Newspapers / Goldsboro Weekly Argus (Goldsboro, … / Nov. 21, 1901, edition 1 / Page 5
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-1 . -IP HOW LEE ENDED WAR NEW SHORT STORIES r 1 : J. 7 r '-; r i " 1' j I? ? Would Not Keep Up Guerrilla Struggle After Appomattox. ilT WAS A MOMENTOUS DECISION Clinrlett Francis Adams Draws a Par allel Between Situation In Soai.i j Africa and. tlie Closing Days of Hie ! Confederacy Paper Read Before i American Antiquarian Society. Charles Francis Adams in an address before the American Antiquarian so- -ciety at Springfield, Mass., reviewed the history of Lee's surrender and com- pared the struggle of the south with the present war in South Africa. What he said was new and included a hither to unpublished chapter of American history- He said in part: j The present seems to me a sufficient-' ly proper occasion, and this a good place, to call attention to a matter not otherwise than germane to the purpose of this society. Historical in its charac ter, it conveys a lesson of grave irn- port. One of the most unhappy and, to those concerned in it, disastrous wars of the century is that now in South Africa dragging itself out to a conclusion apparently still remote and, in every way, unsatisfactory. There is good reason to think that the conflict was unnecessary in its inception; that by Judicious action it might long since have been brought to a close, and, ; finally, that it is now continued simply because the parties to it cannot be brought together to discuss and arrive at a sensible basis of adjustment a basis upon which both are in reality ready to agree. Nevertheless, as the ; cable dispatches daily show, the con- i test drags wearily along to the proba- I ble destruction of one of the combat- 1 -ants, to the great loss of the other and, so far as can be seen, in utter dis regard of the best interests of both. My purpose, however, is to draw at tention to the hairbreadth escape we ourselves had from a similar experi- : ence now thirty-five years ago and to Assign to whom it belongs the credit of that escape. In one word, In the strong light of passing events I think it now opportune to set forth the debt -of gratitude this reunited country of ours Union and Confederate, north and south owes to Robert E. Lee. The decision rested in the hands of ; -one man the commander of the Army ! of Northern Virginia. Fairly reliable ; and very graphic accounts of what '. "took place at General Lee's headquar ters In the early morning hours of that iday have either appeared in print or been told In conversation, and to two of these accounts I propose to call at tention. Apparently the second of the Interviews described followed close on the first, not more than a couple of hours intervening between them. Of the first I find this account in a book recently published by John Sargent Wise, entitled "The End of an Era." John Sargent Wise is the son of Hen ry A. Wise, once prominent in our na tional politics. Governor of Virginia in the later fifties, he was subse quently a brigadier general in the Con federate service. Though in 1SG5 but a youth of nineteen, John S. Wise was a hot Confederate and had already been wounded in battle. At the time now In question he chanced to have been sent by Jefferson Davis, then on his way to Richmond, to Danville with 'dispatches to Lee, and, while seeking Lee's headquarters, he came in the early morning of April 9 across his father, Governor and General Wise, In bivouac with his brigade. The father "Was then nearly sixty years of age, but the son found him lying on the ground asleep among his men. A typical southern "fire eater" of the extreme type, Henry A. Wise was an out and out secessionist and Confederate. (Aroused by his sen from his uneasy elumber, almost the first wish he ex pressed was to see General Lee, and he Inquired impetuously of his where abouts. The two started to go to Gen eral Lee's headquarters. "We found General Lee on a rear portico of the house he occupied," says Mr. Wise. "He had washed his face in a tin basin and stood drying his beard with a coarse towel as we ap proached. 'General Lee,' exclaimed my father, 'my poor, brave men are lying on yonder hill more dead than alive. For more than a week they have been fighting day and night without food, and, sir, they shall not move another step until somebody gives them some- j thing to eat.' " 'Come in, general,' said General Lee soothingly- 'They deserve some- - thing to eat and shall have It, and meanwhile you shall share my break fast.' He disarmed everything like de fiance by his frankness. "It was but a few moments, how ever, before my father launched forth In a fresh denunciation of the conduct of General Bushrod Johnson In the en gagement of. the 6th. I am satisfied that General Lee felt as he did, but, -assuming an air of mock severity, he said, 'General, are you aware that you are liable to court martial and execu tion tor insubordination and disrespect tdward your commanding officer?' "My father looked at him with lifted eyebrow and - flashing eyes and ex claimed: 'Shot! You can't afford to . Bhoot the men who fight for cursing those who ran away. Shot! I wish ryou would shoot me. If you don't, some Yankee probably w&l within the ?next twenty-four hours.' , "Growing more serious1 General Lee Inquired what he thought of the situa tion, 44 'Sltuatlonr said the bold old man. There is no sltuatlonl Nothing re mains. General Lee, but to put your ,poor men on your poor mules and send Tthem home in time for spring plowing. Charity of Dan Rice. The circus has not always been con sidered a desirable adjunct to the church, and it must have been a des perate situation, that tempted a group cf Indiana women to seek aid in such a quarter. j It happened at a time when the fa- j nious Dan Rice was trying to steer his circus through financial breakers. He had got as far as Vincennes, and there cne day in a melancholy mood he was standing in front of the tent figuring on the prospect of getting out of town at all and gloomily listening to dis paraging comments on his band by the townsfolk when he was approached by a party of ladies, one of whom said: "Colonel Rice, we have always heard ct you as a very charitable man. Dn- j fortunately our church has been dam- j Ciged and needs a new roof. We 5 thought you might be willing to sub- j scribe toward it." j The humor of the situation appealed to the old showman. Here he was, j without a dollar he could call his own, I asked to contribute to charity. He j pulled a nickel out of his pocket and 1 said with the utmost gravity: "Ladies, this may appear to you a small amount, but it represents all the j money I possess. However, I believe j heartily in the cause you are pleading, j and I shall not utterly refuse your re- j j- t s j 1 4- : e 1. : . . l . (0 Asm pun ipwBwtnii m npj; y;iM 'H'.a , . " " "1 quest. I promise you that if this show does any business here I will not only i contribute toward repairing your J church, but I will put a new roof on j ii." i For one reason or another perhaps the Indies might explain it the two j performances that day netted so large j a sum that tne old showman was en abled to pay his way to the next town and the church to rejoice in a new roof. Made Mr. McKlnley's Speech. A well known general of the civil war, who has since become prominent in United States politics and is now a senator from one of the western states, was going to speak at a political meet ing at Marlboro, O., and so also was Mr. McKinley, then a congressman. They drove down from Canton togeth er. As they were driving along the general asked his companion for some suggestions, and the latter kindly ex plained the situation and advanced ar guments in support of the position of the Republican party. Mr. McKinley, as usual, had his subject well in hand, but. In addition, was fortified with notes giving certain statistics In cor roboration of his argument. He told One Million Six. Hundred Thou-- tl ft J J tl sana Bornes wen re ola last yeair it pays Do you think to try others? V J 4 "ma jok, just hand me those documents." the general about what line of thought he Intended to pursue in making his speech at Marlboro, and the latter, who was to speak first, agreed that he would say very little and would leave the bulk of argument to Mr. McKin ley. The general duly made his bow to the audieiice and began his speech. As he became warmed up the recol lection of what Mr. McKinley had been talking about on the way to the meet ing became stronger, and be began pursuing the line of argument that his companion had prepared for himself. The general laid down his proposition just as the major had done in the car riage and finally said: "And I can prove all this. Major, just hand me those documents." And then he pro ceeded to read at length from Mr. Mc- Kinley's notes. When the general had finished, there was little left for the major to say. Chicago News. Vurn ftp-.-.. sr :'..., .J r-vcir r vl SiLENTfcrJf n S j, Tliree Trass The Value 01 Mf Oilier. One-Third Easier. One-Third Faster. AGENTS WANTED in all unoc cupied territory. Wlieeler & Wilson MTo. 60. ATLANTA, Ga "For sale by the John Slaughter Co , Goldsboro, JN. J OUR- -0 GOLDSBORO, N. C. ac Jpiiist and DEALERS INT New and Second-Hand Machinery of Every Description, yes 1 1 "Ames" Engines and Boilers, Van Winkle Gin Machinery, ' "Lane" and other Saw Mills, Shafting, Pulleys, Hangers, Boxes, Couplings and Set Collars. Mrs. CornvralHs-West's Wit. . Not so long ago Joseph Chamberlain refused, with that firmness, not to say obstinacy, that is so Irritating to the Inquiring mind, to discuss the war with Mrs. George Cornwallis-West. "I see," she said sweetly, "you prefer to discuss your Indiscretions In public." Not long after the colonial secretary made some rather sarcastic remark about the po litical activity of certain women, add ing that he could not understand why American women, who kept out of pol itics at home, overwhelmed us in Eng land. "Ah," said Mrs. Cornwallis-West Innocently, "American nven are too in telligent to need our educating Influ ence." r Xt Into a. Seeet. - During General Sherman's famous "march to the sea" both north and south were completely mystified as to what point the general was striking for, and one day an old Georgia plant er who had called at his headquarters and enjoyed his good cheer asked him boldly If he had any objection to tell ing where his army was bound. "Not the least," said Sherman. Then, lean lng oyer, he whispered In his guest's ear, but so loudly that everybody else in the tent overheard it, "We are going pretty much where we please!" Stationer g stock 1 is always moving from counter to customer. because our prices are right Box Paper 5c to 40c. "Writing Tablets 5c to 25c Pencil Tablets lc to 5c. Pens, Pencils, Ink, Mucilage, Chalk, Slates, etc. Special Prices to School Teachers. Goldsboro Drug Co. The People's Popular Drug Store. THE ONLY True Blood Purifle prominently in the public eye to day is Hood's Sarsaparilla. Thereforf sret Hood's and ONLY HOOD'S W e Manufacture SSSk - ? ; 9 ' i A Large Stock of Mill and Plumbers' Supplies: Leather and Rubber Belting Packing, RuDber, Linen and Cotton Hose, Cant Hooks, Log Chains and Snaking Tongs, Blacksmith To 3ls and a gre at many artie'es Too numerous to mention. Repairing a Specialty: Your Patronage Solicited: Satisfaction Guaranteed. All our machinery is New and Up-To-Date, such as Boring Mill, Parallel Drive Planer, Radical Drill, Universal Milling Machinery for Cutting Gears and Spirals: Also Steam Ham mer with which we can do heavy Forgings, Especially Welding Log Cart Axles, &c. Our Shop is New, 162 feet long by 40 feet wide. Our Motto is "Fair Dealing and Promptness ISLER & SHAW,: Practice In Jones, Onslow. Greene, Lenoir ana Wayne Counties; in Supreme Court and U. 8. Courts. They are partners only in Lenoir. County. Mr. Isler will be in Goldsboro ejem Tuesday of each week, unless when attending the courts in his circuit. jy 10. w only, 0m 111 An Afl I Traveling salesman for alUBa I n. 0 ; must furnish con veyance. Give age, experience and written recommendations from 2 or 3 good merchants. Dickey Drug Co., Bristol, Tenn. and Va. augl5 w4t Administrators Notice I Haying qualified as administrator of th ag. tata of Annie G. Matthews. deceased, notice la hereby given to all persons Indebted to said estate to come forward and settle the same Immediately. Parties holding claims against said estate will present them to the undto signed for payment on or before the STth dar of July, 1903. or this notice wilbe pleaded iS bar of their recovery. D. . MATT HEWS Thls aUh da of July. 1901. AdiVr. ? :
Goldsboro Weekly Argus (Goldsboro, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Nov. 21, 1901, edition 1
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