Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-09-22
AT LEES TOMB.
REV. DR.. FIELD ON THE CHARACTER
or LEE.
A spIendid Tribute 20 the Great Southern
Lcader-Ihe Judgment OF
History.
Rev. DR.. Henry NJ. Field writes in The


History.
Rev. DR.. Henry VI. Field writes in the
New York ErGnGelid as follows:
NV last letter left Us in the college chapel
at Lexington. looking at the recruitment
statue Of General Lee. While standing
here in the ycrv presence Of death. am
moved 20 say few words in regard 10 the
life that ended in this tomb. and the
character Of the man whose name Is carved
uDon this stone. As ] read history. and
compare the men who have figured IN the
events that make histOry-in wars and
revoluti0ns-it seems 70 mo that General
Lee was not only great soldier,
but great man, one OF the
greatest that our country has pro-
duccd. After his death the college,
which had hitherto borne the name ot
Washington, by whom It was endowed.
MAS rechristened Washington and Lee
University-a combination which suggests
a cOmuarisOn Of the two men whose names
are here brought together. Can we trace
any likeness between them! At first 1t
seems rs if no characters, "a well as no ca
reers. could be more alien to each other
than those Of the two great leaders one OF
whom was the founder Of the Government
which the other did his utmost TO destroy.
Bfli nature DIlUEr lDiAh iAtA NHAANf~ 80 -
strange couples, with resemblances IN
aomo cases as marked. and yet rs unex-
pected as are contrasts III others. WASH
ington and Loe, though born IL different
centuries. were children of the same
mother-Ol1 Virginia and had her best
blood IN their veins Descended from the
stock Of the English cavaliers, both were
born gentlemen and never could be
ANYTHING else. Both were trained IN the
school OF war. and rs leaders OF armies u
would not be a violent assumption TO rank
Lee "a the eoual of Washington. But IT Is
not in the two soldiers. but IN tho Two
men. that the future historians Will Ind
points of resemblance.
Washington was not brilliant man; not
"a man of genius" such ~ now ana then
appears to dazzle mankind; but he had
what was far better than genius--a combi-
nation Of all the qualities that van human
trust: in which intelligence IS 80 balanced
by Judgment, and exalted by character as
to constitute natural superority; hdlI
eating one who is born TO command, ana
10 whom all men turn, when their hearts
are failing them for fear as a leader.
He was great not only in action but III re-
pose: great in his very calm-in the torti-
Jude with which he bore himself through
All changes OF fortune. through dangers
and disasters neither elated By victory
nor depressed by d0feat-mcntal haoltudes
which many will recognize as reGppearing
ID one who seems to nave formed bihlselI
upon that great model.
Washington was distinguished for his
rospnauimity: was not Lee also , Men IN
public station arc apt 20 be sensitive 20
whatever concerns their standing before tho
world. and so, while taking 20 themselves
the credit of success, they are strongly
tempted to throw upon others the blame
Of failure. Soldiers especially are jealous
Of their reputation. and If u commander
loses "a battle his first Impulse Is 10 cast
the Odium of defeat upon some IN
fortunate officer. Somebody blunoered
this or that subordinate dld not 90 MS
duty. Military annals are mica WIN tnese
recriminati0n4. If Napoleon met with
check IN his mighty pkans, lie had no scru-
ple in LAYING IL 10 the misconduct Of some
lieutenant, unless. as In Russia, he could
throw IL upOn the elements, the wlntry
SHOWS and the frozen rlvers-anythlnE 10
relieve himself from the inplt0tiOn OF the
want Of foresight or provision Tor uneN-
pected dangers. At Waterloo II was not ne
that failed in his strategy, but Marshal Ney
that failed in tho execution. II thls re-
snoct General zee was exactly his opposite.
n he suffered q disaster he never sought 10
evade responsibility by placing 1t upon
others. Even in the greatest reverse OF MS
life. the defeat at Gettysburg, when he saw
The famous charge Of Pickett melt away
un1er the terrible fire that swept the field.
tin tho ranks were literally torn to pieces
bv shot and shell, he did not vent ms DC
spair i'm rage and fcproaches, Dul rushing
10 the front took the blame upon himself,
saving: III Is 1h uiV fC1t." Perhaps no IN
cident of Lis life showed more the nobility
of his nature.
When the war was over General Lee had
left to him At Lexington about tho same
number of years that Napoleon had At ~.
Helena. aud II be had had the samc desire
to pose for posterlty in tho part OF the
illustrious exile his mountain nome would
have furnished as plcturesqe a backgruoAd
as the rocky island IL the south Atlantic,
from which he could have dictated Con-
yersations" that should furnish the ma
tcrials Of history. lie need not have
written or published q single line If he had
ONLY been willing 10 let others dolt for him;
By their pens he had opportunity 70 tell
Of the great part he had acted in the war
in n way 10 make the whole chain OF events
contribute TO his fame. But he seemed TO
care little for fame, and indeed was un-
moved when Others claimed the credit Oh
his victories If 1t be, as Pascal says, the
truest mark of a great mind 70 IS be porn
without envy" few men IN history nave
SHOWN more u inns fA'tAftAN N'A'%AA
And when, as was sometimes the case, old
companions-in-aims reelected upon him TO
excuse their own mistakes, he had only
10 lift the veil from the secrets OF
history 10 confound them. But I'M
der al such temptations he was
dumb. Nothing that he did OF said
was more truly grand than the silence
with which he bore the misfepresentatlohs
oi friend or foe. This required selI-com-
mand such ~ Washington had not 70 OK
ercise al the end of his military career (;
for he retired from the scene crowned
with victory, with a whole nation at his
feet ready 20 do him honor; while Lee mad
10 bear the reprOach Of the final DISASTER
a reuroaeh II which friends sometimes
Joined with foes. Yet to both he answered
only with the same majestic calil-the
outward sign OF his magnificent self-con-
troll. Such magnanimity belongs 10 the
very highest order Of moral qualities ana
shows character rare IL any country or III
any age.
grow less with closer observation. With
the LARGER number Of great men" the
Greatness is nlagnifcd by distance and
seuaratiOn. IS we come nearer they OWN
die in stature till, when We are III their
very presence and look them squarely IN
the face. they are found 10 be but men
Ike ourselves, and sometimes very ordi-
nary men-with some special ability per-
maps. which gives them success III the
world, but who for all that are full OIL tho
selfshness which is the very essence OF
mcanness, aud pulled up with paltry
oouceit and vanity that stamps them as
little rather than great.
Far different was the impression made
by General Lee upon those who saw MN
-. a., t~o..l,fo ,,f t,r1vaTn intercourse. III
might be expected that the soldiers who
fought under him should speak with adml
ration aud pride OF heir old commander ;
but how did he appear to his nelGhbors
Here in Lexington everybody knew him,
at least by sight; thoy saw his manner
of life from day to daY IN his going
out and his coming in, and on all the im-
preston was the same; the nearer he came
To them the greater he seemed. Every
one has some anecdote to tell OF him, and
il is always of something that IVES noble
xvhn EnGNU heat