The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-04-13
Our American Giant.

| To the Editor OF The Post.
Waelder Texas, April 11.--He is not
| of any great stature, nor of such marked
intellect, therefore he is neither a physical
| nor mental giant; but he is the great
| living representative OF American loyalty
/ and courage, veritable giant In char
| acter, comprising all those traits that are
| SO dear to an American patriots heart
| is General Fitzhugh Lee.
| What is the use of waiting to erect
| monuments and to compose eulogies in
honor of the dead? There would not be SO
| many dead If we were more just and APP
| precative of the living.
| What If newspapers columns are filed
| with appreciative utterances OF General
| Lees services in behalf of our nation at
| Havana? We as a nation, would show
| ingratitude- and especially so when we re-
member that in this land OF the brave
and home of the free we have always
advocated the principle taught by that
grand old Roman centuries ago: Render
honor unto whom Il is due'--if we did not
commend and honor our magnificent consul.
We Southernors ought TO feel justly
proud of this specimen of courage and al
most matchless bravery grown from Vir-
ginia's soil, when even beyond the Potomac
his name has become household word.
Perhaps he is admired universally Le-
cause he has lest his identity, his nativity;
for we forget that he is a Virginian and
all OF America is proud to claim him as
loyal citizen. Perhaps 1t is because he
has lost his personality and has become
part of National life. part of National
history. Perhaps 1t may be that he has
lost his wealinesses-for every character
contains some. but in the great, they are
lost in the very glamor of their greatness
in the minds of American people But he
justly merits their admiration, as he has
earned his greatness For, in our Repub
lie, we are neither born great nor have
greatness thrust upon us" but we must
achieve greatness and, to achieve it,
we must show real worth by nobility of
mind and soul, by character.
Who then is wortbest or has shown
himself of the strongest moral stamina,
the greatest living inpersonatlon of cour-
age and loyalty in performing a National
duty, an onerous one connected with dan
gers and hardships at this trying time, us
crisis is threatening our National life I?
No well-informed American who has any
gratitude will hesitate to answer: General
Fitzbugh Lee"
Yes, he has proven himself the grandest,
greatest type Of American manhood-our
moral giant of the Nineteenth century.
American people are singing his praises |
and his name is being waited from ocean |
to ocean.
Justly is he the greatest man in public
life today. And why? Simply because he is
loyal to his duty, answering in his fidel-
ny because he so nobly fulfilled the mis-
sion that the nation entrusted to him. be-
cause he has proven his worth has earned
the greatness that the American family has
bestowed upon him. Well becoming to this
eN-rebel' are the laurels that the North
Is placing up on his brow, and with true
southern grace does he wear these CYAN
kee' honors,
Yes, the nation is Justly proud of this
specimen OF American courage and lavish
" do both North and South pour our their
edmlration upon him. their most idolized
son, their great courageous giant
Leila Fisher Woodward