The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1879-08-28

eEners contending for Independence and
equality of rights" suggested that the
soldiers of Irish origin Ia our annie
were equally bewiidered to know how
Irishmen who for centuries had pailantly
contended for the freedom Of the Celts
could be so inconsistens and recreant "a
every principle of right 40 10 be engaged
in war for Government whose corn.
eistone was slavery. Besides taas
though Irishmen were reyolutionists al
nome, they were conservatives In the
United States. and that there was an ia.
Finite difference between war in the
Interest OF oppression and one in favor oI
the oppressed. 49, s
Adyerting to the character of the Irish
as soldiers the General wes very enthu-
siastic, saying that they played a promi.
nent. part in all the wars Of the vclld for
the last three centuries--no0 on one
side, now on the other. aThe Irish SOL
dier fights not SO much for lucre as
through the reckless love of adventure,
and, moreover, with chivalrous devotion
to the cause no eapouses for the time
being. Cleburne, on Our side, inherited
the intrepidity of his race. On field OF
battle he shone like meteor ON cloudy
skyl AS q iashing military man he
was all virtue; single vice does not
stain him rs O warrior. His generosity
and benevolence had no limits. The
care which he took OF the fortunes of his
officers and soldiers. from the greatest TO
the least, was incessant. His. integrity
was proyerbial, and his modesty was an
equally conspicuous trait in his charac.
ter.
"Meagher on your side, though not
Cleburne's equal in military genius,
rivalled him in bravery and in the affec,,
tions of his soldiers. The gallant stand
which his bold brigade made on the
heights of Fredericksburg is we'll known.
Never were men ra brave. They enno-
bled their race by their splendid gallan-
try on that desperate occasion. Though
totally routed they reaped harvests of
glory. Their brilliant though hopeless
assaults on our lines excited the hearty
applause of my officers and soldiers, and
Gen. Hill exclaimed, 'The.a are those
green flags again."
HIS ESTIMATE OF WEBSTER, CLAY. AND
CALHOUN.
Then as we talked of the causes Of tts
war we drifted to the Old Statesmen. Gen.
Lee referred despondingly to the nations
lack of statesmen, Speaking of Webster
he said: II never saw o more striking
object than Webster II The Senate Ttt::S
effect of his fine figure and princely air.
when speaking, was like that of q vivid
fash in the midst of darkness. What
Paganini was in music that Webster
was in oratory the one charmed Europe
with one string, the other electrified mul.
titudes with his eloquence. He once
complained to me of the wrougs done
him by the renor.ers r.. &: -s:s AZ
world would read whatever bore his hon
ored name, and The grub worms vera ever
ready to crafty the desire by fragments
or rather caricatures Of his mighty elo-
quence. His speeches indicate tho pow-
ers Of the great orator--they are loftv
but not impansioned, correct but not
fluent. Henry Clay was every inch pa
British aggression. Never certainly mad
I ever beheld SO powerful an exhibition
of natural oratory. The grace of the
attitudes into which he threw his flexible
figure, tho striking gestures of his arms,
his brilliant eyes, impaired an effect to
the continualiy.charming accents Of his
voice of which the most accomplished
actor might be proud. AT one moment
leaning forward when stating circuln-
stantiaily the grievances OF which the
nation complained, a. I then standing
bolt upright, with clenched hands and q q
countenance distorted with passion, he
poured out tide of inyectives. The
effect ON his audience was electric-one
0nH nII fhQy etnN6 l. fAfs
sparkling eyes and trembling limbs, as
though they were listening to The inspired
voice OF prophet. Henry Clay waa the
greatest actor on the stage. Calhoun
was the iayorite Of the South. Morally,
he is to be rated higher than either Web
ster or Ciay. He was Keen In the obser-
vation OF whatevor was minute. He was
attracted by the lofty and ideal. SINH
iarity, resemblance, pictures and analyl
sis caught his eye. They were seized
and secured and thrown down upon his
page in gorgeous groups and splendid
coloring. His logic was compressed and
concealed; the train of reasoning he
seemed to be pursuing might be clear
and continuous to his oNn mind; all ita
facts logically articnlated from end TO end ;
but it YVES like stream Of water, working
its way under ground, that showed itself
now and then, or by succession OF
openings and jets, the one apparently
deep, the other light and sparkling. He
was distinguished for his power Of. con-
densation. Metaphors, tropes and fig
ures of all kinds were never found In his
speeches. His eloquence and logic set
on fire. heard him in one of his alter
cations with Clay. Twas surprised that
MIR. Calhoun's eloquence did not produce
the least reply. Il fell like thunderhnll
upon en- iceberg, glanced along, hissed
and was extinguished."
Jefferson Davis, Yancey, Breckenridge
and Toombss whose names hementioned,
as well as set Of equally prominent
men in the North, Gen. Lee characterized
as "politssians," and "they," said he,
drought on the war;" He went on "a
say ~ yes opposed &c &c sie th war az t1t e
outset. wept when heard ofthe bonn.
bardment of Fort Sumteri sought re-
tirement 80 thnt I might not hear or sec
any of the political leaders, the great END
aud aim of whose craftsmanship was e
precipitate the havoc that subsequently
swept their fields and cities. But when
Virginia, my native State, seeded, there
was only ono course for me 10 puraue
iianueiy, W AoiioH ner 4cssace5.
sToNEwALL JACKSON.
Referring to the great loss sustained
by the Confederacy In the death oi
Stonewall jackson, Gen. lee remarked
''In surprise marches and in the art Of
creating the resources of war, Jackson
far surpassed the level of his age, an6
rose to comparison with Hannibal ant
Napoleon, the two greatest conmanier,
c::acient and modern times. In evefj
relation of nriYnia md nnhlin IifG nj