San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1886-07-08
Lincoln and Lee.

In his address before the students
of Washington and Lee university, q
few days ago, Col. A. X. Mcclure, Of
the Philadelphia Times, thus presents
two great figures Of the late war:
CAS- We turn back to Washington
and jefferson, and to jackson and
Clay, as exemplars OF American char
acter and achievement, so will the
people who come after us turn to the
two foremost exemplars of opposing
greatness in our civil war. One name
will leap up from the love OF every
Northern heart-one name will be
lisped in tenderest affection by every
son and daughter Of the South; they
are indissolubly linked with the
greatness that is above envy and
hate. They met in mighty conflict
for the mightiest issues and yet gave
the world no utterance or token OF
resentment; they taught to friend
and foe, above the fercest passion OF
civil strife. the lesson of duty and OF
sacrifice for duty. The dust of one
rests in these college halls, in the
tomb of Robert 4. Lee; the dust OF
the other rests in his own loved and
loving Prairie State, in the tomb OF
Abraham Lincoln. They taught by
word and deed, in the greatest actions
of our greatest conflict: with NAL.
ice Toward none, with charity forall. :"
The Houston Post comments upon
the above in style which does it
great credit, as follows:
AS to Lees place in the affections
of the South, there is no question.
He was, and is, of all the leaders OF
late cause the idol Of the people, and
their veneration for his memory will
last as long as noble deeds are priced
and honor cherished. He fought no
bly, and gallantly for the cause he
espoused, and when that cause was
| lost he shared in the sufferings of
those who had followed and trusted
him. Therefore the people OF the
South loved him while living, and
they love and venerate him dead.
The influence of his life and charac-
ter endures and will exercise a po-
tent effect on coming generations.
In his devotion to duty, trials, sacri-
fees and sufferings he presented q
figure of true greatness which the
youth of the country who aspire to
the highest type of manhood can
proftably initiate AS q commander
he was without that brilliance and
dash which distinguished Jackson,
but he was implicitly trusted and un-
murmuringly followed, and the mill
tary authorities of the world have
conceded to him the just honor OF
leading figure of The Southern side,
if not Of tho war. But while Lee
holds foremost place in the hearts OF
the South, there is at the North o
divided feeling as to who shall bo thus
honored among them. Very many
tell of Grant and his achievements as
q general, and endeavor to exalt him
high above all others. He, say his
admirers, will be to the North what
Lee is to the South, and that the
coming ages will write his name above
those who were associated with him
in the great civil conflict. The idea
that Grant will be regarded by the
future as greater than any one who
figured with him on tine Union side
is not held, however, by The leading
minds of the North. Colonel Nc
Clure's statement that Lincoln will
outrank them all in the love and VEN
Grafton Of the North is more nearly
correct. AS the years go by and his
associates are forgotten, the name
and fame of Lincoln becomes bright
er and greener. Each year his char
acter rises higher in grandeur and
sublimity, and as the time passes
even the people of the South come to
look upon him as incomparably the
greatest of those who espoused the
cause of the Union. He will never
hold place among souherners equal
to that of Lee, but in their generos-
ity the people all over this section
will accord him the distinction OF be-
ing first among his people In some
respects the war president resembled
the great confederate commander.
Each had the same kindliness and
gentleness; each the same love OF
truth, the same devotion TO duty.