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.


mortal Exercises at the Graded
School. January 18th:
Ladies and Gentlemen This day
has been set apart by the State Of
South Carolina as public holiday,
and this occasion has been appropri.
ately selected for the purpose of IN
structing the large number cf 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 De impressed with the
grandeur and nobility of the man
who was born on this dag, ninety
years ago, who lived sixty.three
years, and died as we shall show,
leaving behind him a reputation ana
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 The
living man scorned fu|some 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 TIE beautiful thought with
which Mr. Hammond opened "is
nob!e eelogv upon South Carolina'~
greatest son, John G Caiicun :.lr
Hammond said ''Fa;tl: is ~ in
st;nct Of the human heart, lis strong
est, It's purest and It's noblest Il:
stinct the parent Ct love and Of
hope. in all ages and everywhere
Mankind have adored and put their
trust in tie 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 IL degree for
those Of their own race who have
especially been endowed with an cx.
traordinarv degree of intellect or of
virtue. The ancient heatllen deifed
them amongst the early Christians
they we're enrolled among the saints.
1t is shallow and base philosophy
which finds superstition in such
usage only, and fails to recognize the
working of 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 tc these children
here assembled and to all our audi
ence that Robert Edmund Lee stood
in the frcnt 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 q great soldier, per
haps the greatest Of this or any oihcr
age, bat the world has been produc
tive of ,nany great soldiers Tnrv
have been found in all counties and
in ell time, but by q careful! analysis
It WI appear that in addition to his
sol(lerly Qualities Gen lee pos~ess
ed also IL eminent degree all those
rarer traits which constitute pcl;rct
manhood and heroic vittuc Merit is
comparative We shall draw honest
portraitures of the great military
geniuses WHO have adorned history,
and ::c shall STOW that not one Of
these possessed that rounded, com
pletc aud perfecs character vbieh
had embeJliSi.cd the man whose britt
day We tbs day celebrate >cilill~s
was sad 10 have been Of ;;iviti.s o.
e.;il h:- po.e.s IN arms wa CON
sp:cuoes &.nuu@ great chieita;ils. bat
il vii! be oEselved tb.t sucN w..s
his soliis}lncss ot cjla.&cte: that ise
wisii,itcw from She service q rs
aI!ic- 5cc9t:sa ,.soetf. wfete:4o,
captive uas .:resteG :ecin :.f1,.-
hv lis commanding chiet -. iic-
Is pcgilapS !. tireif.opS potse.:aas {
ae c,lI 5...-~ t.e 1p5e la u ii.t.tf>f
and efp..t itelo.e Hfs5s Ii.
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