The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1884-05-10
How Lee is Regarded In the sOutA.

ing the 22d Of February, the birth
day of Washington. had been
chosen for the unvei.ing of a stat
ne in bronze of the Confederate
chief. which had been erected in
one of the public squares. The
work had been in progress for
some time; for the the statue sur
mounts q lofty column, or obelisk,
apparently designed to suggest a
resemblance to the column Of Ma
poleon in the Place VeKdome in
Paris. The statue is not u great
work of art. The figure is rather
heavy, not to say clumsy. OF
course it had to be of colossal size
to be in proportion at such a
height. The great soldier has no
sign of of his rank, wearing only
his sword and belt. He has not
even a military cap on his head,
but the soft felt hat which his sol.
diers knew so well. Still there is
something majestic in that martial
figure, with arms folded as if in
meditation standing aloft against
the sky.
The occasion brought together
a concourse which filed the whole
square, and overfowed into ad-
joining streets. In the military
procession Union soldiers took
part as well as Confederates.
One who was "a looker-on" told
mathat it was very touching to
observe the contrast between the
blue coats and the gray, the North.
ern soldiers coming on the ground
in fresh uniforms, with arms glist-
ening and bands playing; while
the Confederates showed but too
we'll that the war had left them
little to expend on trappings of a
military parade. As they gathered
round the base Of the column, and
looked upward, their breasts
swelled with pride and their eyes
filed with tears, "a II they were un.
der the eye Of one whom they had
so often followed through the
smoke ofbattle.
Mere military genius, however
great, cannot explain the senti-
ment which one finds in oil the
South for
THE MEMORY OF GEN. LEE.
There must have been something
in the man, as well as in the SOL
der, to kindle such enthusiasm.
What was it that inspired such a
feeling In the breasts of o whole
peoplei Few had better oppor.
tunity to know him than Col.
Johnston, who as q professor in
the college at Lexington, Va, was
associated with him four years,
To him Robert Il. Lee is the ideal
Of manhood. His very form and
bearing like those Of Washington
united grace with dignity. ~
never saw him." he said, "sit OF
stand In an ungraceful attitude
l never heard him say word
which I would rather had not beer
spoken-aever q word In the hum
blest presence which might no
have been said in any presence
Aud this not because he was OF
his guard and studying his words
but because his nature was simple
and pure, noble and good. Th'
impression Of greatness which ont
had who saw him in the field wa
not spoiled by any littleness In BIZ
more quiet hour. In private in
tercourse he was so gentle and 81
cosiderate Of others, that he VOL
the hearts Of all around him, AM
those who knew him best love-
him most"
This tenderness for others wor'
upon him after the war perhap
more than the fatigues Of his can
paigns. Nor did he find relief i
venting his indignation upon hi
enemies. Some Southerners, lik
Toombs of Georgia, found CON
fort in cursing the North. II "di
them good" to let Oh their vic
lence and rage. Old Jubal Earl,
who has the reputation Of bein
very profane, has been heard t
say, "If Gen. Lee had only take
1t ont now and then, as l do !
"A GOOD SWEAR,
he would be alive at this day.
But Gen. Lee was made Of othe
stuff. He could not "take 1t out
in cursing. That would neve
drown the cry Of those who weT
for the dead, and had no comfor
er. Reflection on all the sorro'
that he witnessed clouded th
! evening Of his days, and hastene
! his end. Col. Johnston, who watcl
! cd with him o few nights before h
breathed his last tells me tbs
though some temporary cause ma
have brought on the last illness,