The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1901-11-13
NOBLE TRIBUTE
TO a GREAT HERO.
Lees Recognition Of Defeat and
His Decision Against Further
Resistance.


His Decision Against Frrthe
Resistance.
AT a recent meeting of the Massa
chusetts antiquarian society, Hor
Charles Francis Adams said:
The present seems proper occa
sion to call attention to a matter ger
name to the purpose of this society
Historical in its character, it conveys
lesson of grave import. One OF th
most unhappy and disastrous wars o
the century is now dragging itself ou
in South Africa to conclusion appar
emily still remote. There Is good rea
son to think thai the conflict by iudici
GUS action, might long since have beer
brought 10 1t close that IL io now con
tinued simply because the parties to il
cannot be brought to sensible basis oi
adjustment-a basis upon which both
are in reality ready to agrec. My pur'
pose is to draw attention to the hair.
breadth escape we ourselves had from
similar experience thirty-six years
ago, and to assign to whom it belongs
the credit of that escape. In one word
in the st;ong light Of passing events, l
think 1t is now opportune to set forth
the debt of gratitude this reunited
country of ouls---North and South =
owes to Robert E. Lee.
Most of those here remember the
state of affairs which existed in the re-
bellious portion of the United States in
April, 1865 1t was almost the identi-
cal state of affairs which existed in
South Africa at the time of the capture
of Pretoria by Roberts in June year
ago. 1t is unnecessary to refer to the
series Of events between the abandon
ment of Richmond and the surrender
of AppomattoX. The capitulation of
the Army Of Northern Virginia be came
inevitable, but the course thereafter to
be pursued as concerned further resis-
tance by the Contederacy was still to
be decided. 1t is well known that, III the
face of disaster, Jefferson Davis had not
for an instant given up the thought of
continuing the struggle. To do SC was
certainly practicable. Foreign opin-
ion, for instance, assumed as a GER
tainty of the future that the con-
quest of the Confederacy was impos-
sible that even the surrender of
all the Confederate armies would
be but the close of one phase of the
war and the opening of long, fruitless
effort to subdue united people in
region 80 past that ii would be impos-
sible to penetrate every portion of it,
much less hold it in subjection.
I" AS an historical fact, the scales on
the ninth of april hung wavering in
the balance mere turn of the hand
would decide which way they were to
incline. Thus, on the morning of that
momentous day it was an absolutely
open question, an even chance, whoth-
er the course which was actually pur-
sued should be pursued, or whether the
leaders of the Confederacy would adopt
the policy which Kruger, Botha and
DeWet have in South Africa more re-
Gently adopted, and are now following.
The decision rested in the hands of one
mantle commander of the Army of
Nortle lern Virginia. General E. p.
Alexander, Lees chief of artillery,
had come to the conclusion that the
army of Virginia, while nomlnally
capitulating, must In reality disperse
and those composing 1t instructed each
other to get to his own Slate in the
shortest possible time, and report to
the Governor thereof, with view to
further and continuous resistance.
General Alexander, riding rapidly to
headquarters found Lee seated on the
trunk of fallen tree before dying
campfire. He was dressed in uniform.
Full of the idea which dominated his
mind, Alexander sprang from his horse
and proceeded at once to PROFOUND his
plan, for it 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 patiently. Alexander said his
full say. A brief pause ensued, which
Lee finally broke In somewhat these
words mo, General Alexander, that
will not do You must remember that
we are Christian people. We have
fought this fight as long and as we'll as
we knew how. We have been defeat
ed. 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 crop, and
we must proceed to build up our COUP
try on new basis. We Cannot have
recourse to the methods you suggest
81 remember being deeply impressed
with Alexanders comment, when he
repeated these words of Lee. They
had evidently burned themselves into
his memory. He said / had moth
ing more to say. 1 felt that the man
had scared way up above me-he
dominated me completely. Irose from
beside him, silently mounted my horse,
rode back to my command, and waited
for the order to surrender
"Then and there Lee decided its
course for the Confederacy. And L
take it there is not one solitary man
in the United States today, North or
South, who does not feel that he de-
cided right.
"The Army of Northern Virginia
laid down its arms at Appomattox on
April o. What Johnston might do was
still open to question, but Lees ACT
decided his. There is vivid descrip
tion in Pollard's book, think, of ar
interview which Immediately aftel
Lees surrender took place between
Jefferson Davis and Johnston ut tn,
headquartere of the latter. The tw,
had met to consider the situation
nou;o otnhhort, iy, to,nnor ond hant ~,