Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-03-02
LACK OF LUCK WITH LEE.
The Lecture Of DR.. LaGerty Mt Fincastle
for the Monument Fund.

fCfN ~ 49, NV ~ 80
Tho lecture Of DIR. LaGerty ut Fincastle
for the Monument Fund.
fCorrespondence Of tao Richmond Dl5pa'chI
FrvcAsrIE, February %. 1850.
Dr. Iaferty i'm response q q punic III
vitatiOu made IN address last evening IN
this town on Lack of Luck Win Lee
The proceeds Of the lecture 90 % tho lee
monument fund Of thls city. The Doctor
held that supreme events in war We're
shaped bv small. uncertain. unexpected
nflirs. He cited Jackson, Lee, Wenlng-
ton. as expressing similar ntlments. Vel
lmgtou had q mounted yidette cap
tured in Spain. The French commando
found out from this scout the posi-
ton Of the English-Spanisn army
and saved his own forces from surrender.
The British General upon hearing OF tho
bad lucl SAID, Upon what slight accidents
do events depend" Stonewall SAID VIC
tory wa a mystery General Lee am III
ed "tlat no man can predict tht result OF
q battle" The Doctor lAustratcG VncSo
ay,ous bv historic facts, such rs the sud-
Ian change OF wind that saved the cApedl-
ton Of the Prince of Orange. detnroneu
James. changing the geography oil AiHs-
dgMs and their religion, the chance cap
ture Of Andre. winch pr vented tht loss ol
Vet Point. and, ~ Washington thought,
tho fan az the KEYSTONE Of the colonies
the shower ut Waterloo and the hiring OF
the French cannon. the fog for Two dhys
that enabled Washington TO retreat from
hiding his moyements IN cross
ing - New NorE, Wn4lo the Wihu Aeit .Io
British fleet at the kaTrOW5; storm
came on 40 the White House tavern near
Thiladelph,a and put the ammunition out
If order lust when the British had turned
Washington right flank and had MN IN
trcat danger. The lecturer continued 20
show that duriug the Revolution that tho
clements beyond human control or remedy
changed the relations of the conteudlhs
armies IN hour or night, such rs rain
raising rivers, assuring lasting results, ana
always in favor If the colonies.
ADVISE CIRCUMSTANCES.
On the other hand, DR.. LaTerty brought
forward many curious instances Where the
were kept from decisive VIC
tories bv small and uulOOked-for adverse
circumstance. lie gave an interesting
chapter. much of Il never gwen 70 print
lie SAID the genius OF the Union Mas
against tho South. 1t was not III the dlco
of destiny for two republics % exist on
tbis tn5lo- saxon continent. High men
would rather lose after DISPLAY OF splehliu
courage bv lack of luck - than gam by
the favor of the tickle goddess. Who cares
10 call up the captains Of the swarmlng
Persian host? They arc unrecorded, DuI
the Spartan is immortal, though periahhg
Inv trtachcrv and overwhelming nuuters.
The South could beat Burnside, Hooker,
Mcclellan. pOpe-they could not CONQUER
fate. The romance OF the war IS WIN tho
barefoot battali0ns with bright musAets.
Tie wild glory of their achieycments rises
like an aurora, magnetic ana dazZlihS III
the darkness.
A COUNTLESS FOE.
Tho South was hemmed in by a count
Ie.sand powerful foe, with great rivers and
many iron roads TO bring the enemy swiftly
up3n them, while seward the ocean, nos
file too, fOated war-ships all along inc
coast llto bays and creeks me teeihihr
Nest emitted ratIOns into the Federal
cemD. New England's factories furnished
tons of the best guns and cartridges. Inc
Sonth had no friend on earth. The nations
were the recruiting fields Tor the North.
This agricultural people. with ports suuV'
fought q commercial country with nFe
times its population for four years. Inc
South Wrestled with armies three tnt5
the bost Of Xerxes, aided by the clements,
controlled by modern science. Ana al
the while the Fates must never sleep else
The few would yanaulsh the taYoriteS Oh
~ The lack Of luck" ended with stacked
muskets. The victor, Ilch. dominant, anu
iuhiant, was matched IN peace against t4e
paroled veteran IN his dreary desert. Il
battle tested the proves or the o9uIu,
defeat tried them in the furnace. Ihelr
eorial and political fabric tumbled TO
nieces. The African from the rice swamp
,cos ordered TO pat his muddy foot upon
tbe neck of scholars and statesmen. IL
,gos "a II continent with all It's far WORKS
Il art and civilization had suddenly Sank
below the sea level. and the ooze and mon
sters OF the deep had lowed IN over Oil. ~
was the era # carpetbaglsm. lscarlot at
home and Barrabos from abroad l0lneu
hands and became the fduclarles OF tne
public purse and protectors OF private
rights.
When the war ended nothing survived
Of the property that was not lndestruCtiii
be. The home necessities had glsaneu
the fields. The enemy devastated tne
stuhble. The loss in personal pr1}peay
leaving out the slaves was Two oullOn
twice the indemnity France paid Gerlnany'
Two thirds of all the property, the accu-
mutation of two hundred years, was swept
away. In addition to the two Dllloh tue
Confederate war securities, treasury
notes. the whole currency and oonuen ~
vestments of the people, amounting "
hundred million, fell to ashes ana 9ust,
Inc very earth was mOrtgaged istE9H' >
deep and on it was piled pyTalItl3ni
CheOps Of debt made up OF private oDIleS A a
ton based on slave property, Anu WIZ Wa
the seed-corn had been ground III Ilre lleeu-
The last OK had been eaten. Inc Pio",
horse had fallen under the Coniederate -
the fight. Mills, barns, and instruments "i
industry had been burned. Ill
The money TO renew prosperity H. -
vanished. And who we're the cItlleuS "
evoke hope from the desolatlon! oo
Frederick the Great lost only ll''UVO ou'
OF four and a half million IN seven yysa il ;.
The South lost 10. 600 out OF hye Hl4iion
il four years. .h.,
The boys. the grandfathers, ana tne
cripples were left TO redeem a land over
vhelmcd by industrial, political Social,
and financial ruin. What race on eare ,a
could have risen? The Greek never Iu ~
10 manhood after the Roman conquest:
II was living Greece no more. Inc SOU y.
Marathon were slaves forever. me uti
farians broke the proud spirit OF 'h'
Roman. ,u.I
In q single decade the South rebuilt her
burned affairs, Illustrated her temple OF JUS
tice. filed her colleges, turned the oaiaico
nj trade by export OF her staples, ana ~
made the United States bond ~ goou ~
gold. IL Is the sure seat OF comneioia
empire. l.,
II is triumph of character, patience IN