The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1909-07-29
VIRGINIA'S SONS.

as her contribution to the nationa
hall OF fame her distinguished sons
Washington and Lee. The latte,
choice will doubtless cause much sur.
prise to many persons who would un.
hesltatingly award the palm of dis.
tlnctlon to Thomas jefferson rather
than to Lee because of the greater
value OF the formers services to his
state, to the nation and to the cause
OF free government throughout the
world to all mankind. As a patriot
and constructive statesman Jeffer.
sons fame is assured for all time as
the peer of the loftiest names in the
history OF the world, while Lees
place In history rests solely upon his
acmevements as soldier, as the lead
er OF lost cause. However, in their
choice OF Lee it appears that the peo-
pie OF Virginia were not actuated bv
any considerations of services render
ed or deeds done in any cause what |
ever. They have given him pre-emi-
nence as one of the states two most
distinguished sons, not for what he
did, but for what he was; not as
great soldier, ranking among the i'm
mortal captains of the world, but as a
Christian gentleman whose pure and
lofty character will ever remain as an
example and inspiration to the youth
OF virginia in coming generations.
Perhaps no better expression of the
motives of the Virginians in this re-
gard could be found than that given
recently by DR.. Albert Shaw, editor
OF the Review of Reviews, as follows: {
1t would be mistake to assume
mat the Virginia devotion to the
memory of Robert E. Lee, which !
amounts almost to idolatry, is wholly |
or chiefly political in its nature and S
motive. His place in the hearts of I
the men who knew him and of their
descendants has to do with his per-
sonality and character. The tradition
of Lee is that of Christian gentle
man OF such rare blending of person.
al courage and genius for leadership
with the most beautiful qualities of =
temperament and private character
as to make him the very flower of =
American manhood. Robert Z. Lee =
IS regarded, in short, as the ultimate
and final personal expression of the = =,
highest and finest ideals of public :
md private life that two centuries of
virginia civilization has evolved. If |
S for reasons of this sort that Vir- :,
.inia civilization has evolved It is !"
or reasons of this sort that Virginians =,
wish to place statue of Lee by the :,
lde OF that OF Washington in the ro- =,
unda OF the national capitol. In 90
making this selection there is no g.
nought in Virginia of belittling the &c &c
reatness OF Jefferson on the one :.
and, or of giving offense on the 9TH g. g.
r by recalling the terrible strife of '
'rty odd years ago." ~
Lees character as a knightly SOL -
Ter and high souled man is illustrat- q. A.
best perhaps by two incidents in o.
IS career, one occurring just after ali
e battle of Gettysburg and the other -
ter the close of the civil war. In A
e first instance the Southern peo-
e were bitterly incensed against
le OF Lees corps commanders, Gen. ~ -
al Longstreet, who was called the Hi
!er OF the Confederacy and whose pie
putation in that respect depended the
lefly upon his habit of waiting until the
e climax was reached in battle q
d then bringing his corps into ac- Jul
n in the nick of time with fierce
arge, which often saved the day.
Gettysburg, however, Longstreet, INN
direct disobedience of orders, de- A
ed taking his place in the line of ro,,
tile for five hours after the ap- MO,
nted time, and thus failed to arrive 49,,
n his corps in time to support ., Z
neral Pickett in his famous charge. th,,
g Southern press attributed the NJ
; OF the battle to this fact, and pub NOR
sentiment became so inflamed ..o.