Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1897-12-30
A Tribute TO Lee.

DR.. + Benjamin Andrews, Presi-
dent of Brown University, pro-
claimed General Robert +. Lee the
most valiant and most heroic mill
tary genius of modern times. He
did not discredit the bravery and
valor of the leaders under whom he
himself fought, He gave the head
OF the Confederate army more glory
because he had to face killing pro-
blems in addition to the ordinary
puzzles of the severest fight that his.
tory knows. The Grafton was one of
masterful eloquence, delivered by a
man built for an orator, with a roll
ing voice and the presence of a giant.
He spoke with the air of powerful
and firmest conviction. There were
many in the audience who saw read
lily how he stood before the trustees
Of his institution last summer and
told them he would recall his resig-
nation and become president again,
with the understanding that he was
to think and act as he had thought
and acted or might think and act in
the future on matters of public utter
est. The trustees agreed.
General Lee Joined the Confed.
eracy because Virginia asked him
to-" said the doctor. "H He was a
Virginian. The call of Virginia to
any Of her sons is the voice of law
and duty. He had the faith of the
crusader; his letters would make n
guide to holiness. He was always
soldier, never impure in thought
or Gnt, never profane or obscene.
lie did not touch the cup as did
Grant, Hooker, or Phil Sheridan,
and when he lost fight it was never
said of him that The defeat was due
to habit which makes mems heads
into muddles. He was never out
generated by Grant in all the cam
paigns from Rappahannock to James
river, never trapped and never
caught mapping. 1t usually hap
pened that when the men on our side
ordered march at ; in the morning
they never made more than half the
distance between the two armies.
Lee had ordered an advance at 4:3o.
fail to find in the books any
such masterful generalship as this
hero showed, holding that slim, gray
line, half starved, with no prospect
of additions, and fighting when his
army was too hungry to stand and
the rifles were only useful as clubs.
His courage was sublime. He was
as great as Gustavus Adolphus, or
Napoleon, or Wellington, or Won
Moltke. His cause was not the lost
cause so much as is suspected. All
that was good in his cause has been
grated into our laws and constitu-
ton. The doctrine of states rights
as now interpreted by the supreme
court in exact accordance with his
claims on the point. General Lee
lost at Gettysburg because the Fed
eral troops had received new mo-
tor of tremendous strength, whose
power no one knew-General Han
cock. He also lost because Meade's
men were fighting on Union soil
almost in hearing distance of the
prayers of their wives and children
for victory. They were at their
hearthstones. Men are tigers when
wives and families are the inspira-
ton in war.
DIR. Andrews blames General Burn.
side for throwing away the battle of
Fredicksburg and General Pope for
losing ground because of bombast at
the first try for Richmond. The
summary of his estimate of Lee COM
pared with the Federal generals is
that he was as brave, more watchful
and doubly skillful, in addition to
having his head filled all the time
with miseries and disappointments
which did not exist on the other side
OF the line. He concluded by de-
claring that he was glad the republic
is getting to that state of mind where
1t is beginning to give credit to man.
hoou and valor without regard to
section, boundaries or parties.-
Chicago Times Herald.