Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-05-06
THE DEAD PAST REVIVED.


The American civil war Ia supposed
to have terminated about thirty.two
years ago, and by this time its effects,
together with most of Its un.
pleasant and unprotilable memories,
should have passed entirely away.
Nere and there, however, is found a
man or W oman In whose breast the
bitterness engendered generation
ago Is as bitter today as 1t was when
that fateiul shot was fired at Fort
Sumter; hut 1t is surprising to learn
that there is u group OF people thus
implacablo in any part OF the country,
as appears to be tue case. This aggre'
CATION Is nona other than large sec.
ton Of the q. A, II. OF New York.
1t seems That with this par.
ticular elem mt conclusion was
reached that the Standard histories OF
the day, though all the work OF
Northern writers, are too lenient In
their treatment Of the Southern gem
erals and soldiers to he satisfactory, so
publication was ordered in
which that portion OF 1t relating to the
war should DO told from the Northern
standpoint and convey the sentine nts
which the loyal element entertained
when the war closed. To this end
Prof. McMsster was employed, and
when he delivered his work he Is re-
ported to have used the following re-
markable language:
want II understood beyond doubt
that in this history the great Southern
generals in the Civil War are not con-
doned, General Lee, for example, was a
man OF education and came from West
Point This military school IL established
to make soldiers who will stand by the
government. If General Lee wished to
destroy The government he had no busl-
ness In West Point.
This leads the New York World TO
observe that "tbe assumption that
General Lee contemplated the rebel
lion at the time Of his caietship Ia
positively humorous. But the gIaver
matter Is that the chiliren OF the
country on either side are to be de-
iiberateiy schooled in this tplrit-a
spirit not shared by the people or by
the intelligent exponents OF thought
on either SIDE"
1t 10 unnecessary II not improper to
discuss the ethics OF the rebellion at
this time, but word may be said
concerning the personality OF General
Lee. There is class, not very
numerous OF course, who maze
cause that is RGiudged 10 be
bad seem to be good by being In II, and
he was one OF these. In all his life
and department hardly his enemies
have been able to point out fault.
He wsh rendered the supreme com.
mand OF the Northern forces when the
as he stated at the time, he could not
and would not draw his sword against
his native state, Virginia. He was a
Bou,berner and went with his pso-
Pile; had he been Of Northern
birth, training, and associa-
tions, he would assuredly have
gone with that people. At Appoma-
tox, after he had withstood the terri.
fic onslaughts OF the Union arms
till Resistance was no longer possible,
General Grant seemed to be possessed
OF spirit OF condonation; 1t Is per.
haps fact that he was glad OF an
opportunity to forgive b illustriOus
and capable an opponent; and when
an order was sent from the war de.
partment at Washington for Loe' .
arrest, Grant placed his own person
between the order and its execution,
declaring tina. he would resign II 1t
waS enforced. Not much of the spirit
which prompts partisan history In
that, nor any II that otner disposition
which causes men to keep OIL fighting
after the war is over. But then Ger.
ersl Grant was truly great MAI!