The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-01-30

lUH anu IdlIIck IICnISg itikt IGtilCnluNI
one from Van Writ beginning, WHO
was Blennerhassett?" that was very pop
ular. 1t is time this younger generation
were speaking a speech beginning, WHO
was Robert E. Lee?" But if they don't
speak it these annual reminders will
cause them to talk it and think about it.
We celebrate the Fourth of July be-
cause it was the birthday OF a nation
and the 22nd day OF February because
it was the birthday Of Washington, the
father of that natiOn-a man Of whom
General Lees father said First in
war, first in peace, and first in the
hearts OF his countrymen." What
wonderful statue was the "Old Do
minionw What was in the air that
| caused it to produce such a galaxy OF
great men as Washington and the Lees
and Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, Ran
dolph, Patrick Henry and others in
revolutionary days, and in later days
such great generals as Lee, Johnston,
Longstreet, Jackson, Stuart, Ashby and
Thomas?
There have been many great men.
| There have been many more good men,
but the men who have been both great
and good are few Greatness and good
ness are not twins. Indeed, they are
seldom OF any kin. When Abner was
slain David said: "A great man has this
day fallen in Israel and so might he
said of David and Solomon and Constan-
tine and Caesar and Cromwell and Ma
poleon and many others who were great,
some dark blot upon their name and
their fame that marred its brightness.
Lord Bacon was one Of the greatest
OF men, but he was far from being good.
War s perhaps the severest test OF
great mans goodness. 1t tries his heart
as well as his mind and makes protest
Of all his emotions. No man in the an
nails of history has stood this test better
! than Robert e: Lee. Stonewall Jackson
was no doubt as good man, but he
was not so great, SO brave, so command
ing. Albert Sidney Johnston was proba-
bly, as good and as great as Lee, but
his opportunities to prove ii were sud
denly arrested by his untimely death.
Even Washington was not so great
general as Lee, for he had but little
military training, while Lee was edu-
Gated carefully in the art of war-was
the ranking graduate in a class Of forty
two at West Point, was for three years
in charge of that institution and had
large and varied experience in the war
with Mexico, in addition to all
these advantages, he inherited d
talent for commanding men, for he
was the son OF Henry Lightfoot Lee
Lighthouse Harry, who was Washing
tons favored friend and military adj
wiser, and whose bones have honOred
Georgia soil on Cumberland island. 1t
is worthy of mention that our General
Lees grandmother was Lucy Grymes,
the first love of General Washington,
She was known as the "lOwland beau
ty." 1t grieved her to reject his add
dresses, but he comfOrted himself soon
after by marrying the Widow Gusts.
This widow GUSTS was the grandmother
| of General Lees wife, Mary Randolph
GUSTS. And so the Lees and the Wash
ingtons got as close together as they
could.
Ninety-one years ago 10000 people
| were born on the same day with General
Lee, but not one of them stands out in
such bold and beautiful relief. He gets
greater and grander as the years roll on.
More biographies have been written and
published of him than of any other man.
Nine are already before the people and
another now in press. His noble life
and public service have commanded the
| admiration of the observing world and
all the commentator that the English
language could give to a man has been
given TO him. There are no more nouns
Of praise-no more cOmparativeS or su-
perlatives left in our vocabulary. Thus
| it does not become me to add anything
to these tributes. 1t is enough to say
that after all these years since his death
in 1870, the climax has been reached
when a northern man, the president of
| Northern college, has at last v0lun-
tarily placed him at the head of the
column and pronounced him peerless
that greatest general of modern times
| and the best Of men. Furthermore, this
| DIR. Andrews, who was himself sol
| der in the Northern army, makes bold
| to say: His cause was not the lost
cause so much as is suspected The doc
trine Of States rights, for which he
fought, as now interpreted by our SUI
preme court, is in exact accordance with
his claims upon this point"
When Robert Emmett, the illustrioust
Irish patriot, was condemned to death
| for treason, he made a memorable ad-
dress to his judges and said: Until
Ireland is free, let no man write my
epitaph." And so when General Lee
was on his last bed and realized that
death was near, he requested that no
| funeral Grafton should be pronounced.
His request was observed, but since then
the Southern people could not be re-
strained from giving vent to their love
! and admiration. Monuments and stat
ues have been erected, Orations have
been pronounced and biographies written
too numerous to be recited. Notable men
of all countries have joined in the tri-
! butes and said Of him as Virgil said Of
/ aGann arIua of Virun - II hoS