Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-09-22

an imineasurable service 10 the whole
country. There are no crises in nations
life more perilous than those following
civil war. The peace that comes after IT -
peace only in name If the passions OF
the war still live After our great struggle
the South was full of infammable mate
rails. The fires were but smouldering IN
ashes, and might break ont At any moment
and rage with destructive fury. N the
spirit of some had had full swing the pas
siOns OF the civil war would have been not
only perpetuated bnt increased, and nave
gone down as an inheritance OF bitterness
from generation 10 generation. IhisstOrmy
sea OF passion but one man could control.
He bad no official position, civil or militia
~. But be was the representative OF inc
Lost Cause. He had led The southern armies
to battle, and he still had the unbounded
confidence Of millions, and II was his atti-
tude aud his words Of Cancellation that
did more than anything else 10 still
the angry tempest that the war had left
behind. II was the sight of their great
chieftair-so calm in defeat, so ready 10
bear the burden of his peOple-that
soothod their anger and their PRIDE. aad
made the old soldiers Of the COnfederacy
feel that they could accept what had been
accepted by their leader, and that az he
had set the example it was no unworthy
sacrifice for them 30 become loyal sup
porters OF the restored American Union.
II is therefore not too much To say that 1t
is owing in great measure to General Ice
that the civil war has not left q lasting
division between the North and the South;
and that they form to-day one united
country.
These are grateful memories TO be re-
called now that he who was 80 mighty N
war and so gentle in peace has passed be-
you'd tho r.uuh ~ lIufnN DO
you tell me ne was IAN enemy" and that
by as much "a we love orr country we
ought to hate KS " enemies y! But there
are no enemies among the dead. when
the grave closes over those with whom
we have been 1t strife we can drop our
hatreds and judge OF them without pas
sion, and even kindly, rs We wish those
who come after us 10 Judge ot IA. In q Few
years all the contemporaries Of General
Lee will he dead and gone; the great sol
diers th0t fought with him and chat fought
against him, will alike have passed 20 the
grave; and then perhaps there VIII be =
nearer approach Of feeling between friend
and foe
"Ah. ycs.n say some who admit his great
ness ~ a soldier and leader. II 1t were not
for his ambition that stopped not ut the
ruin of his country" Such IS the fatal
accusation:
"CRsar was ambitious:
II u were so. Il was a grievous fault
Aud grievouely hath Cesar answered H."
But was that ambition in him which was
patriotism in Us? How Is 1t that ice who
Varo upborue for four years by passion
for our country. that stopped nc DO sacri-
fees. cannot understand that other men
of the same race AID blood could be in
spired with the same passion for what
| they looked upon as ther country, and
! fight for It with the same heroic devotion
that We fought for ours; They, ~ well
as We were fighting for IN idea
we for union and they tor lnde-
pendence-a cause which WAS as sacred TO
| them As ours 20 Us. Is II that what was
patriotism on the one side Was only am
bition on the other? No; it was not dis
/ appointed ambition that cut short that
! life; II was not the humiliation OF pride;
but q wound that struck far deeper. One
who watched bv him in those long night
! hours tells ne that he died Of a broken
! heart This is the most touching aspect
Of the great warriors death; that he did
not fall on the field of battle. either IN the
hour of defeat or of victory, but IN silent
! grief for suifcrings which he could not re-
| lieve. There IS something infinitely pathetic
| IN the way that he entered into the con-
ditiou of q whole people. and gave his l9,t
| strength 10 comfort those who were fallen
and cast down. II WAS this constant strain
Of hand and brain and heart that finally
snapped the strings of life: so That tine last
| view Of him as he passes out OF our sight IS
| one Of uuspeakable sadness The dignity
| is preserved. but it ia tho dignity Of woe.
| 1t is the same tall and stately form, vet not
wearing the robes OF conQuCrur. but
| bowed with sorrows not his own. In this
mouruful majesty silent with a greet be-
yoEd words, this great ne Ire passes INTO
| history.
There We leave him to the judgment Of
another generation. that standing afar
od " may see some things more clearly than
We When the historian OF future ngos
comes 70 write the history Of the great
republic he will give the FIRST place 70 that
| War Of the Revolution by which our couu-
! nv gained its Independence and took ITS
/ place among the nations Of the earth; and
/ The second TO the late civil var, which,
| bogun for separation, ended in % closer and
consolidated Union. That was Cine last act
| IN the great drama Of our nations life, II
which history cannot forget the part that
was borne by him whose Silent form lies
within this sepulchre.
Ash took last look Mt the sarcophagus
/ I observed that 1t bore no erltapb; no
words of praise were carved upon the
stone only name.
ROBERT EDWARD LEE,
with the two dates,
Born JANUARY 10, 1871;
DIED OCTOBER -, $50
That ia all. but II is enough; all the rest
may be- LETT 10 the calm, eternal Judgment
OF history.
! How the feeling at the North he's sofienei is
indicated by many uticrluce9 llSe his IN the
New YORK 7TiI..De Of last week August *dl {:
1.-THE virtues a. LOe bavo always found ~ frank
And hearty recognition IA tho North az IN tho
south. The men OF tho South can say nothing
Of the beauty ~ his personal chhr.cier MS
courage. his devotion 20 his idea Of duty that
I will not dnd 2 ready echo among those be fought
/ against and BY whom ho was conquered