Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-10-27
Roosevelt on the Southern Soidiers'


About two weeks ago you published an
extract from a new book-"The Lie Oh
Thomas II. Benton,'-by Mt. Roosevelt
in which the author says that the south
ern soldiers were confessedly superior
to the northern; and that deneral Lee
was the greatest military COMMANDER
ever produced by the English-speaking
neoples. although his chief opponent
General Grant-ranks in history with
Wellington and Napoleon. lent the
pauer containing that extract to neigh
Dor, and It has not been returned.
VIII II suit your convenience to repup-
fish IL. with q much more OF the same
sort as you can find room Tor, ana teh
US what you know OF the autnor!
IL seems to me to be very remarkable
statement from northern man. but II
is very pleasant reading to southerners:
II this sort Of thing goes on 1t will not be
a very long time before We shall be asked
TO aid in building n monument to Gene
raj Lee in Washington city; or, II may
he on Boston Common.
May the "Auspicious Fates" hasten the
welcome day. p. NJ. PARHAM.
We reproduce the quotation from Mr..
Rooseyelts Life Of Benton" with the
context, which we omitted to publish.
The context does not modify at all the
tribute to the Confederate soldiery and
their grand leader. but shows the train
of thought which led up to 1t.
A class OF professional non-combatants
Is as hurtful TO the real. healthy growth
of a nation as is class OF flre-eaters:
for a weakness or folly Is naturally as
bad as a vice, or worse: and. in the long
run. a Quaker may be quite as unde-
slrable a citizen as duellist. NO man
who is not willing to bear arms and to
fight for his rights can give good rea-
son why he should be entitled to the
privileges OF living in free community
The decline Of the militant spirit IN the
Northeast during the first half or this
century was much to be regretted. To
n "a due more than any other cause
the undoubted average individual inferi-
GRITTY OF the northern compared to
the southern troops; at any rate. at
the beginning of the great war OF the
rebellion. The southerners by their
whole mode OF living. their habits,
and their love Of outdoor sports. kept up
their warlike spirit; while in the North
the so-calied upper classes developed along
the lines Of wealthy and timid bourgeoisie
type. measuring everything by mer-
camille standard "a peculiarly depasing
one, III tdktu purify ieSN'Aft
hitting to be ruled in local affairs by
low, foreign mobs. and In national mat
ters by their arrogant southern kinsmen.
The militant spirit OF these last certain
IL stood them in good stead In the civil
war.
The world has never seen better sol
| dlers than those who followed Lee: and
their leader will, undoubtedly. rank as
without any exception, the very greatest
| OF all the great captains that the Eng
lish-sreaklng peoples have brought forth;
| and this although the last and chief OF
| his antagonists. may himself claim 10
stand as the full equal OF Marlborough
and Wellington. Thomas II. Benton. by
| Theodore Roosevelt. p. 81 and IS.
Mr.. Roosevelt is q laborious and scholar
| ~ man. ard has made American history
a speciality in his studies, as IL apparent
| from many valuable contributions from
his prolific pen. in published volumes. as
well as in the great monthlies.
He is a pronounced Republican. Of great
| independence Of thought, holiness OF
| expression. and force Of character. and
| IL lust now the controlling spirit In the
Board OF Police Commissioners Of New
York city, in their rigid enforcement OF
the excise and Sunday laws, to accept
which Office he resigned that Of United
| States Civil-Service Commissioner, to
which he had been appointed by Mr..
Cleveland.