South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1891-01-30
4 Tribute to True Greatness.


The celebrations held on Mondav
in various psrts Of the country ia
honor OF the li:thday OF Gen. Robert
e Lee were a. remarkable for their
conservatism and COOL taste a. for
their earnes, ness and patriotic feel.
ing. No true American can object Ia
the appropriate observance of An An .
niversafy which calls to mind the pri.
vste and public virtues OF ons who
wss. In many respects. the foremost
man OF his generation In fact, moth.
log can 90 strengthen national pstri.
ot'sm and awaken enthusiasm AZ 40
recall the noble and admirable
traits OF the great men who have hx-
ured In our history. and TO study the
qualities which gave them fame. No
country can afford TO forget single
one OF its heroes, for every heroic ac-
ton. ever heroic life represents a
moral value FAR above mere material
progress and achievement, ani is a
rich source ofinsp'ration and st-cnalh
Tor oil future generations. Each one
OF such lives teach,s It's own lesson
and as rule furnishes an example
and model Of soue particular phase
Of human greatness. Occasionally
there Is q lie which is as great in its
moral completeness and harmony a.
Ia It's elevation. Such = career was
that OF Washington At the bsginninq
OF our history, such another Ras that
of Lee, at the close of the & rat period
OF our national government. Wash.
ington can never be forgotten as long
as republican Institutions endure or
he English tongue Is spoken, and
Lee, 1t is beginning to be tolerably
certain, is destined TO no less glori.
Gus Immortality. In general, the
generations near in time to O great
man render him at best but q erudg.
Ing homage. They do not under.
stand how far above them he really
Is and try to study him with micro.
scope instead OF q telescope. But
Lee had the coed fortune to be UNDER
stood and appreciated elmost from
the beginning by his contemporaries,
and has won victory over the minds
OF his former opponents more notable
than their military triumph over him.
Dispassionate men of every section
and every party recognize him now
as great American. and as such
they delight to do him honor. Gen.
.eral Lees life is peculiarly valuable
ana important at the present day
Tor the reason that it points certain
moral lessons that are especially need.
ca Jost now. Duty, patriotism, hon.
or, self.sacrifce, simplicity, truth
and courage were his guiding stars,
AMI be followed them wherever they
ledjwithout regard 70 results or per-
sonai consequences. The direction
OF his course was not determined by
questions OF expediency or policy,
but OF right. Greed of gain, The lust
of gold. the hope Of preferment, love
OF ostentatious display or popular APP
plause had no place In his heart.
Standing on the threshold OF an ers,
which is unfortunately distinguished
by too many Of the vices and corrup.
lions. public and private, that sap
and destroy national welfare, he was
q remarkable embodiment of those
virtues that make even an ordinary
man the noblest work Of God, and
which givs to intellectual greatness q
sill brighter glory. II General Lees
character were taken by every young
man In the ou1try today as a model
for imitation this Union OF ours In
the course of few years would be
raised as far above its present moral
level as !. is now below that which 1t
occupied when 1t was formed. The
generous spirit in which Federal sol
diers and officers usi.ed Monday in
paying tribute to bis memory proves
how strong his name IL in popular
respect and honor, and how ccm-
pletely his nobility Of heart and mind
have conquered sectional prejudice
and antipathy. Such gatherings as
that in Baltimore, New York and
elsewhere show that but for the. mar
row, bitter partisans who live by in.
flaming passion and hatred the coun.
try would be more thoroughly united
than ever before, and sectional divis-
ions would disappear as political iss
sues. In spite OF parIisans, however,
the spirit Of fraternity and good will
is bound in the ED to conuuer, and
among the influences that will aid In
the restoration of perfect brother.
hood none will be moro potent than
that of character which represents
all that 10 best, purese aud nobiest 10
American manhood Baho. Sun,
Ton 90