The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1889-09-12
Wilmington Messenger.

Wilmington Messenger
The N. Y. Tribune has a dignifed
and well tempered editorial upon the
proposition before the Georgia Legs
lature to celebrate the birthday of
Robert Edward Lee by making it
public holiday. The bill has passed
one branch of the said Legislature and
meets with favor in other States Our
able contemporary, the Charleston
Nevs and Courier, warmly approves
of the action. The paper of the great
est circulation in the South, except,
perhaps, the Louisville Cowier-/ouy-
nal, heartily commends the idea. We
refer to the New Orleans 7Imes-DeM-
0crat, which says no better selection
( could be made of Southern hero
than General Robert E. Lee. s:No
worthier example," says the Macon
Telegraph, "can be held before the
youth Of the country, no more SYM
netrical character, no higher type of
the Christian gentleman has been
evolved in the history of our race"
These are but samples of press opin-
ions. Surely there can be no crime or
wrong in honoring in any public way
possible the noblest, the knghtliest,
the gentlest, the most engaging hero
in all American annals. He was
second Sir Gallahad in some respects.
If the Southern people love the men,
ory of any of its immortal dead it is
the memory of Gen. Lee.
The Tibune objects to the proposed
honoring of the greatest of American
soldiers. 1t thinks it would be a Gel
ebration of the "Lost Cause and
would stir up slumbering passions, and
would erect ga mistaken ideal" 1t
does not think it wise or patriotic be-
cause it will Introduce note Of dis
cord into the National life" We can
respect such sentiments, however much
mistaken we regard them. There is
no bitterness in them. They are
natural coming from leading news
paper in the victorious North and the
|exponent of a party that has always
been cruel and vindictive towards the
South. 1t is pleased to say, and we
copy it because it mingles suppressed
Admiration of a noble and illustrious
figure with a false view, as we hold, of
the war and its consequences:
| "The nobility and purity of Lees
personality cannot weigh in the bal
ance against the single fact that he
lifted his sword against his country,
and not in It's defence. That issue is
closed. General Lee was on the
wrong side of it, and history, however
much it may find to say in praise OF
his private virtues, must condemn him
as a man who was not true to his al.
} legiance. The Southern people claim
to have accepted the results of the wal
in good faith. Their proposed sec.
tional holiday would hardly be con
sistent with these professions
Gen. Lee believed he was right. He
had no more doubt of his duty than
} Washington had when he went to Bos
, ton and took charge of the "rebels'
? in arms against England. Lee be
+. lieved he was on the right side, anc
was willing to peril all for his native
\ Virginia and the people Of the South
: He was not false in anything. Th'
j South is loyal-quite as much SO a
the North is-to free institutions, an(
to a government regulated by law. |
proposes to do nothing to arouse dis
= cord, to awaken slumbering passions
to stir up hostile feelings to the Uni0,
if the Tribune will forgive the use Q
such an antiquated term representing
y such an exploded idea. 1t is Naho
now, and beginning with porter,
tous N.
ri The South would simply keep gree
9 the memory of its chiefest hero-th
>, noblest of all Americans. Even tn
v Tribune wakes tender when it we
says:
"The virtues of Lee have alway
found as frank and hearty recognitio
~ in the North as in the South. Th
d men of the South can say nothing {
IS the beauty Of his personal character
his courage, his devotion to his ides
g of duty, that will not find a read
,. echo among those he fought again:
l. i, and by whom he was conquered.
such demonstrations could be confine
to a tribute to the private character {
the man, there could probably be n
= just ground of objection to them.''
1t is not alone the private charat
ter" the South would honor. The1
have been thousands of sweet, grs
cious, noble men in the South. 1t
to do honor to a character that w;
rounded and symmetrical to a degre
most rarely, if ever, seen. 1t is to d
{ reverence to splendid genius for W;
that has excited the highest admir-:
I'd ton abroad and caused the greatest 4