The sea coast echo. [volume] (Bay Saint Louis, Miss.) 1892-current, 1903-01-31
ROBERT 70. LEE.

This was followed by the toast "Gen-
eral Robert r, ee--Naturo made him
and then broke the mould" In respond
ing 10 tho sentiment Cntl1es rrancis
Adams said in part:
81 am here this evening q Massa-
chusetts man as well as a member Of the
| Isoval .npiona-tn dn honor tn ihe me-
set in array against us. OF him, what
shall ! say? Essentially a soldier, and as
a soldier, Robert f.. Lee was many
sided man. might speak Of him as a
strategist: but of this aspect OF the man
enough has perhaps been said. | might
refer to the respect, the confidence and
love with which he inspired those under
his command. might dilate on his
command. | might dilate on his res
traint in victory; his resource and pa
tient endurance in the face OF adverse
fortunes. the serene dignity with which
he, in the end, triumphed over defeat.
But, passing over all these well-worn
themes, shall confine myself to that one
attribute of his which, recognized in a
soldier. by an opponent, cannot but re-
gard as his surest and loftiest title to en-
enduring fame. Irefer to his humanity
in arms and his scrupulous regard for
the most advanced rules Of civilized
warfare.
As an American-as an ex-soldier D :
the union as one who did his best in
honest, even fight, to destroy that frag-
mentof the army of the Confederacy to
which he found himself opposed--I re-
ioice that no such hatred attaches to the
name of Lee. Reckless Of life to attain
the legitimate ends OF war, he sought to
mitigate its horrors. Opposed to him at
Gettysburg, ! here, forty years later, do
him Justice No more creditable order
ever issued from commanding general
than that formulated and signed by Rob-
ert E. Lee as, at the close OF June, 1868,
he advanced on war of invasion. "No
greater Disgrace" he then declared,
"can befall the army, and, through it
our whole people, than the preparation
Of barbarous outrages upon the Innocent
and defenseless. Such proceedings not
only disgrace the perpetrators and all
connected with them, but are subversive
of the disipline and efficiency Of the army
and destructive Of the ends OF our move
ment.s 1t must be remembered that we
make war only upon armed men," Lee
did not, like Tilly and Melac, exhort his
followers to kill and burn TO make war
hell. He did not proclaim that he wanted
no prisoners. He did not enjoin itupon
his soldiers as a duty to cause the people
of Pennsylvania to remember they had
been there. thank heaven he did not.
Hea least, though Confederate in arms,
was still an American, and not Tilly
nora Melac."
This was succeeded by the rendering
Of the "Bonnie Blue Flag" and songs
Of ante-bellum days by Mrs. Hollingforth
Watkins, formerly ofLouisiana.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN. i
In responding to the toast to "Abraz
ham Lincoln He was not for an age,
but for all time, !" Colonel Henry Wat
terson said:
Jefferson DAVIS, than whom there ney-
er lived, in this orin any land, a nobler
gentleman and q lsnightlier soldier JEFF
ferson Davis, who, whatever may be
thought of his opinions and actions, said
always what he meant and meant always
what he said Jefferson Davis debated
that next after the surrender at Appo-
mattox, the murder Of Abraham Lincoln
made the darkest dayin the calendar for
the 6outh and the people Of the South.
Whyp Because Mr.. Davis. had come to
d knowledge Of the magnanimity Of Mr..
Lincoln e heart andsthe generosity of his
II lincoln had lived there would havel