The Paducah evening sun., 1910-02-24

with the idea of secession. Feel
ing as he did, and offered the OPP
portunity TO become commander oi
all the Union troops in the held,
with the prospect for preferment
which came 10 Grant. understanding
as a military man, no doubt, better
than did those who assumed the
civil authority of the newly organized
lConfederacy, the inadequacy OF the
resources of the south to a prolongeo
struggle, Lee put glory, ambition
luxury and all behind him, that ne
might offer his military genius, MS
patriotism and his magnificent man.
hood to his own people. No one can
look at what Lee gave up when he
made that decision, and say that Lee
was not actuated by the highest i'm
pulses that prompt human actions.
He chose to serve; and when the end
came, and the cause was lost, there
was no vindictiveness engendered in
his nature by the four long years OF
warfare; and he led his men back
into the union, the same unassuming
patriot, that he had led them out.
Can the wolld offer such another
spectacle?
But TO return to what Watterson
said about Washington. after dispos-
ing of Hepburn:
With the recurrence of the birth
day of Washington the mind instinc-
lively turns backward to the marvel
Gus story of the intervening years
They embrace less than two centur-
les. But what other two centuries
in human annals can compare with
them in the glorious accretions of
progressive achievement
That the chosen people of God did
not dwell amid the twilight of the
ages and in far-away Judea, but were
reserved to later time, and a region
then undiscovered of men, and that
the American Republic was ordained
of God to illustrate upon the theater
OF the New World the possibilities of
free government in contrast with the
failures and tyrannies and corrup-
tions Of the Old, we do truly believe
That is the first article in our confes-
sion OF faith. And the second is like
unto 1t, that Washington was raised
up by God to create II, and that Lin
coin was raised up by God to save II;
else why the Militia Colonel of Vir-
ginia and the rail-splitter of Illinois,
for no reason that was obvious at
the time, before all other men? God
moves in a mysterious way His won
ders to perform The star of the sub
lime destiny that hung over the
manger OF our blessed Savior hung
over the cradle of our blessed Union.
Thus far II has weathered each
historic danger which has gone be-
fore to mark the decline and fall OF
nations; the struggle for existence
the foreign invasion: the internecine
strife; the disputed succession: re
ligious bigotry and racial conflict
One other peril confronts il; the de-
moralization of wealth and luxury
too great prosperity; excess of pow
er. Shall we survive the lures with
which the Spirit of Evil playing up
on our self-love, seeks to trip our
wayward footsteps. purse-pride and
party spirit. mistaken zeal and per-
verted religion, fanaticism seeking 6
to abridge liberty and liberty run
ming to license, greed masquerading
as a patriot and ambition making a
commodity of glory-or, under the
process OF a divine evolution shall
we be able to mount and ride the
waves which swallowed the tribes OF
Israel. which engulfed the phalanS
of Greece and the legions of Rome
yea. which still beat the sides and
sweep the decks Of feudalism in
England and Germany, in Austria
Italy and Spain?
We shall mount and ride them
please God,
The one-party power is imminent;
but it Is neither absolute, nor su
preme. The one-man power is no
in sight. The stars in their courses
fight for us; the virtue and intelli
gence OF the people were never 81
watchful and alert. Truth Il
mightier than ever and Justice
mounting guard even in the Hall o.
Statues. walks everywhere the bat