The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1894-03-15
JUBAL A. EARLY.


THE NOTED CONFEDERATE AS
| SAILED AND DEFENDED.
A Pointed Criticism Called Forth
by an Editorial in the Whining
ton Messenger on the Life and
Character of the Dead Hero
| DR.. Kingsbury Replies and De-
fends His Position and the De-
ceased Warrior in an Able and
Creditable Manner.
EDITOR OF THE MEsSENGER:-The wide
| influence of the Messenger and it's fine
reputation as cOnServatOr OF morals
furnish my plea for venturing protest
against the tenor OF your editorial In
last Sundays issue on the death of Gen.
Early. For his dauntless courage, his
military achievements, and his whole
hearted devotion to the Southern cause,
he is worthy of all praise. But in view of
some of this man s personal habits, and
especially in view of his long connection
with that grizzly horror" the Louisiana
Lottery, is it quite the thing to set him
forth before our youth as one Of the
breed OF noble bloods?" He may have
been faithful to highest convictions -
but if SO, want our boys to know that
in the Judgment of some persons, his
convictions could not have been very
high. After the war "other fellows went
over to the enemy we are told, and
"obtained their reward Must we un-
derstand, then, that such splendid
soldiers as Longstreet, Malone and
Moshy are to be denounced for joining
another political party, while another
soldier, in no way their superior, can run
for years an Infamous swindle and still
be glorified? Such an editorial as | am
sure you would write on the character
and management of the Louisiana
Lottery, if put alongside that on the
"mighty interesting reading
Concerning the dead nothing but
good Certainly, unless their soiled
character is held up for indiscriminate te
admiration; then we must draw the line
This writer is free to own that he is grow
ing a little weary of "heroes" whose
only decoration is war-paint.
R.T. VANS.
Scotland Neck, n. c.
The above peppery criticism upon
the character of the late Gen. Early,
of Virginia, is by the pastor of the
Baptist church at Scotland Neck. The
Messenger has censured Gen. Beaure-
gard and Gen. Early for their con-
nection with the Louisiana Lottery
1t always regretted their course in this
matter. They may possibly have
regarded it from a standing point
altogether different from that occupied
by their censors. There is not the
shadow of doubt that both of these
able men, faithful soldiers and genuine
heroes were men Of unsullied honor
The Virginians are perhaps better
qualified to Judge OF the character of
Gen. Early than Mr.. Vann is. We
have never seen such high prase-so
general, SO hearty, SO united-heaped
upon any North Carolnian in any
field of usefulness and distinction as
upon him. The character portrayed
in the editorials of Virginia's leading
newspapers, and the high encomiums
from their correspondents, give assur
ance that Jubal A. Early, despite his
identification with lottery that was
legalized by State, was held to be
superior man, with a great and gener-
Gus nature, with heart that beat 10y
ally for his South, for his people of all
sorts and conditions.
1t is the fashion nova growing
one we regret to believe-for the
younger portion of our people to turn
up their noses in contempt at the men
of war, and to grow restive under their
renewed favors and recorded honors.
They either covet the places, envy the
good fortune or are not responsive to
the acclaim of the surviving soldiers
who were at the front and did all that
men dare do for principles, for con-
victions of duty, for country. Our
distinguished Senator Vance is victim
now of severe criticism, that often is
remarkably unjust, but the assault
does not come from the veterans of
1861-65, but from men who have
grown up since, and fail to appreciate
the great services and sacrifices and
personal merit of the leaders and
soldiers in the great war Of second
independence.
Gen. Early was gentleman, if not
a Christian. If all men who were
not Christians who served with dis
tinCtiOn in the war are to be detested
and assaulted, the roll of the brave
will have TO suffer many an erasure.
We make no apology, have no word
to recall, for what we said of Gen.
Early. He was hero in high sense
not fleckless surely, not blameless,
not of ideal perfection. He was not
Sir Henry Havelock or Robert E.
Lee or Stonewall Jackson, in his
piety or religious character and lite.
He was not a Sir Galahad of Ten
nyson, but he was a man of most
scrupulous honor, veracity equal to
any test, a character OF singular
nobility in many particulars, and
commanded the admiration Of the
best men in Virginia, the State ne
loved with great love, and for which
he would have willingly died.
We die not hold him up as model
for imitation, for our own ideal is the
Christian hero-the man of God, the
meek and lowly follower of the meek
and lowiy Jesus, the Nazarene. If we
misplace our admiration in the case OF
Gen. Early, as Mr.. Nann thinks, we
can only say that it is because we
revere personal heroisn, personal
fidelity to liberty and the people, and
an unswerving loyalty to the canse
espoused in spite of failure, of calamity,
of unpopularity, Of denunclation and
be,rayal on the part Of others TCtria