The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1912-01-22
LEE, THE AMERICAN
Address Delivered by Mr.. Branfley
Weathers Before the Daughters OF
the Confederaey, Jan 10, 1912

with the explanation that this speech
was originally made before a North
ern audience, perhaps almost a crit
lical audience, with the aim and inten-
.tion Of convincing them Of facts which
We all know too we'll. For this rea
Eson parts are superfuous, and again
not 50 eulogistic as he would have
wished
Far 10 the southwark there IS a
name held dear TO Southern people
above the names OF men. The idol Of
1.-The South has, during forty years sue
iceeding his death, become an idol Of
the nation. All America looks to the
lvanquished leader, General Robert E.
Lee, with an admiration actuated not
by commiseratiOn, but rather by the
ltranscendent life he lived.
Essentially he was man OF charac-
ter in all that the word implies Of
ihabitual self possession, habitual re-
tgard TO interior and constitutional
motives Side by side in the school
houses throughout the nation, North
land South. hang images of Lincoln
land Lee. The youth of today is taught
ad admiration of these ideal charac-
Iters, irrespective of previous environ
iment The heart of the Southern child
lis touched by the human greatness,
the human tenderness, and the human
wisdom of the truest friend Of the
South in her darkest days. And the
lchild of the North is inspired by the
self-sa crifice and devotion of the mil
Eitary genius who commanded the Con-
federacy.
"A great revolution need never
la apologize for nor explain itself.
The fact that it is there is the best
levidence of its right to be there" We
know from Lees own hand that he
lconsdered secession anarchy-that he
would gladly have sacrificed the four
million slaves, had they been his, to
preserve the Union.
| The die was cast when he declined
1.-The command of the Federal army. 1t
should be the labor of a sympathetic
tdramatist, who could understand and
interpret the soul of Lee to picture
him as, in great perplexity, he walk
ed the broad, pillared veranda of his
noble Arlington house, hs eyes glanc
ing across the river a I the flag OF
his country waving above the dome
; Of the capitol. and then resting on the
soil Of his native Virginia..
1t was the logic of sympathy that
finally prevailed. He probably pictured
: himself at the head of an army march
ing against his cherished Arlington
and his native state.
Do you still hold Lee guilty of trea-
son? In order that there may not be
the slightest Of a question as to this
let US investigate the motive underly-
ing the action of his choice. Was it
devoid of selfishness, was it free from
any baser and more sordid worldly
motive-ambition, pride. jealousy, re-
venge or self-interest? Was Lee
guilty of any of these? When after
= long and trying mental wrestling he
threw in his fate with Virginia, he
l. knowingly sacrificed everything that
q man prizes most; his dearly beloved
l. home, his means Of support. his pro
r fessional standing, his associates
l. brilliant and assured future" Cali hin
o a renegade to the flag to which he
3 lswore allegiance il you choose, but
i count that step in perfect accord with
Z the remainder of the life of the high
minded, self-sacrifcing man. Surely
inever was personal interest set more
lat naught.
Grady has pictured with wonderful
l. vividness. the ragged, half-starvet
[. Confederate soldier returning from
q lAppomatox to his devastated home
= there to find his slaves free The en-
tire social, political and economic
lstatus OF his country was now to b.
lregenerated.
o Never did a vanqushed hero adap
s himself more readily to changed con
l. ditions Never was there evinced NOR
S loyalty and fidelity to the now re
= Iunited states. Never were the prob
A lens OF the South more fully compre
r hended. and a more sure and peaceful
l.
,e lsagacious and oft victorious leader
;" Think of him as a man of fft.
: years Of age. wearied by the cam
e. paigns Of a CHASTITY four years wal
his character the subject OF unjust at
tacks by the overbearing. domineerini
>. leaders of the North, his citizenshi
80 denied him; in fact, under an indict
!, ment for treason. What does he dc
this hero in gray. with a heart Of gold
Refusing a lucrative business opening
refusing the opportunity TO flee wit
his followers to the frontier of Mex
leo. refusing a landed estate in tn
y beautiful lake country of England. n
gave his all to the training Of youn
'F men at Lexington to do their duty I
&c life. He said at the time:
sc THE thought OF abandoning m
ia country and all that must be left in
e is abhorent to my feelings, and I pre-
fer to struggle for its restoration, an
to share its fate, rather than to Civ
up all as lost. I have led the youn
7e men Of the South 70 battle; I hav
s. seen many Of them die on the field
Id cannot desert my native state in he
hour Of adversely. I must abide he
fortune and share her fate"
This period Of five years as presi
dent Of Washington College was !
d many respects the most remarkable a
1t well as the most creditable Of Lee
IL life. They impressed unmistakabl
1t upon 1t the stamp of true greatness
Id Not only did he found at this earl
Id date the fundamentals OF the true uni
ly versity through a complete classica
and literary culture, but of far great
er Importance at this time was tn
mighty influence Of his personal char
acter This feature cannot be owe
estimated. for it was at this formativ
stage Of development that such a pei
sonanty Lees was capable of guiG
ing into loyalty and good cftizenshi
rs the youth of his country environed B
ilawlessness and vice.
as Here in the calm repose OF civil an
or domestic duties and in the tryin
he routine Of incessant tasks he lived
he life as high as when. day by day,
ey marshalled and led his thin and was
re ing lines, and slept by night upo
Up the fields that on the morrow were
ey be trenched in blood"