The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-05-09
old school, and says that the death OF
such man Is distinct public loss. ss
CURRENT TOPICS.
A Tribute to Fitz Lee.

a Tribute to Fitz Lee.
General Fitzhugh Lee recently lectured
IN the city Of Indianapolis In comment
ing on his address the News, Of that city,
says:
The lecture Of General Lee last night
was a notable affair. But the man so
far transcribed the perforrnance-excel-
lent as the latter was-that the chief In
terest of our people was in tho man
rather than in his talk. We like to think
that in no other country in the world
would it have been possible to bring to-
gether two warning sections OF the same
nation in the short time that has been
required to weld the South and the North
together after their great struggle. Pos
sibly we exaggerate the greatness Of the
work, but 1t is to be renem bered that
the people and rulers of other lands were
quite convinced at the time that Union
pinned together by bayonets'' could not
endure. The mistake that they made
was In thinking that we were going to
try to pin the Union together by bayo-
nets The unifying influences were de-
scribcd with prophetic insight by Abra-
ham Lincoln in his first inaugural. when
he said:
r am loath to close. We are not enc
mics. but friends. We must not be enc
mics. Though passion may have strained,
it must not break our bonds of affection.
The mystic chords of memory, stretch-
ing from every battlefield and patriot
grave to every living heart and hearth
stone, all over this broad land, will yet
swell the chorus Of the Union. when
again touched. as surely they will be, by
the better angels Of our nature.
Tho prophecy has been splendidiy full
filled. And to-day we rejoice to think
that Fitzhugh Lee, who fought gallantly
in that great army which for four years
defended Richmond against the A,orthern
army, now bears a commission in the
army Of the Union. And it is to such men
as Lee. Wheeler and Gordon tnat we owe
in no small degree the happy concord that
now prevails between the North and e.le
South. They have been able to see that
the lost cause-inexpressibly dear though
it was to then-was forever lost, and
that 1t was the duty of all brave men to
accept the results Of the war, and to
strive together for the glory and happi-
ness of a united country. 1ndeeu this
is the message that General Lee deliv-
cred last night. He said:
To-day the South has no other ambition
than to do her part in building up this
great country for the glory Of all. My
State of Virginia has no other ambition
than to be part Of a great, united ma
ton.
There is no ono that will question the
truth of those words. More and more our
people are coming to take the view that
they are one people. the titizens of an
undivided and indivisible country. And
any man that breaches any other doctrine
is an enemy of the nation.
General Lee gave utterance to another
truth, which is now generally, though
it has not always been recognized He
said that the blame for the Civil War
must be placed on the fathers of the re-
public rather than on ,--elr descendants,
who suffered from the consequences of
their neglect to put in the Constitution a
declaration that "a State shall not Sc
cede." OF course, this could not have been
DONE so really the failure to do it was
not an error after all. But it is still true
that the question was left uncertain, fc:'
compromises always leave things uncer-
tain 1t was inevitable that differences of
opinion should arise as to the proper rela-
ton of the States to the onion, and we
can also see now that it was Inevitable
that the opposing views should be fought
out on the battlefield. But what the faith
ers failed to accomplish, the sons brought
to pass through great suffering and he
roic sacrifice And all now acquieSce in
the verdict.
The people of Indianapolis feel that it
was good to have General Lee with them.
They appreciate his high character and
they are grateful to him for the great
services which he rendered the Govern
ment in Cuba, the story of which he
modestly told last night. Indiana sent
more soldiers to the Civil War In proper
ton to population than any other North
crn State But she has never since the
war was over shown any bitterness to the
South. It was fitting that General Lee
and the people Of her capital city should
be brought together, and that Indiana
polls should have an opportunity OF non
orine the distinguished soldier of the
Army of Northern Virginia. who is now
a general in the army of the United
States.