The Washington herald., 1908-01-19
BY FREDERIC j. HASKIN.

year ago to-day. through a broad
stretch Of States. from Boston Bay 10 the
Rio Grande, was celebrated the CEN
tenary OF the birth Of one of the great
est OF Americans. and to-day for Gen.
Robert K. Lee is renewed the highest
tribute people may pay to a man who
has honored them in the highest degree.
superlatlve Is the homage given Gen. Lee
in the South, and the North looks on and
approves. Best beloved of ali leaders In
the South, he is the most admired and
respected of these by the North. lie had
been the Unions mightiest adversary in
war when peace came, he was the
Unions most powerful cOnseTvator among
those who had resisted it.
More and more as the years have re-
ceded from the tragic sCenes of Gen. Lee s
military achievements, the better have
Americans. with out prejudice. and mind
ful OF the helpful lessons Of history, ap-
preached the study of his character. They
are coming to understand how 1t is that
no man was ever held so dear 10 Southern
hearts as Gen Lee, Seeking 10 know
found that under the nearer scrutiny the
more perfect has appeared the figure. and
the puTer the quality Of his manhood
Some Of the most eloquent tributes TO
the worth Of Gen. Lee have come from
men who contended against him in bat
tie
Great as he was as a soldier superior to
that is accounted the character lie inn
pressed as a gentleman. Perhaps his rich
est crown OF honor should be in the un-
sullied faith with which he strove ef-
fectually 10 restore the Union in spirit as
well as in the laws letter. To the lead
ers OF two great armies, more than 10 any
men. more than to all measures OF states
manship are due those ineXtinguishable
blessings OF peace, renown, and pros
perity, that have blessed the United
States since April 9, 1866.
When the starving and ragged remnant
Of the once terrible Army Of Northern
Virginia, commanded by Lee, was sur
rendered TO the mighty host OF the Army
Of the Potomac. commanded by Grant,
there met Americas $ greatest soldiers and
chiefs Of all chieftains. Each in his place
proved his splendid manhood. They
agreed TO a capitulation honorable alike
to victor and vanquished. To each it was
a task Of unspeakable delicaCy. Gen.
Lees soul was absorbed with the purpose
10 avert humiliation from his soldiers and
20 secure for them a living chance 10
breast inevitable adversities, but he gave
no hint of his supreme solicitude Gen.
Grant superbly restraining himself, knew
his adversary, devined his motives and,
Completely respecting them in sentiment
aff{ observance. gave no hint that he was
In the role Of "a c0nquerOr. Grant, attired
in the simplest garb, avoiding all show
and glitter of triumph. and Lee. in the
full uniform of his exalted rank. the bet
ter 10 dignity all that he stood for. met
in the simplest and most assuring words
agreed TO the terms Of the surrender.
The scene that followed the parting of
the tWO generals when Gen. Lee rode
hack among his waiting troops, was as
extraordinary as il was pathetic Men
who had gone into battle and at his bid
ding fought with all the fierce ardor Of
q lighting race the constantly re-enforced
ranks of Grant, swarmed about Lee, sob
bing like brOken-hearted children. Had
he said the word. they would have joy
fully advanced TO annihil3tiOn. and Ap-
pomattOX would have been a TheTmOpylae
that would have driven the South 10 years
and years of desperate resistance.
There were passionate protests and
declarations OF readiness TO renew battle
with him as their leader, but Gen. Lee.
with gentle flrmness, made them under
stand that il was but right that they must
think OF the duty they owed their families
and their country. In the simplest words
he told them that he had done the best
he could for them, and that the best
they could do for themselves and their
loved ones at home was to join them and
become good citizens. But a few hours
- before. In the anguish Of the battle which
waged in his own breast, between the
dauntless soldier instinct and the press
ing sense Of duty, he had wrung from his
heart the words. 81 would rather die q
thousand deaths than go 10 Gen. Grant.
] have only to ride along the line.
and all viii be over But IL Is our duty
10 live"
As courteous as he was in1exibIe OF
purpose, Gen. Grant allowed all the pris-
oners who owned horses TO keep them
and literally appOrtioned provisions for
the whole OF Lees army. Lee entirely
relied upon Gen. Grant, and Grant from
that hour placed implicit confidence in
Gen. Lee. In a letter written by Gen.
Grant to Gen. Halleck. less than a month
after the surrender. the former said that
If amnesty were allowed Gen Lee, il
would do more than anything else 20
restore real peace, as the Southern peO-
PIE believed that whatever Gen. Lee
would do, would be right Grant knew
the Southern people better than all the
statesmen Of the North In December, in
a note 10 President Johnson. at the Tat
ter's request, he gave assurance Of his
belief that the people Of the South sin
cerely desired to obey the law and to
contribute 20 the restoration of peace and
good will between the sections in any way
not humiiating TO them as citizens. This
assurance, the President repeated in q
message 10 Congress.
The examples of Grant and Lee had
already been Of vast benefit When. after
the surrender at Appomattox, Gen. Lee
rode into Richmond. Grants soldiers
turned out into the streets and cheered
him. Grant would have fought any who
wOuld have sought to violate the COM
pact between him and Lee. This was be-
fore the period of reconstruction. when
venal and corrupt aliens to the soil op-
pressed the South and rekindled the pas
sions OF the sticken people. All this san
dened the few years left to Lee; yet he
still counseled forbearance, patience. for
titude. peaceful industry, and obedience
10 Law. He lived full 70 the line of what
he said amid the Gethsemane Of his agony
before Appomatt0x, when he spoke the
words: Human virtue should be equal
"a human calamity