The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1890-06-05

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THE RECUMBENT STATUE.
lover Gen. LIE IS grave at Lexington, Val
he knew the bravery of the northern soldier
who filled our regular regiments in Mexico
He was above the prejudices and taunts OF
the day which belittled northern virtue and
courage. He knew that with slight external
differences, there was substantial identity
of the American race in all the states north
and south.
Lees Views on Slavery.
He was equally above the weak and pas
sionate view of slavery as good in itself, into
which the fanatical and unconstitutional
agitation of the Abolition party had driven
many strong minds in the south. He regarded
slavery an evil which the south had in
herted and must be left to mitigate, and. il
possible, eXtirpate by wise and gradual
measures He, if any man of that time, wa.
capable of weighing with calmness the duty
of the hour. With him the only question
then, as at every moment Of his spotless life.
was to find out which way duty pointed.
Against the urgent solicitations of Gen.
Scott, in defiance of the temptings Of am
bition-for the evidence is complete that the
command of the United States army was Of
fered to HMM manifest sacrifice of all hit
pecuniary interests, he determined that duty
bade him side with his beloved Virginia. He
laid down his commission and solemnly de-
clared his purpose never to draw his sword
save in behalf of his native state The orator
then carried his audience with him through
the battles of the late war in which Gen
Lees army participated In the attack on
Cheat Mountain he laid his plans with skill
and vigor, but the attack ended with failure
and modification. The verdict of the gen.
cral public on him at this time, the winter OF
1862, might have been summed up in the his
torian's judgment of Galba, who 'by com
mon consent would have been deemed fit 10
command had he never commanded"
After Gen ,JOhnStOn,S retirement from Ia.
we're wounds, Lee assumed command of the
Army of Northern Virginia. The loss OF
Richmond at any time would probably have
been fatal to the Confederacy, and this fact
will explain and justify in Lees conduct
many apparent violations of sound principles
of war. The various movements and the re
sultant battles by which he sought to effect
this object-the protection of Richmond
were sketched with bold hand. His cam.
paigns against Mcclellan and Mcdowell
raised him i'll the minds Of friend and foe to
the full stature of great and daring leader.
The advance to the apidan. the invasion of
Maryland and the battle of Sharpsburg were
outlined. Here Lee. said the orator, gave the
supreme proof of a greatness of soul as much
above depression under reverses as elation in
success.
In such moments the army feel the lofty
genius of their leaders. They acknowledge
his royal right to command. They recognize
their proud privilege to follow and obey. T(
such leaders only is it given to form heroic
soldiers. Such were the ragged, half starved
men in gray who stood with Lee at Sharps
burg. 1t is the vision of some such moment
perhaps, that our sculptor, Mercie, has caught
with his eye of genius and fixed in imperish
able bronze. The general has ridden up. IL
seems to me. in some pause of battle, to the
swelling crest of the front line, and, while the
eyes of the soldiers are fastened on him il
keen expectancy, but unwavering trust, the
great leader-silent and alone with his dread
responsibilities scanning, with calm anc
penetrating glance. the shifting phases and
chances of the stricken field.
A Commanding Figure.
Such is the commanding figure which will
presently be unveiled to your view; dull indeed
must be the Imagination that does not hence
forth people this plain with invisible hosts and
compass Lee about. now and forever. with
the love and devotion of embattled ranks oi
heroic men in gray. The campaign of 1858,
with the battles of Observation-Disclosures
in the orators opinion, will rank with Blen
helm, AusterlitZ, and jena q model battle
and Fredericksburg, resulting in forcing
the Union army behind the Ra ppahannock, il
next reviewed Gettysburg and Grants cam
paign in 1864, in which he steadily beat back
Lee, who crossed his path and confronted him
at every turn, bring the orator up to the
evacuation of Richmond. when nothing re.
mained to the Army of Northern Virginia. but
its stainless honor, its unbroken courage.
In the idSG SOleQu SCeucS, COnllHuC SOl
Anderson, when strong men, losing all self
control, broke down and sobbed like child
rem, Lee stood forth great as in the days of
victory and triumph. No disaster crushed
his spirit: no extremity of danger ruff1ed his
bearing. He looked the stubborn facts
calmly in the face, and when no military re-
source remained, when he reco oynized the
impossibillty of making another march or
fighting another battle he bowed his head in
submission to that power which makes and
unmakes nations. The surrender of the frag.
ments of the Army of Northern Virginia
closed the imperishable record of his military
life. What catastrophe! What a moving
and pathetic contrast
Our belief in it rests upon the unanimous
testimony of the men who lived and acted
with him, among whom nothing is more COM
mon than the declaration that Lee was the
purest and best man of action whose career
history has recorded. In his whole life, laid
bare to the gaze of the world, the least friend
ly criticism has never discovered one single
deviation from the narrow path of rectitude
and honor. What was strained eulOgy when
Montesquieu said of another great soldier,
Turenne, that His life was hymn in praise
of humanity" is, If applied to Lee, the Ian
euage of sober truth. No man can consider
his life without a feeling of renewed hope and
trust in mankind.
On the one side. complete and dazzling tri
umph a tier long succession of humiliatine
disasters; on the other, absolute ruin and de-
feat-a crown of thornS for that peerless
army which hitherto had known only the
victor's laurel. But the magnanmity of the
conqueror, not less than the fortitude of the
vanquished. shone out on the solemn scene
and softened its tragic outlines of fate and
DOOM The moderation and good sense of the
northern people, breathing the large and gen
erous al: Of our western world, quickly re
sponded to Grants example, and though the
north was afterward betrayed into fanatical
and baleful excess on more than one great
subject. all the fiercer passions Of a bloody
civil war were rapidly extinguished.
There was to be no Poland, no Ireland II
America When the Hollywood pyramid was
rising over the Confederate dead soon after
the close of the contest some one suggested
for the Insertion for a classic verse which
may be rendered: They died for their
county-their country perished with them
Thus would have spoken the voice OF despair
Far different were the thoughts of Lee. he
had drawn his sword in obedience only to the
dictates of duty and honor. But, facing the
duty of the hour. Lee saw now that the ques-
ton submitted to the great arbitrament OF