The appointment of
General Lee to the Command-in-
Chief of the Armies is the
Confederacy will give universal satisfaction, and inspire fresh confidence in every bosom.
The President has shown, in this important act, a just appreciation of the exigencies of the occasion, and a patriotic sympathy with the public sentiment, which pointed with entire unanimity to such a step.
We need say nothing of the great qualities which recommend
General Lee to his present position.
They have been tested in the fiery furnace, seven times heated, of a war which, in its ferocity, duration and magnitude, has few parallels in history.
The seven years contest of the
American Revolution was child's play compared with this struggle.
It s largest armies would have scarcely formed an advance guard of the giant hosts which have been marshalled in this contest.
Its most formidable weapons were pop guns to the huge missiles which have hurtled through the air in this Titanic struggle.
We do no wrong to the memory of
Washington, nor to the facts of history, when we say that he never gave such proof of military ability as
General Lee--a soldier who, with limited means, has successfully resisted for four years the enormous power of the
United States, and kept the
Confederate flag flying defiant on the
capitol.
We need say nothing to inspire confidence in such a leader.
But perhaps we ought to say something to prevent that confidence from becoming idolatry; to invoke the people of the
Confederacy not to put their trust in man, whose breath is in his nostrils, but to place their only reliance upon that Divine hand which controls the destinies of nations, and which has hitherto been interposed so wonderfully in our behalf; that God, who is a jealous God, and who will not permit his subjects to transfer with impunity the glory of the Creator to his creatures and his instruments.
All that man can do is to adopt the best means for the accomplishment of a purpose, and then to look to Heaven for its blessing.
Moreover, we have seen so much of popular impatience and fickleness, we appreciate so strongly the difficulties of
General Lee's position; that we feel constrained to invoke the people to economize their enthusiasm, and invest their surplus of that article in forbearance and charity, qualities which may be needed before this war is over.
General Lee, great man that he is, is neither infallible, omniscient nor omnipotent.
General Washington often lost battles, and was often the victim of misconstruction and misrepresentation at the hands of his friends.
Let us not waste all our breath at the beginning of
General Lee's new career, but retain a portion of it to sustain him at the pinch of the hill.
Let us show our admiration and confidence by holding up his hands, by strengthening his armies, by refraining from the croaking that would paralyze his soldiers, by putting down the spirit of extortion and greed, and pouring out cheerful contributions of material aid to the cause.--The Government has given us
General Lee as the
Commander-in-Chief--now let the people do their part and give
General Lee the public spirit and unselfish patriotism of 1861.
Then, with the blessing of Heaven, we may look forward as confidently to the achievement of Confederate Independence as the rising of to-morrow's sun.
