Watauga Democrat. [volume] (Boone, Watauga County, N.C.) 1888-current, 1910-01-27
General Robert E. Lee.
(Taken from an extract from a Speech
delivered by Hon. B, II. Hill.)

V0ucIaI hVUcTI y. Lec.
(Taken from an extract from a Speech
delivered by Hon. B, H. Hill.)
When the future historian comes
to survey the character Of Lee he
will find itrising like a huge noun.
tam above the undnlating plain
OF humanity. and be will have to
lift his eyes toward heaven to
catch its summit. He possessed
every virtue OF the great CON-
Inanders, without treachery; a
private citizen without wrong; a
neighbor without reproach, a
Christian without hypocricy; and
a man without,Nguile. He was
a Ceaser without his ambition, a
Frederick without his tyranny;a
Napoleon without his srlfishness;
and a Washington without his
reward. He was obedient to AL
thority rs a servant, and loyal
in authority as a true king. He
vas gentle al q woman in life;
modest and pure us q virgin in
thought; watchful as a Roman
vestal in duty; submissive to law
as Sucrates, and grand in battle
a. Achilles.
There were many peculiarities
in the habits and characacter, of
Lee which are but little known,
and may he studied with profit.
He studiously avoided giving op-
inions upon subjects which it had
not been his Ceilings or training
to investigate; and sometimes
l thought he carried this great
virtue too far. Neither the pres
|i'lent, nor Congress, nor friends
could get his views upon anypub-
lie question notstrictly military
and no man has Az much quiet,
unobtrustive contempt for what
he called military statesmen
and political generals" Meet
ing him once IN the streets of
Richmond, l said tohim: Gen
eral, l wish you would give us
your opinion az to the prop
priety of changing the seat of.
"That isa political question Mr..
Hill and you politicians must
determine it; | shall enieavor to
take care ofthe government and
going farther South. army, and
you lnvst make the laws the con.
troll the government" "Ah,
General. l said, "but you will
have to change that rule, and
form and express political opin'
ions, for if we establish our indie.
pendelce, the people will make
you Mr.. Davis successor. New
er, sir" he replied with a firm
dignity that belonged to Lee.
"That l will never permit. What
ever talents NAV possess (and
they are but limited) are nilli-
tary. l think the military and
cival talents are distinct, if not
different, and full duty in either
sphere is about AZ much as one
man can qualify himself to per-
form. shall not do the people
the injustice to accept high civil
office with whose questions 1t has
not been my business to become
familiar" "Well, hut, General" !"
I insisted. "history does not sus-
tain your view. Caesar and Fred
erick, OF Prussia, and Bonaparte
were great Statesmen, as we'll az
great generals"
"'And great tyrants," "hepromp-
tly replied. Il speak Of the prop
er rule in republics, where I think
we should have neither military
statesmen nor political gener
ais" "But Washington was both
and yet not a tyrant,' l repeat
ed. And with q beautiful smile he
said: "Washington was an exc"p-
tion to all rules. aud there was
none like him."
l could find no words to an
swcr further, but instantly lsaid
in thought, Surely Washington
is no longer the only exception,