The age-herald., 1901-11-12
ChaYles Froncss 4Adams'
 Tribute t0 Geney0LR. z. Lee


 ter. Some years ago l was closely asS ginia. It was General Alexander who, had been chief of artillery in Longstreet's famous corps, and who, in April. 1865, was, if my recollection is correct. chief of artillery of the Army of Northern Vir- ginia It was General Alexender who, in 1863, fought with General Hunt of the Army of the Potomac, the famous artil- lery duel which preceded, on July B. the memorable charge of Picketts division at Gettysburg. In the course of many conversations with General Alexander, whose memory, singularly accurate as well as tenacious, was also supported by memoranda taken at the time, he more than once gave me an account of which l retain the freshest possible recollection of an interview which followed close up- on that with General Wise at Lees head quarters. General Wise evidently saw Lee at an early hour of April g. That same morning General Alexander had oc- casion to report to Lee. He knew that the Army of Virginia was in a desperate situation. Moreover, as he well knew, the Timber chects were running low; his arm of the service was in no condition to go into another engagement Yet the Idea of an abandonment of the cause had never occurred to him as among tho probabilities. All night he had lain awake thinking as to what was next to be done. Firally he had come to the con- clusioE that there was but one course to pursue. The Army of Virginia, while nominally capitulating, must in reality disperse and those composing 1t should be instructed. whether individually or as part of attachments, to get to his own state in the most direct way and short est possible time, and report to the Gov ernor thereof with a view to a further continuance resistance.
 Thus, exactly what is now taking place In South Africa was to take place in the Confectionery. General Alexander told me that as he passed his batteries on his way to headquarters the men called out to him in cheery tones that there were still some rounds remaining in the cais- sions, and that they were ready to renew the fight. Riding rapidly to his destina- tion, General Alexander found Lee seated on the trunk of fallen tree before dy- ing campfire He was dressed in his uni- form. Full of the idea which ominated his mind, Alexander said that he sprang from his horse and, advanced to Lee. knelt down beside him, leaning against the log on which he was seated, and pro- ceeded almost at once to propound his plan, for 1t seemed to him the only plan worthy of consideration. AS he went on General Lee. looking steadily into the fire with an abstracted air, listened pa- tiently Alexander said his full say. A brief pause ensued, which Lee finally broke in somewhat these words: No General Alexander, that will not dol You must remember we are Christian pco- pie. We have fought this fight as long and as well as we know how We have been defeated. For us, as Christian people, there Is now but one course to pursue. We must accept the situation: these men must go home and plant a crop, and we must proceed to build up our country on a new basis. We cannot have n ha me gest." l remember being deeply impress ed with Alexander's comment, as he re- peated these words to Lee. They had evidently burned themselves Into his memory He said 'I had nothing more to say. I felt that the man had scared way up above me-he dominated me com pletely. I rose from beside him, silently mounted my horse, rode back to my com mand and waited for the order to sur render"
 Then and there Lee decided It's course for the Confederacy. And I take 1t there is not one solitary man in the United States today, North or South, who does not feel that he decided right.
 The army of Northern Virginia, 1t will be remembered, laid down it's arms at Appomattox on April g. What Johnston might do was still open to question, but Lees act decided his. There is vivid description in Pollard's book think. of an interview which. immediately after Lees surrender, took place between Jeff ferson Davis and Johnston at the head quarters of the latter. The two had met to consider the situation. Davis stub- born In temper and bent on policy of continuous irregular resistance, developed his plan with much earnestness. John ston mutely listened to him. Finally the ex-president of the Confederacy lapsed into silence. Johnston then said: "Mr. President. do you wish my opinion?" Davis intimated that he was there for the purpose of receiving it. Thereupon Johnston brought the conversation to a close with the pregnant words: MT President. the South feels that 1t is whip ped, and is tired of the way"
 What Lees Choice Meant.
 Recalling the circumstances of that time 1t is fairly appalling to consider what in 1865 must have occurred had Rob- ert E. Lee then been of the same turn of mind as was Jefferson Davis, or as i'm placable and unyielding in disposition as Kruger and Botha have more recently proved. The national government had in arms a million men, inured to the hardships and accust omed to the brutali- ties of war; Lincoln had been freshly as- sassinated; the temper of the north was thoroughly aroused, while its patience was exhausted. An irregular warfare would inevitably have resulted, warfare without quarter. The Confectionery would have been reduced to a smoldering will derness-to that South Africa Is today In such death grapple the north both in morals and in means would have suffered only less than the south. From both sec- tions that fate was averted.
 Ii is not my purpose to enter into any criticism of the course of events in South Africa, or of the policy there on either side pursued. It will be for the future to decide whether the prolonged irregular resistance we are witnessing Is justif1able, or. if justifiable, whether 1t Is wise. Neither of these questions do propose to discuss My purpose simply is to call attention, in view of what is now taking place elsewhere, to the narrow escape. we our selves. thirty-six years ago, had from a similar awful catastrophe. And I again say that as we look today upon Kruger and Botha and DeWet, and the situation existing in the Transvaal and the Orange Free State, I doubt if one single man in the United States-north or south whether he participated in the civil war or was born since that war ended-would fail to acknowledge an infinite debt of gratitude to the Confederate leader who, on April 9, 1865. decided as he did de- eide, that the United States. whether Con- federate or Union, was Christian com munity, and that his duty was to accept the responsibility which the fate of war had imposed upon him-to decide in favor of a new national life even if slowly and painfully to be built up by his own people under conditions arbitrarily and by force imposed upon them.
 Seventh National Opens Today,