The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1913-02-05
GEN. ROBT. E. LEE
fContinued from page one.)

eventful afternoon and rode to Ar
lington-the mecca and inspiration
Of his thoughts-rode slowly-with
the great capitol at his back and his
home to the front-with this quarter
Of a century record behind him and
only his Virginia hills in 'front.'
rode in a Gethsemene Of thought AMI
anguish! He had been offered su
creme command-'Where shall this
sword fght!'
Reared in q day when his ap-
pointmet to West Point was consio-
cred to mean that he represented Ills
state there, rather than the country
in day when state loyalty
meant patriotism-the question for
HIM was, shall / draw sword for the
general government against my ow
s.ate?' Mrs. Lee says that all 'tGi-
ing that night while she kept vigil
below, she could hear him pacing bis
door above her, and every now ao1
then he would kneel in prayer. Gen
eral Lee in prayer! To what God
did he pray-and what was he ask
ing Of that God? Oh! men and wo-
men, believe that future genera
tiors, and the verdict of history, shall
decide that when he prayed that
night his prayer was to the God Of
Right anG that the prayer, Oh God
what is my duty?' and believe that
be heard In answer, No matter what
the duty Of others, It Is right for
Robert e. Lee to fight for Virginia
at any cost, at any sacrifice!
And so he wrote with a breaking
heart his letter OF resignation say
ing, Never again shall draw this
sword except In defence Of my native
state
"I proclaim that this sword vas
unsheathed for naught that could be
seen or heard or handled-but for
honor, loyalty and right as the God
OF right let him see It! The Confed-
crate army did not fight for slavery
but for Principle as God gave them
the vision to see It!
"Oh, ye inheritors Of the memory
Of Robert E. Lee. is he the ideal OF
your civilization, the guiding star OF
YOUR success? There are
worse things than war, worse things
than the pillaging OF cities-brutsl
var is dreadful but brutal Pea:e =
worse! There is some excuse for tne
war maddened soldier rushing Into
burn and pillage-but Oh the cold
blooded greed Of commerciallsm-
that believes in things tangible and
not Eternal principles! If you lose
your idealism, young men and women
Of the South, you can not claim the
precious heritage Of your fathers!
Lee and Appomattox.
Charles Francis Adams, noble foe
and generous enemy, most sympa
thetic critic OF General Lee. says tha,
at Appomattox General Lee rose tc
the true height Of his greatness
These were the circumstances-oul
beloved General. E. P. Alexander
states in his history that on the
night before the surrender there en-
tered into the tent Of General Lee
group OF Confederate officers who
urged upon him that he escape anc
with hts officers !oin Gen. JOSEPH
Johnson tn North Carolina, letting
the men disperse thruout the South
they said General Lee, you can't sur
render Chas. Francis Adams says
the history Of this country for the
next Afty years depended upon Lee
at that moment-guerilla warfare
could have been kept up Indefinitely
The decision was his and he turned
to them an said, Gentlemen, we are
Christian people-we have done al
In our power in honorable warfare
further fighting would mean useless
slaughter-now we must accept the
issue
General Lee In this decision saved
his nation from countless woes
Ellis last decision was when be
must decide what to do with his life
Few know how many offers he re
ceived. An English nobleman offer
ed him an estate and an Income
amounting to fifteen thousand year
But he answered: I must share the
fate Of our Southern people,
Among many other offers Of sup
port and comfort, az insurance com.
pany offered him large income Just
for the use Of his name-his eyes
dashed and he replle:: Gentlemen
my name is not for sale Such a
name can not be bought for all the
riches OF the earth. He refused all
these offers and went to Lexington
yhere the school founded by Wash.
ington had been almost completely
ruined by the reckless dash Of Hunt
er and he said: I have self-impos-
ed task-I have led young men into
battle; l must teach them the duties
Of life.'
And so tor the succeeding years,
with his beautiful character. his
splendid example and noble life. he
climbed ever upward. And so one
day again he triumphed-the day
came when be did not debut all
Lexington came forth to hold his
stirrup while he mounted to ride
down the streets Of gold.
And he still Is calling to the
young men Of the South, come up
higher, higher, higher!'