Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-05-30

t,en. Scott, in defiance of the temptlngS
of ambitiOn-fOr the evidence is COM
plete that the command of the United
States army was offered 10 him-in man
ifcSt sacrifice of all his pecuniary inter
eStS, ne determined that duty bade him
side with his beloved Virginia. He
laid down his commission and Solemnly
declared his purpose never 10 draw his
sword save in behalf of his native State. y
his VICTORIES AND DEFEATS.
The orator then carried his audience
with him through the battles of the
late war, u which Gen. Lees army an
ticipated. In the attack of Cheat Noun
tain me- laid his plans with skill and
vigor. but the attack ended in failure
and modification. The verdict OF the
general public ON him at this time, the
winter of lS69. might have been sum
med up in the historians judgment Of
Galba, who by common consent would
have been deemed fit to command had
hc never commanded.
After Gen. JOhnston'S retirement
by severe wounds Lee took command
of the Army of Northern Virginia. The
loss Of Richmond at any time would
probably have been fatal 10 the Confed-
eracy. and this fact will explain and JUS
tify I'm Lees conduct many apparent Vio-
latiOnS of sound principles of war. The
various movements and the resultant
battles In which he sought TO effect this
obiect-the protection of Richmond
were Skctched with bold hand. His
campaign against Mcclellan and Me-
Dowell raised him in the minds Of friend
and foe 10 the full stature of great
and daring leader. The advance 10 the
Rapidan, 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,
a much above depression in reverScS aS
Iclatiun in successes. 1t is the vision of
some such moment, perhaps that our
sculptor Mercic has caught with the
eve of genius and fixed i'm impcriShablc
bronze. The General had ridden up,
10 seems 10 me i'm some pause OF battle
to the swelling rrcSt of the front line
and while the eyes OF the soldiers are
fastened ON him i'm keen expectancy.
but mwavcring trust. the great leader
silent and alone with his dread reSpOn-
Sibility-iS scanning with calm and pen
Ietrating glance the shifting phases and
chances of the stricken field.
The campaign of 1853, with the battle
of Characteristic and fredericksburg,
resulting I'm forcing the Union army be-
hind the Rappahannock, was then re-
viewed. Gettysburg and Grants cam
paigu. i'm 1864. in which hc steadily beat
back Lee. who crossed his path and con-
frontcd him nj every turn, brought the
|orator up to the evacuation OF Rich
mond. when nothing remained To the
Army of Northern Virginia but its stain
less honor. its mbroken courage.
"ln those last solemn scenes, con-
.tinucd Col. Anderson. "when strong
men. losing an Sclf-cOntrol. broke down
and. sobbcd like children. Lee stood
forth aS great aS i'm the days OF victory
and triumph. No disaster crushed his
spirit: mo- extremity of danger ruiiied
his bearing. lie looked the stubborn
facts calmly in the face, and, when no
military resources remained, when ne
recognized the impoSSibility OF making
another march or fighting another bat
ltlc. he bowed his head I'm submission TO
|that Power which makes and unmakcS
nations. The surrender OF the frag-
mcnts of the Army OF Northern Virginia
closed the impcriShablc record OF his
military life. What catastrophe.
What a moving and pathetic contrast.
ION the one side complete and dazzling
triumph after a long session OF humili-
.ating disasters; ON the other absolute
ruin and defeat.
iNAcNAN1,urY OF TIE CoNQUERoR~.
But the magnauimity of the conqucror
mot less than the fOrtitudc OF the van
.QuiShcd Shoue out Of the solemn scene
aud softcncd its tragic outlines of fate
and doom. The moderation and good
sense of the Northern people. breath
ing the large and generous air of our
Western world, quickly responded To
Grants example. and though the North
was afterward betrayed into fanatical
and bancful excess ON more than one
great subject. all the herccr passions OF
"a bloody civil war were rapidly eNtin-
|ruiShcd. There was 20 bc no Poland. no
Ireland I'm America. When the Holly
wood pyramid was raising over the Con-
federatc dead soon after the close OF the
contest. some one suggested for the IN
Scription a classic verse, which may be
rendered: They died for their country.
Their country persisted with them. ''
Thus would have spoken the voice of
despair. FarditTerent We're the thoughts
.of Lee lie had drawn his sword In
obedience only tc the dictates OF duty
and honor. and looking back in that
moment of utter defeat, he might have
exclaimed with DemOSthenc>: Il say
that. II the event had been manifest TO
the whole world beforehand, not even
then ought Athens 90 have tOrSakcn
.tbis course. if Athens had any regard
for her glory or for her past. or the ages
tn come" But. facing the duty OF the
hour. Lee saw now that the question
submitted 90 the great arbitramcnt
of war had been finally answered.
lie recognized that the unity OF the
American people had been irrevocably
established. He felt that it would be
impietv and crime 20 diShonOr by the
petty strife of faction that pure and UNI
selfish struggle for constitutional rights
which. while a single hope remained
had been lovally fought out by great
armies. led 10y heroic captains ana SuS-
tanned bv the patriotic sacrifice OF Il
noble and reSolutc people. lie, thcre-
fore. promptly counSeled his old soldiers
10 look upon the great country thus re-
united bv blood and iron As their own.
and to live and labor for lis honor ana
welfare. His conduct was In accord
with these teachings. Day 10y day his
tevomDle illustrated what his manly
words declared. that "human virtue
I t..,,id b, o,ual IN buman calamity.
CLOSING TRIBUTE.
After brief reference to the remain
dor of Lees life. passed i'm the discharge
of his duties aS President of Washington
. college the orator ended his address as
follows
Ills goodness makes Us love his great
ness. And the fascination when ms
matchleSS combination eNertS Is ltScll
symptom and a source in us OF moral
health. As long as our people truly loNe
aud venerate him there will remain IN
them principle of good. for all the stu
nendouS wealth and power which IN the
last 80 years have lifted these States TO
the foremost rank among the nations oI
the earth are less subject Tor prlu'
than this one heroic man. the human
uroduct of our country and its in>tllu-
lions. Let this monument. then. leach
In generations Yet unborn these lessons
of his life Let il stand. not recoru
Of civil strife. but as perpetual protest
against whatever is low and >ordld IN
our private and public objects. Let IL
stand As a memorial OF personal honor
that never brookcd a stain: or knightly