The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1903-02-01

40 more credltable order ever Issued from
a, SS5hluahdins general than that formu
,9teu ana signed by Robert Lee as. Al
we closc Of June, 1868, he advanced on a
war or Invasion. "No greater dierra,e 8
NC theh declared, "cau befaU the army
ana through II our whole peorle than TX
X ',tlullou OF barbnrous outrages upon
tue innocent and dofeuseless Such pro
ceeulnRs not only disgrace the ncrpetrgfors
ana all connected with them Int are sub.
NefslNe Of the discipline and efficiency
~ the army, Hnd destructive Of the ends
Vi our movement 10 must he remembered
thal we make war only on armed men.
Ice did not, like Tllly aud Melac, cAhort
MS followers 10 XIII and burn aud burn
ana XII, and again Kill and burn; 20 make
War hSu. ne dld not proclaim that b.
wanted no prisoners He did not cnioln Il
III on his soldiers ns a duty TO cause the
people Of Pennsylvania to remember they
mad been there. I thank heaven he dld
not. He at least, though Confederate
at erms. was still an american, and not
Tilly nor n Melac.
In scope and spirit Lees order was OBJ
served, and doubt II hostile force ever
advanced In an enemy's country, or fell
back from II in retreat, leaving behind 1t
less cause Of hate and bitterness than did
the Army Of Northern Virginia IN that
memorable campaign, which eliminated at
Gettysburg. Because he was soldier
Lee did not feel 1t Incumbent upon him
to proclaim himself a brute or TO exhort
his followers to brutality.
nave pau my tribute 'lut NOIu AuNlt
and have done. Some six months ago,
In a certain academic address at Chicago,
| / called to mind the fact that Il statue OK
Oliver Cromwell now stood In the yard OF
| parliament house In London, close 70 that
| historic hall Of Westminster, from the roof
| Of which his severed head had once looked
| down. Calling TO mind the strange changes
of feeling eyinced by the memory OF that
grinniug skull and the presence of that
image Of bronze, remembering that Crom-
| well, once traitor and regiclde, stood now
conspicuous among Englard's worthlest and
| most honored. ] asked. why should II not
also IN time be so with Lee1 Why should
! not his efhgy. erect on his charger and
wearing the insignia Of his Confederate
rank, gaze from his pedestal across the Pc
tomac at the Virginia shore, and his once
| dearly loved home at Arlington. He, too, j
one OF the precious possessions OF what u
m essential factor In the nation that now
is md is to be.
Ny suggestion was met with an answer
to which ! would now make reply. il wa
objected that such a memorial was to b'
nr6yided FOR from the National treasury
and that Lee, educated Mt West Point hold
ing for years the commission OF the Inlte'
States. had borne arms against the nation
The rest 7 will not here repeat. The thin
was pronounced impossible.
| Now let me here explain myself. | neNe
supposed that Robert F.. Lees statue u
Washington would he provided Tor ny h'
appropriation from the National treasury
Indeed ] do not rate high statues erect"
nv act Of congress. and paid for nv nuhl
money. They have small Significance Lros
of all would ] suggest such 2 one IN W
caee of Lee. Nor was It so with Cromwei
. His efhgy IS n private gift, nl0ced whcr
r. is by act Of parliament So. when IN
time Is riNe should II pc Win Lee. an
the time VIII come. When II does COM
tho eff-v. assigned 10 fits place merely b
act Of congress. should bear some such u
I | -criDtfOn as thiS3