Year: 1870

less case. But could Gen Lee surrender
No, thousand times no, would have leapt
from the lips of his brave boys No, ne5sr.
would be echoed back from the women and
childIen at home But, he did, he did sur.
render. He saw the cause was hopeless


Should he lead his beloved men that re-
mained, to certain death, covering them,
and him allover with glory, but accomplish
ing nothing whatever for the cause OF
should he brave reProach, brave the shame
ofsurrender, brave perhaps the responsible


ty of the final and fatal blow to the almost
crushed south, to save those noble lives


His duty was plain, and however difficult


however great the struggle it cost, he did it


He sacrificed his own feelings and himself, to
save his men, when there was no more hope
for the cause And what has his life been
since the war Beloved, his high moral
character Is rot sufficient to account for
that There is something more. 1t Is his
beautiful christian character What per,
feet ignoring of selfI quiet, dignifed re-
tired, but whenever speaking, it is for peace,
advising and persuading the people .gho
looked to him as father, to do duty, not
only to each other, but to the government; !;
to submit and be good and quiet and peace
able citizens, bearing and forbearing, and
forgi7ing. And how well did he set the ez-
ample. Offers of homes in foreign lands
were refused, offers of positions in other
armies refused. All attempts to place him
where he would be prominent, all efforts TO
make him speak much and give his opinion
on passing events, discouraged. He chose
to remain with his people, and suffer with
them. He accepted position of usefulness
and one which enabled him to support his
family, and remained at the post of duty unI
til death One Of the last acts recorded of
him was his attendance at a vestry meeting
in his parish, thus showing his interest in
his church and its prosperity to the last
And until prevented by sickness his place
in the Sanctuary of the Lord was never
vacant. l say it required the gracs of the
Christian to pursue the career that he has
done since the surrender To control one
self and keep down ones feelings for the
sake of peace, to be quiet and hold in words,
when all are desirous for you to speak, and
many are using every effort to draw you out


In short to so live and act as to wiring praise
and admiration from the mouths of foes,
requires the sweet influences of Christianity
to be thrown like halo of glory around the
general character. And let us look at few
of the testimonies of both friends and foes


The New Orleans Times thus: "Robert
E. Lee, the Great, the Good, the Wise, cal
led hence to his reward OF all the men
that ever carved their names on time. He
stands alone. Others have become famous
for their triumphs He made failure glori


Gus, and won honors from defeat. Van


quished He was yet victor To honor
virtue is to honor him. To reverence wis
dom is to dc him reverence. In life, he was
a model for all who live; In death, he left
a heritage to all One such example is
worth more to earth, than the stained tri-
umphs of ten thousand CesarsI" The Charles


ton Courier says he was true patriot, high
toned christian gentleman and one who had
ever kept "the whiteness of his soul" He
was of distinguished ancestry. The son. of
Gen Henry Lee, the friend of Washington.
Educated to the profession of arms, he rose
by his talents to the position of the greatest
Captain of modern times His name will
ever be a household. word, not only with the
South, but with all humanity. He won for
himself the admiration and the veneration
OF world He has passed away amidst the
regrets of all true hearts everywhere, and
his name Will be treasured upon the pages
of history to the latest posterity." The


Bowling Green Democrat, a Ky. paper, says
wherever the heart Of humanity beats it
must swell with deep and poignant grief for
the death Of Gen. Robert Z. Lee. The
shades of mourning are all over the South


ern States in token of an all perYading and
Irresponsible love for she great Yirginian
whose military renown enlisted the world 6
admiration, and whose unobtrusive life since


the war, has illustrated a character almost


too sublime for mans Words of eulogy are


paltry things indeed when applied to the
name of Lee. His fame transcends the
power of decay. His example will live un'


tarnished through all the centuries to come


He leaves no living enemies They whl


struck at him in the Iighs of his cleaning
sword now praise him They who followed


his tall white plume in battle, adore him a.


their greatest leader, their nobieet hero and


their grandest patriot From foes we may


read such testimonies as the following: New


York Sun,-"He displayed military ability


and genius of the very highest order anc


won reputation which viii live in history


for all time" The Philadelphia Age says Ii il


not our aim to day to criticise, nor TO broacl
political questions, but to pay our tribute 0