Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1901-11-21
THE SOUTH AND TIE BOERs.

Tue London Telegraph recently 10
an editorial deploriug the death OF Col.
Benson, X. A., In an action fought by
By ihe column under that officer with
thousand Beers directed by Louis
B,iba 10 person concludes the srIicle
ss low:
"Wh England srudges is the un'
necessary loss of life. The friends OF
the Boels in this country, encourage
the purposeless struggle by assuring
them that fjr every month they can
o, oloug the cor q ct they are morally
esti;led TO better terms. Even Mr..
John Morley, il he has to choose be-
tween determination aud surrender.
caste MS vote Tor the latter. Ii is not
for IA Uut for the Beers 20 decide
whether il shall be exteTmina;ion or
not And 10 this connection We would
advise Wavering patriots to study he
lecture which Mr.. @. F. Adams (son Of
former United States Minister to
Eoglsud) addressed to the American
Antiquarian Society recently. he
drew 3 parallel between the Civil War
in America end that which Is now
dssolating South Africa, "merely to
call attention, 10 view OF what is now
taking place elsewhere, TO the narrow
escape we ourselves (lbe Americans),
tni-ty-six years ago, had from
similar awful CATASTROPHE" Who was
10 that spared the United States this
ilsa,tr? Not the corquerors, by re-
Lea,edly profsrog terms of peace,
out lhe vsuq1isheG, by realising
mat "ell had been done that
mao could 90 sDd all been done
20 vaiD." a braver soldier, more
skilfnl general, a better Chris
.ap, or a insr gentiemAs nevsr u'.
sRsathed sword than Robert Edward
l.ee, nor one more thoroughly con-
viuced OF the jus ice of he cause he
bad su splendidIy defended. Before
the surrender OF Appomattox Lee was
urged to continue a guerilla warfare,
tor The prosecution of which he had far
better resources than any at the dis
pos Al Of the Beers SINE the surrender
of PrinsIOo. He refused to adopt thus
course on the around that slaughter
which led TO no definite goal was 20
ce;ter than murder. 10 bis first letter
to General Lee his opponent, General
G,aot. bad said: "Cbe result of the last
week must convince you Of the hope
l,ssness Of iurther resistance on
he part of the Amy OF Northern
Virginia in this struggle. 1 feel
ha il is go, and regard it az COY duty
t. & ift from myself the responsi-
oility Of any further eflnsion ol
blood by asking The surrender OF that
portion oi the Confederate States army
known Be the Army OF Northero Vr-
pinia." To which Lee replied: Though
not entertaining the opinion you ex-
press on the hopeiessoess OF further re-
sistsDce, l reCiprocate your desire 70
avoid useless efGslon oil blood, and IN
q later no,e be said: ITO be frank,
do rot Thick the emergency hes arisen
to call for the surrender OF this army,
but as the restoration OF peace should
be the sole OF sct of all desire TO know
whether your proposal would lead TO
tbat end" Grant had no terms to Of
! fer beyond those which the Beers have
mad before them for year. Lees words
| 10 iriend alter the war was over might
| we'll be addressed 10 the enemy today:
"Ii you intend to reside in this country
and wish to do your part 10 the restora-
tion OF your State and in the govern
msnt Of the country, which | think 1t Is
the duty OF every citizen 10 do, know
of 90 oil sction TO your taking the am
oesty OATH"