The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1907-02-01
THE IMMORTAL LEE,
THE sOUTH's pEERLEss LIGADER
HoNoRED EVERYWHERE.

North and gouth His Memory is Re-
vered Because He Was
q Great Man.
All over the South and In Bomo
parts of the North the centennial OF
the birth of Gen. Robert E. Lee WAS
observed on Saturday. AT Wash
ington, d. O., q letter was read from
Pregidont Roosevelt regreting THAI
bo could not be present, and extall'
ing the virtues and grander OF the
life Of Robert E. Les. Az Charlotte.
Vile, Va, an eloquent address was de-
livered by Charles Francis Adams, one
Of the foremost men Of Massachusetts,
and who was an officer In the Uuion
army during the war. During his
speech he said had the been In Gen. !
Lees place at the commencement Of
the war he g.ould have done exactly |
what Gen. Lee did, although be may
be called traitor for saying 80. AS
the Columbia State says last Sunday
In q most admirable editorial:
Although only little more than
four decades lie between us and the
great war that stirred all the depths
Of sectional pre- judioe and hatred, and
although there still survive Thousands
Of those that fought on one or the
other side OF that terrible fratrioidel
strife, who would naturally cherish
atill something Of the gall and worm.
wood OF such q bitter conflict, yet tho
whole country, reunited In sentiment,
joined Saturday in paying honor to
tho man who was the commanding
genius of that war. To North. little
loss than to South, Roberb E. Lee
stands today as the greatest of our
military ohieftians, the peer Of the
noblest of our O tiz ns and PATRIOTS So
much and 80 kindly has tho hand OF
time aud the rebirth OF q national
sentiment nmoothed away the asperl.
ties Of war.
Saturday the people Of this ooun.
try presented noble spectacle to the
world for all time. They taught the
world one Of the highest lessons that
osn be taught They were Heen pay
Ing due homage to tho lofty virtues
and the radiant genius OF man who
for four years endeavored to sunder
the union Of States, which is now held
In reverence by the people Of all SEQ
tions. The era Of hate and rampant
prejudice has passed; and we are able
TO recognize the sincerity the patriot,
Ism, the virtue OF those that fought
80 furiously and bitterly against us.
I This is true as to all sections; true
with Yespeob TO the Soubh's appreola'
A tiou of auc b characters as Grant and
Lincoln; true with respect TO the
a North's appreciation Of suoh men ai
Lee and Jackson. 1t is to our credit
as q people that We have this nobi'
lesson to teach, and that, before teach
ling II TO the world, we must liav,
taught 1t to ourselves.
}. So universal is now the respect 70
o Robert E. Lee that hardly newspa
). per published In the country failed b
's ioin In the expression OF appreciation
70 and honor. Hari ~ q public man, vh
l, had occasion, failed to voice his ad
n miration, and thousands OF men, VIII
10 were lately denounoing the South O
n che secession era and Its Leaders, vo
as unfairly sought occasion to expYesss II
j. Gere respect for the great leader. w
10 quote the following from Collier
u Weekly. as 1t soemB to us to expires
o. In this case the best Rentiment of I'll
a. North and East.
to a hundred years ago, on tho l9t
Id Of this month, Robert E Lee WI
as born. America has had no nobler oi
as izen. All that Is best In the Sout
cd or In the country, seemed to centre
this grave, strong, devoted man. Is
fora the war he was looked upon
the most brilliant officer In the arm
~ He regretted the approaching conii't
'Bs Sadly he took his place In 1T. He ste
sy thoroughout as tower OF sire 9Th
NY centre OF inspiration, and he lived
'h' life afterWard as model OF poaoef
ifs and self respecting manhood. Sol
las authorities think him the create
ny general the war brought forth; sol
ny do not. Nobody can fall to ge0 In b
o man In whom every part OF our COZ
as' try must rejoice, OF whom North a
uSe South should alike be proud. WI
Vf, o leader is 80 virtuouS and 30 great
10 becomes O. heritage for every Anne
ere oan in succeeding time, whether 81
'er American dwell on one side Of the
'S tomao or the other"
'"o This iB, we think, typical OF
best and most respected judgment
Northern and Eastern writers
873 thinkers. IT is practically what III
a, dore Roosevelt said OF Lee sone t
90 ago, though Mr.. Roosevet's judgm
d OF Is expressed, rs usual, in more p
UNI. tive mSnnor and with less reserve;
r 10 Robert. &c. Lee," said Mr.. Ro
cot velt will undoubtedly rank Ss W
8 iB cut any exception, the very grea
!, f. of all the captains that the Engl
.eia, speaking people have brought II
orth = and this, although the last and Q
lima, of his antagonists may himself cl
lnia, to stand % the full equal Of Marl
ID TO boro and wellington"
!, by This had already been the EXPIRE
rpia, Judgment of authoritative mill
orltios, and Ii will remain unreve
until some future war produce
greater military leader who may
,ohe, with the first captains OF the ~or
run Alexander, Hannibal, Caesar, N
last leon. Noxt to then with Fred'
ioide and one or two others, but above
While redoubtably commanders as Orom
ship, Marlboro, wellington, Turenne, C(
Orage stsndg the titanic though illu
was oua and nOble and altOpether q