The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-04-06
ROBERT E. LEE.
Why the South Loves Lee.

Davis, for the reason that in all reVo, lutions there has been m1tary as wei as political leader. save where the two were united in one as in the case or Cromwell
 The political life of the Confederacy was necessarily passive while the actlVe forces of the w-nation-to-be were con- centrated In the birth-throes that ln- volved the surgery or the sword.
 In order to more fully understand Lee as this leader, must consider TOT d moment the clements that produced this pc ,ple who chose Lee as their champion We must remember that liberty loving put oppressed Huguenots had thronged 10 these Southern States; while Engiishnen, whose forefathers had compelled Jonn Lackiand to guaranty their liberties, also had cast their iots in thls southern eouli try. These men brought wlbn them anu embroidered into the dull warp or the hard life of pioneer and settler, the ro-
 nance. the chivalrous instincts, ana the unbending rride of their ancestors.
 These chara cteristics were stamped up-
 nm fbs somtb And the South in her hour
 of trouble turned to the man WHO Sp fled all that was best in her-to him, the product the flower. the culmmauoh oi things dreamed. of things labored TOT anu those aspirations tnal were ho' 'o ~ national realization. ., ,o Lee was the flower of knightly race. His father Light Horse Harry can
 ican Revolution his fathers cousins Richard Henry and Author Lee rendered. signal services to the American caHse giving time. money. talent ana the ne vent fires of patriotism to their co""''s demand. ,,aa h,, Robert F.. Lees cradle was rocheu ps | the surges of that sea of trouplous ,i'nes m embraced between the Constitutionai = riod 07S3-1795 and the Second war oi l Indtpendenee GSl..) Born in this inter val 1897. Lee must have breathed deeply
 of the atmosphere of treeooln, oi o,sare country, of sacrifice of personal "el,a, s.,e "a | learned all the lesson. That men may | rise on stepping stones or tneir s.nu ueau selves to htgner things TOT tts that was
 life was crystalizatian nd or nationai ai % life. Lee was trained in America greaI school for soldiers-West Point ana Was | graduated with Honors. lie was ap- pointed Lieutenant in me Ensintnf an,nrtmenf | be saon became d man of mark; every l thinp he did was done well; and ms eH. perience was a progressiph lrohi 'o'o'
 ~ rhe Mexican War gave opportunltles | for more Iaurels; he became Chlef Ensi,
 neer. '. s. A.. under General sco,t, ,.',st- sstu
 was the aged commanders ioNeu """
 GU Tn ,' 1S57 we find that the life of the Lee | family is made one with that or dSn1 l ineton's by the marriage of Roper. E: nes ts,. | to Mary Custis. the great t-snSa5 dilonS 5t of of Martha, and the hneal desceiiuahS VI
 inc adouted son of George Washington; TTnon this marriage seemed to rest tls united blessings that had attended theif forefathers, and it is no great +ha inner | the imagination to see in Lee the l'hR tysat l snnation of all the high quanties ln"'
 went to make these families famous: .,o, 1 When John Brown NeXed tnt Hd'.U, ar, l with his ill planned scheile. ttair 1roner ! and Order sent Lee to restore thei pi
 tierc Fates eems to have played the
 nation a trick-I1ee puts doWh an 4hrae
 
 rect,o'i ,oter tbis same Lee is the chosen | leader nf that seeding part Of the ha.lot, a
 ,bth seeks in secession to make soou their right to hold these negroes | slaves. ,horities can give
 us an insight into Lees feelings anu ,one s l strnerle between love of country anu oSe ioS
 of State, and why these @ tlno'tG' tba inevit- l tI ola sh came in '6l. General scout lih
 mediately summoned his faithinl ueu.en
 ant to Washington; ana Inere "nd
 tempted and tried Tor ,ain pu'n fsithful to
 thn I-nited States Government oHeriiS
 him inc pla"e of Commander.-lln-otn., Tn tn,,,n o.,re,. | Gentlv hut firmly Lee put away the 'e,ip s,,iet | tation, saving that Nrs'i'"
 | go with Virginia. .,.4o
 l t,ould Lee do less than thls' ,,o of | oE shade of Washington: Oh, shade ot
 Richard Henry Lee. anu LIE Ls"t ,brnush
 Harry then spoke your sous tn1 ation
 it,i' iia,i' Wei alas: for you and the na'ioh
 mat mat ve 6uiided that he was forced to | make choice ,,-o..,,,,,or savs "On
 Lees nephew and biographer says west
 the one hand his education al WIss ths l 1nint bis life passed entirely under tne
 flag of the Union, retained nm Ill s,su 1 service of the United states; on tne otnrn hi,,
 hand his love for Virginia cG.Ieu n ', ton
 to abandon all for her. He knew too
 weI from A military point of view not tu
 he able to measure. without lllusioii; ',t @ 1 the dangers which the So"lh Mar r.;ne of
 to run. If he remained VII .ne t which l the North there were no hohors .u w, w.''t ba | ka rnight not aspire. On the contrary ny
 Inew if he associated his destiny Wlth l that Inf Virginia. miSerleS and tti"Is "isn VII,
 out number were aWa'eiuE i''itt ii in do it, his duty and having found II l2 uo It.
 n,as ,ver inc principle of his actions.
 T,ec.s lCtter to Scott roSighing ms com
 mission in the United States Army N P@, ! ,h.ti, in its simple statement ol ms sense
 f Te wrote; "lt the resiSnatlonl
 a.o'Itd have been presented at once put 1 for the struggle it has cost me IU Syi'' ! rate myself from serNlNV |" "".e'l . | life and all the ability P"sSPSs'II no'.or ! i'm defense of my native State never
 again desire to draw my sword .,,,
 What modesty speaks fI ntr1 -hnii h',u ,,t ont
 last line in a prophecy whlch ShdH put
 f" shame all that he had done m ine i service of the general soNe'!iiii%tn'' % It, ,,i. oa 'In defense of native State ne cdrFes
 with d sword -unsuhcd ds Ht tho close | ni nf inc four years struggle, he stood ds i one of the worlds few great "'''e"iH , 1 leaders general Clement Evans S%! S! i | "IIis subsequent career was u'stlhe ule4'CG @ G z | h,. bis regard for the humane uSdses oi | war: his great military HkiH' i'n spai ''t of # i personal courage, as well as ,,a nri bic l il,,i,.shin: a courteous bearing toward ms ! nai,..rs and d tender concern TOT the | v,nIfare of the men in line: an untlrlhs | devotion to duty: all these characterlstics l cave him d fame for generalSmp Whicn | spread over the world ,.., o l When the supreme moment hao come when Lee realized that to struggle was
 ".anton sacrifice of human life-we hnd 1 him still the South's 'preuN cheFdileI 1 for on btholding the cordon drawn about | bjn cutting off all hopes of escape, Lee l excIaimed: "IIoW easily l could get TIC | of this and be at rest. I have only to ride 1 along the. line-and all will be over! But l if is our duty to live! What Will become 7 of tn, women md children ol the South'
 if w, ,r.. mot here to protect them? 1 The croWuIug sacrifice that Lee made
 to his low. of native State, was the loss ! of Arlington. And here is blessing again | following 4arrlIict.-for, while taken by i the hand of Might. Lee gives it to the i South not unlv as the vast grave of the ! Lost CauSt, not only as need TOT the j price paid hv the North for her victory l A dcrd written upon the soil or Lee, ! but puctuat"d by the sword or Lee 1 but as the hurial place of all anlmoslues ! between sections of a country for whose peacetu! unity Washington and the Lees