The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1879-11-26
COMMUSICATED.
The Character of Lee.

FOREST, Miss, Nov. Is 1879
EDroRs CLARION: In a recent article
published North, and which has gone the
rounds Of the press, there is given what
purpOrts TO be, an interview with General
Lee, Immediately after the surrender. 1t
j. stated i'll same that General Lee spoke
quite favorably Of Genery Grants magma
nimity, as shown in the terms of the sur
render. This Is only in favorable contrast
with General Lees accustomed modesty, and
gracefully and ielIcltousiy conceals what l
consider his own great magnanimty. He
c0nceaIs with modest skill his own liberaIi-
ty, and places in the back ground, the fact,
that Grant then treating with the
greatest Captain of all the ages, and was
receiving the surrender of the remnant of
an army, the equal of which, in all the
elements that tend to make soldier
hero, has not been known in the history OF
the nations 1t was enough to shock
greater soldier than Grant into a tremen-
dou5 spasm Of liberality. At Appomattox
1 copied the terms Of the parole in my
memorandum book, and the first thought
of them was this, that they were extremely
Hberal-a very sPecious deception indeed,
and coupled with the discipline OF the Fed
eral army, were colenlated to deceive.
There was no offensive display nor HILARIOUS
applause, only the minute firing of cannon,
no pIunderng-aIi combined, did have the
appearance OF excessive liberality. But by
comparison, when we remember that the
Federal commander, covered beneath the
giant shadow of Lee, it dwarfs the magma
nimity at first conceived. As to the merit
of General Grant Is Il commander, com
pared with General Lee, that surrender
had nothing to do; it was a hollow mockery
As to a triumph of military genius; and to
accomplish a victory upon any terms,
Grant was ready and overwilling.
1t is TO be regretted III consideration of
the magnitude of his triumph, that he did
not more fully stand by those terms, but
lac allowed the politicians to control him,
and the terms that drew much respect to
him, were thrust to the winds in the gener-
al destruction that followed the war. BY
comparison, we arrive at Just conception
and judgement Of Lees military genius.
History, with its pages pregnant with the
names of men of great renown, and wonder
fully heroic deeds, does not show war
waged - long, against such overwhelming
odds and paissant forces. The North had
her ports open, a splendid navy and the.
flood gates of Europe alar; practically Lee
fought the whole of Europe, and then to
add the combined destructive means of
warfare, created by the inventive genius of
the centuries. lie never was whipped by
brilliant tactics, STACEY, legitimate achieve
ment. or grand display of military genius,
attrition. the sharp incisiye friction of con-
tinued contact. His supplies exhausted,
scarcely sustenance enough to maintain life.
to say nothing of fighting trim, his men
over-worked over-marched and over-tought,
with no means of substitution or reliefs,
but tie constant continued attack or com
batting Of continually recuperated, renewed
and over-powering odds, a new and large
army brought into usage at every turn and
battle it is matter OF Wonderment to the best
military minds of the day, how he and his
little handful of exhausted veterans, stood
up and held back from the gates of our
capitol, like n great wall of fire, that unholy
crusade. 1t Is the grandest, truest PROOF OF
the highest military genius, capacity that
,iwarfs the glory of Napoleon, whose deeds
were written upon the pyramids-and who
with an immense army, thoroughly eq ulpped,
provisioned, and powerfully sustained,
marched with his legions, constantly reple-
ted on like an avalanche to brilliant con-
quests! But Robt i. Lee-almost wholly
without resources, with an army scantily
fed and clad-worn by constant contact
never perfectly equipped, never relieved
and rested, held at bay, and often whipped,
the "Grand Army of the Potomac" for
four long years.
By comparisons of resources, of appiian-
ces OF war, of numbers we affirm, that
General Grant was over-desirOus of surren
der. and that that surrender was not brought
about by extraordinary display of military
yenius hut by haustion of resources and
men He could not be otherwise but
magnanimous. and it was the nOblest bene-
diction of the times, of all times, for Leesto
have surrendered 10 him
Comparatively speaking, General Grant
is a great commander, but in the superlatlye
degree. he does not rank with such men rs
Alexander, Scipio, Condo, Napoleon and
Lee
Gen Dick Taylor says of Lee, that when
he took command of the Army of Virginia,
be was taciie priRcepS i'll the war, towering
above all on bo1h sides, as the pyramid of
Ghizet above the desert. Steadfast to the
end, he upheld the wavering fortunes OF the
Confedcracv as did Hector those of Troy
Last scene Of al If his surrender, has greatness
and dignity made Of his adversary bat Il
humble accessory
He was truly a real Captain. wonderfully
skilled in the art of war, as if the martial
genius of the world, its high glory and
grand achievement, had centered in him.
Nature has few peculiar minds in her great
boundary of humanity, but as Barras said
of Napoleon, | apply to a greater than he,
that nature in one of her most exalted
moods, one of her greatest moments, re-
solved to produce masterpiece, and gave
to the wondering world Robt. +. Lee!
An Appolo in appearance, and of magnltl-
cent bearing. he was indeed. as Gen. Dick
TAYLOR said. that of all the men he had
seen, ''be was best entitled to the ephithet
of distinguishes and so marked was his
appearance in this particular, that he would
not have passed unnoticed through the
streets of any capital" A recent English
criticism of him rates him above all the
commanders Of the world, in this, that
while he ranked with them fully in military
capacity, craftsmanship and high manhood,
he possessed to a very marked degree a
grand moral character and status, that at
tracted the admiration of the world, and
gave him a special prominence over the
worlds great commanders, In the world
wide range of criticism, there has hardly
been paid such compliment to s man
Verify and literally he is first in the
hearts of his countrymen y
III. CROMWELL.
A Bridegroom Up Tree.
From the Macon Enterprise.