The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1897-01-27
Robt. E. Lee.
Gen. E. w. Noises Tribute
to the South's Greatest
Soldier and Citizen.

The following address was deliv.
cred by Gen. Noise at the Lee Me-
mortal Exercises at the Graded
School, January 10Th:
Ladies and Gentlemen This day
has been set apart by the State of
South Carolina as a public holiday,
and this occasion has been appropri-
ately selected for the purpose of. in
structing the large number of the
youth of this city and county IN the
reasons which have induced the
State to make this day one of almost
religious observance. 1t is import
ant that the young people of this
country should be impressed with the
grandeur and nobility of the man
who was born on this day, ninety
years ago, who lived sixty.three
years, and died as we shall show,
leaving behind him reputation and
a name which is the brightest jewel
in the crown of his native State. the
mother of States and statesmen
We are not here to deliver a pene-
gyric upon Robert E. Lee. .sThe
living man scorned fulsome aduIation
and his living spirit. if permitted to
be with us now. would reject with
scorn any testimonial which could
not bear the scrunity of time and the
pure test of truth The character
of Gen Lee can gain nothing from
what we may say here to day. We
are not hero worshippers. but we
adopt the beautiful thought with
which Mr.. Hammond opened mis-
noble eulogy upon South Cardinals
greatest son, John c. Calhoun Mr.
Hammond said /: "Faith is an in.
stinct of the human heart, its strong
est, its purest and its noblest in
stinct the parent of love and Of
hope. in all ages and everywhere.
Mankind have adored and put their
trust in the great Ruler of the uni
verse, and descending from the holy
and infinite to the human and finite,
they have entertained the same senti-
meats, differing only in degree for
those of their own race who have,
especially been endowed with an ex-
traordinary degree of intellect or of
virtne. The ancient heather dei6ed
them amongst the early Christians
they were enrolled among the saints.
It is shallow and base philosophy
which finds superstition in such
usage only, and fails to recognize the
working of a profound admiration
and veneration for the attributes of
God as manifested in His favorite
creations" With strict truth and
simple, unadorned statement we pro
pose to demonstrate to these children
here assembled and 10 all our audi
ence that Robert Edmund Lee stood
in the front of gifted mortals, either
of this or of any other age, and we
propose to prove it by the unbiased
testimony Of the civilized world.
Gen Lee was great soldier, per-
haps the greatest of this or any other
age, but the world has been produc-
tive of many great soldiers They
have been found in all countries and
in all time, but by careful! analysis
it will appear that in addition to his
soldierly qualities Gen Lee possess
ed also in eminent degree all those
rarer traits which constitute perfect
manhood and heroic virtue Merit is
comparative. We shall draw honest
portraitures Of the great military
geniuses who have adorned history,
and we shall show that not one of
these possessed that. rounded, com.
plete and perfect character which
had embellished the man whose birth.
day we this day celebrate; Achilles
was said to have been of divine ori-
gin his powers in arms was con-
spicuous among great chieftains. but
it will be observed that such was
his selfshness of character that he
withdrew from the service of his
allies because forsooth wretched
captive was wrested from his arms
by his commanding chief. Achilles
is perhaps fictitious parsonage, yet
he embodies the epic idea of the first
and greatest of heroic writers With
Gen Lee there was no selfishness
His high soul claimed no credit for
his achievements, but gave all praise
to that overruling Providence to
which he ascribed his greatest sue
cess and in fact all of his victories.
Alexander conquered the Eastern
e.: Dtxk,,.