Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1903-08-28
lliO EliT D.. LEE.

from a sermon preached by Rev. Will |
lam RAIDER in the Third Congregational
church OF San Francisco last Sunday
night:
-Ou one Of the public squares OF Rich. |
mond Virginia, beautiful for gituation
and magnificent with its fiue homes and
public institutions, stands a monument
raised by the people of the South to
Robert L. Lee. Out OF the ruins OF the
city desolated by the guns III Grant has
risen this mute witness Of the peoples
regard foe the leader OF the Confederate
armies.
The project Of erecting a memorial
OF Lee in Washington is, as you know,
being agitated. | shall not discuss this
matter tonight, feeling sure that Con.
sress will do what is wise, but | do with.
at the b~eginainp Of my address, to ask
WHO YVES Robert +. Leo md Via is his
rightful place i'll the military and 30
htical life OF our country?
Lee was born in Westmoreland coun
~, Virginia. in 1907, eight years after
the death OF Washington. lie WAS the
son Of Lighthouse Harry Lee. a FEEDER
alist, opposed 10 the school of Jefferson
and i'll utilization with that Of Washington.
He was for some time superintendent Of
the West Point Academy. served with
honor i'll the Mexican wur. and
upon the breaking out of the Re.
belliun, took command OF the Cou!ed-
crate forces. His Virginia home was ut
Arlington, now white with tombs mark
ing the thous ands nf the nations
dead.
al have walked through those SPA.
cious halls and across the broad verHnia
where, as the tradition tells u, Robert
Lee was found seated. teas rolling down
his checks, rs he looked across the Po-
tomac and saw approaching the newt
able crisis. THIS WIS the old Gusts
property, associated with the family
name Of Washington's wife.
Lee WIS OF noble ancestry and en-
bodied the culture OF the Sou:hern aris-
t%ocracy. The late Benjamin II. Hill OF
Georgia describes Lees character i'll
these words:
"'lle was n Zoe without hate. d friend
without treachery, a soldier without
cruelty. "a victor without oppression and
Il victim without murnuring. lie WAS a
private citizen without wrong, ii neigh
Dor without rerroach, "a Christian with
ont hypocrisy and a man without guile.
He was a Caesar without ambition,
Friedrich without his tyranny, Napoleon
without his seltishneSs and Washington
without his reward. lie was obedieut to
authority as a servant aud royal ID au.
thority AS Il true king. He WAS gentle as
"a Woman in life aud modest anil pure as
a virgin I'D thought rs n Roman
! vestal IN duty, submissive as Socrates
and grand in battle rs Achilles
This is an expressive and beautifully
phrased tribute To- the personality and
character 81 Lee, and it is doubtless shnr-
ed by the older residents ot the South.
That which WI are to- consider now is
the patriotism OF Lee, which brings us
at once To the large subject %! secession
and slavery.
There is a memorial OF Lee, but it
does not stand alonc in Richmond and
New Orleans; neither Is it made Of mar
BILE. 1t is built OF tears, OF desolated
cities uf blackencd walls and white faces
If dying groans and naneless dead; Of
prayers falterIng on bloody lips; Of bro.
ken hearts and wrecked fortunes. There
it stands forever III the history OF the
United States, looming ur III all it's ter.
rible majesty, Il powerful witness of the
mistaken patriotism Of General Robert
f.. Lee.
The struggle TINT followed WIS the
greatest in the annals Of war. Little
did the North dream that in Lee there
was such stern stuff. That he WIS n
great soldier uC one would DEFY. lie
made Tower mistakes than any general
III the Rebellion. Walt Whitman tells
us how the Thirteenth Regiment Of New
York marched away with pieces OF rope
tied to their guns expecting Ia 90 down
South, lasso II refractory rebel and each
come home with Il rope around the neck
Of II captive. They falsely estimated
the metal Of the South. The darkert
day III our history was after bull Run,
when the scattered troops and Tighten.
ed citizens came into Washington GOV.
cred with dust. They were in despair.
but not defeated. and the strong hpnrt
III Washington fired the nation with
new enthusiasm and the scattered troops
recovered themselves and entered upon
IL war that ended with the flag floating
over Richmond.
"rbo Spanifh wnr wiped on; the last
vcstigc ~ patriotism If Robert Lee. In
the war with Spain, North Carolina fur
bished the first blood. II son Of Sontb
Carolina brought the iirst authcntir
news from Cuba aud II Georgia boy
ilnng the Stars and Stripes over Manila.
Alabama gave us IIobFoD, who sunk an
American vessel and raised from the
grave OF deep waves "a Spanish man Of.
war. Tho President OF the United
States gave the sword Of authority to
Joe Wheeler and Fitzlugh Lee. who
carved this sentiment on the nations
history: