point
of scientific defeat had been reached. He fought to acquit his own honor
as a man fights a duel until blood is drawn, and that done he has no
more incentive for fighting.

There is also another point you have forgotten. The terms which General
Grant offered Lee were of a liberality beyond the capacity of any
British general or statesman. Lee's whole army was paroled and told to
go home taking their horses with them to cultivate their farms. There
were to be no punishments or executions for treason. Afterwards when
some people in the north foolishly clamored for punishment, Grant
sternly insisted on the fulfillment of every condition in the surrender.
Under such terms it was very easy and natural for Lee to ride quietly
from the surrender to his own home, walk in and shut the door, and never
trouble himself about the rebellion again.

You say Lee's example influenced the other southern leaders. But it was
Grant's example, the fair and honorable terms, which were the real
influence, the real power that was accomplishing this result. It was
very American and possible only among Americans. The English are too
stupidly violent ever to achieve such a result as that.

You may remember that some months ago Botha and some of the Boer leaders
met Lord Kitchener to discuss terms of peace. And what were the British
terms? Compare them with Grant's. Lord Kitchener said that immunity
would be given to certain of the leaders, but no immunity could be
promised to certain others. Could honorable men consent to surrender
themselves and escape on condition that certain of their associates were
to be hung?

Suppose Grant had said to Lee, "You and your officers, if you will
surrender, shall be guaranteed immunity; but Jefferson Davis, and
Johnston and Beauregard are to be hung." Do you suppose Lee would have
surrendered? I am inclined to think that if any such British policy had
been carried out there would be guerilla war and Irish rebellion in the
south to this hour.

Lord Kitchener, you will also remember, would give the Boers no promise
of local self-government. It was indefinitely postponed. They asked him
about giving the right to vote to the black Kaffir population. But
Kitchener refused to give any promise on that point.

In other words they were asked to surrender without any agreement that
the lives of the rebels in Cape Colony who had been assisting them
should be spared the gallows, they had no definite promise of l