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

anu one even puts him above Yelling
ton. 1t is to do honor to great man
in the best sense of that so much
abused term. 1t IS not to prove rec
reant to duty to the Union, or to raise
i" false ideal' that the South would
honor Lee. The intelligence of the
South long ago agreed as to the causes
that led to the war and the arguments
that justify the course pursued. That
the South had right to withdraw
under the Constitution was and is the
accepted doctrine DIR. Albert Tay-
lor Bledsoe, eePresident Davis, ex-
Vice-President Alexander Stephens,
have unitedly made this appear in such
an unanswerable way that no Northern
logician has dared to assail their argu-
ments other than by ridicule and in
vective. If the South's cause had been
really bad President Davis and Gen.
Lee would probably have been hanged.
But while this is SO, there will be no
more war for the principles for which
Lee and the South fought. As the
distinguished and eloquent Rev. DR..
Moses Hoge said about 1878, so we
repeat: GA form of government may
! change, policy may perish, but a
principle can never die. Circum-
stances may SO change as to make tile
application of the principle no longer
possible" The South knows that and
in the utmost good faith has accepted
the issues of war; The South is in the
! great procession of States, heart and
soul, and is keeping step to the music
Of the Union. 1t is marching under
the "old flag" again and some do say
that it is loyal like the North in hur-
rahing for " an appropriation"
The South is sincerely loyal to the
Union and the Constitution, but it has
not abandoned its convictions OF the
righteousness and constitutionality of
the cause that went down under the
iron hoof of war. 1t mans no strife
or treason in celebrating by a public
holiday the birthday Of its highest ex-
preston of manhood. Lee was a
Christian Knight-the leader in war,
the teacher IN peace. He could have
looked an Universe in the face and
have said with the greatest of inspired
Apostles-"Stand up: | myself am also
a MAN."
Mr. Logan, Of Virginia, in an ad
dress delivered years ago, paid this
tribute to Lee:
sAVe have in Lee the last best gift oi
the mother of States and Statesmen.
uniting the valor of the warrior with the
gentleness of woman the wisdom Of
the sage with the purity of the saint ;
the virtue of the patriot with the hu-
mility of the Christian ; the brilliancy
of genius with the simplicity Of faith
We have accordingly in Lee the most
perfect embodiment yet developed o.
the ideal manhood of our Christian
civilization-nature, birth, home inf1u
ence, and social advantages, with his
own aspirations for moral and Chris
tian excellence, all combining mos
happily to produce in him the pures
and greatest man of all the ages. Ma,
his grand character, as bright exam
pie, shining light, bless his country
men to remotest generatlons!"
Amen and amen And now 70
one more quotation. One of the mos
: gifted and eloquent of living Southern
ers, COL William c. P. Breckenridge
of Kentucky, more than ten years ag'
said:
, "The day will come when this grea
country will recognize the wondrou
glory of the war, when the names c
!. our dead will be inscribed on the com
: mon roll of illustrious sons-not a
!, traitors worthy of death, but son
:. worthy of love and reverence. HamI
den and Cromwell are dear to ever
English heart, and if from Englis
, history every English traitor was stricE
;, en-, the glory of the past would be los
u Our Lee will be hereafter what Cron
s we'll is, but more for to him no crime
!" will be imputed, no unmeasured amb
ton charged. Our dead will be heroe
and our heroes loved. God speed tn
Il day."
- Amen again, say we from the hear
Il but that day is not yet. It took MOI
than hundred years in England b.
g fore the patriot, John Hampden or II
~ patriot Russell, or the patriot Sydne
a or the patriot Cromwell was honore
# and rightly estimated by his countr,
men, but the time came at last. So
! will come to Lee.
" "No wreck nor change, or winters bligl
Nor times remorSeleSS doom,
st Shall dim one ray of holy light
IF That gilds your glorious tomb.
d The Baltimore Sun takes the san
If view of celebrating the birthday {
o Robert E. Lee that we take. 1t SET
no ground for the inference drawn fro
: =. the proposition by the N. Y. 7,Iban
-e 1t says we'll and with propriety:
l.; "Lee is the typical hero of the Sou
Is and as the Tribune itself admits, b
IS character, as it shines forth from Il