The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1909-01-26

ure arms with this genius of the
South.
Mark how rapidly they come, and
60. in more haste than they come!
| Geo. B. McCleland, to my mind the
ablest of all the Federal captains
save one,-after the battle OF
Gaines Mill was forced to retreat be-
fore Lees victorious army, and take
shelter under his gunboats on the
James.
Next came General Pope, who took
charge of tie Federal army near
Richmond and to the north, and who
on August 20 and 80, 1862, was over
whelmingly defeated by Lee and
Jackson on the fatal field of Bull
Run, and was forced to retreat to-
ward Washington.
! On Nov. 9TH, 1862, Gen. Burnside
was put in command Of the army of
the Potomac. ''He came, ne saw, y
and was conquered.
He massed all his immense army
against Lee at Fredericksburg. The
battle was fought on Dec. 13, 1862
with almost fatal results to the Fed
eral army. This battle, for the time
being. put Burnside out of business.
He was succeeded by General
Joseph Hooker, who came with an
armv twice the size Of Lees. He de-
clared that he would drive Lee from
his Notifications, and then, son to
Richmond"
The armies met at the Wilderness,
or Charlottesville, where, as a north
ern writer says: ''The superior gen
ius of Lee never shone with greater
lustre; for while his army was infer
ior( in numbers to that Of Hooker, he
signally defeated the latter in great
battle and forced him to retreat with
his whole army across the Rhapahan-
nock.'
But I shall pause here and simply
say; changes soon came after these
events which made it apparent that
the highest tribunal to which nations
appeal would decide the ISSUE against
the Confederate cause
In defeat, therefore, we discover
the greater qualities of General Lee.
Unwilling to sacrifice the lives Of his.
men, and to avoid further blood-shed.
he surrendered the fragments Of his
army to General Grant at Appoma
tox in April, 1865.
Whether it be true or fable, that
General Grant refused the proffered
sword of General Lee at Appomatox;
I wish only to say, that if the sword
was offered by the vanquished, and
the victor refused to accept it, it was
because the victor knew that that
sword had never been tarnished by
disgrace, nor rendered odious by dis
honor.
General Lee refused to enrich him.
self by allowing his name to be used
by scheming spectators after the war
was over.
He became a quiet school teacher
at lexington, Va, and along with his
defeated comrades began to rebuild
the fallen fortunes Of his native
Southland.
With a character above reproach,
with no stain upon the escutcheon OF
his matchless career; with no compro-
mise Of his sacred convictions touch
ing his duty to his people, he refused
to become a party to doubtful specu-
lations in order to-. make money, and
die rich, at the expense Of a good
conscience.
On the morning Of Oct. II, 1870,
this matchless spirit Of the South re-
turned to God who gave it. Enshrined
in the hearts of his countrymen his
name has become an household word
from Norfolk to the Rio Grande.
. Mr.. Chairman, life and death are
closely related. The deeds and death
Of men, the rise and fall Of nations,
come and 90 like a passing shadow.
While it is true that the traditions
Of individuals. families and nations.
are rich and cherished inheritances.
it is also true that great individual
and national achievements are not al
ways the results Of long and patient
training in the schools Of traditional
lore.
It has been said that a people with
out traditions can never become
great. This is all assumption, it may,
or it may not be true.
But when I say, that a people who
are incapable Of revolution to resist
and overthrow oppression, has never