Continent, know of no man whose
, character could be weighed aud balanced
with that OF Washington but Gen. Lee
The pervading tone of both character,
was tho same-well balanced, SELF con.
! I tanned, prudent and conservative, devoted
to truth, and willing to suffer martyrdom
in the line Of duty. While campaigniaQ
in Virginia around the old family home.
J stcads where they both were born and
lived and died, have ofton mused upon
the striking parallels in their life and
character. They both sprang from good
.. old Angle Saxon stock, reaching fur buck
towards the Conquest. The same ancient
Dominion gave birth to both, und theiI
characters were moulded by the same
cultured civilization OF Lower Virginia
Coming as they did from the same neigh.
/. borhood, 'hoir families had been intimate
from ti.ae prior to the Revolution, and
became connected by the marriage Of Lee
with Miss Gusts of Arlington, the great
granddaughter Of Mrs. Martha Wash.
ington. Lee not only inherited the es.
; tates, but POSSESSED all the knigh.ly med
!, esty, the high sense of duty, the unswe1v-
ing patriotism, and that even balance OF
the qualities of head and heart. That
characterized the Father of his Country,
Washington was loyal subject OF
King George. His first public acts were
in the aervice Of his sovereign. He stood
III high favor with the mother country,
and had no personal grievances to re.
dress but when principle and the well
fare OF hia native land made q separation
necessary, he formed his decision delibe.
, rately. II cost hin. II struggle to part
from his lutte comrades in the British
army, and from his gentle neighbors OF
Belvoir-the Fairfax family--but he did
not hesitate to forsake all and to stake
his all for the liberty and independence
.. ! of hia country; and be maintained thai
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 Revoiu.
, ti0n, and u favorite OF Washington. He
| had himself rendered gallant service, and
, was alrea.dy distinguished officer in the
! army. | remember ono splendid feat in
, Mexico which was the dawning of his
/ fame. On the dark and stormy night CT
the 10Th August, 1847, he crossed and 70.
crossed on foot the almost impenetrable
| "Pedrigal" around the flank of enemy.
, and arranged that splendid combination
which resulted in storming Valentia's
camp ut sunrise next morning and the
crushing victory of Conteras. He, too,
had no personal grievances TO redress,
He loved his fellow-oflicers and he loved
! the army. He loved the flag under
which his father had fought, under which
hs had won his own glory, and under
which he had been invited to take com.
manding position in the impending strug.
[gie between Estates. 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
frienJ1, and cast in his lot with his .peo.
pie, "bone of his bone and flesh of his
fesb." The separation cost :A.m also o
struggle, but his deliberate, conscientious,
and tliai resolution he maintained with
heroic firTonesS to the bitter end-illus