Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-12-24

G.,Iee., oututou al the Enemy.
When Meade crossed the Rapidan, With The
view "A was supposed Of making another Oh 10
Richmond" Gen Lee issued oatue orIer' me
folioEng extract from which 10 sorthy OF pfersr-
vation:
a ernsl sD.my seeks 20 reduce our fathers
and our mothers our wives snd our chileren. to
sbseet slayerg 20 strip them OF their property
.nd drive them from their homes. Upon You
these helpless ones rev to avert these terrible Ca
lamiuies and secure 10 them the blessing 81 hoer
~ and safety Your past history gives them the
assurance that their trust will not De IN VAIN.
Let every man remember that all ne hoius uear
depends upon the faithful discharge OF MS duty,
and resolve to fight and il need be, 10 die, IN the
defense of A cause 80 sacred, and worthy the name
won by this army on so many bloody hslds.
Every Southerner, and especially every Nr
Ripisn. should eheiish these temperate, but DOW
erful sentences in his heart OF hearts Ihey
come from man who is accustomed 10 weigh
bis words we'll before using them, aud who dis
dains bombast a. he does cant or oravaco de
believes what he says. and his habit is 10 err
on the safe side-to understate, rather than
overstate anything. In bis kilograms, IN his or
ders to his troops. in bis conversation, he Is ever
the same digni6ed, cautious. moderate, truthful
gentleman His word IS indeed a. good as his
bond When he tells that the enemy ~ cruel "
and that he seeks TO reduce our fathers and
mothers, our wives and children, TO AFFECT STA
very, To strip them OF their property and drive
them from their homes" we may rely upon II be
means what he says, and 10 willing that this, his
deliberate opinion. should 90 forth TO the world.
Affect slavery Think of IT, Eight millions
of people stripped of every vestge of property
without a home on earth, driven into the noun
tains and forests, hunted down Ike wild beasts,
kept in Subsection by armed negroes, m ade wash
erwomen and boolblacks 70 ankee satraps,
forced TO perish : Outcasts and vagabonds. or TO
perjure their souls by an oath OF allegiance aud
then doomed to draw Yankee ratiOns precisel Y
as runaway negroes now DO in the Federal bar
racoons-think of this. Southerners, and know
that the half has not been told But the two
simple words chosen by Robert f. Lee tell it all
-abject slayery-snd volume of superlatiyes
could tell no more. How brief and guarded the
words. vet how strong the nearing
That mobile army of martyrs" which sleeps
under our blood -drenched soil. from the Potomac
to the confines of Mexico and that scarcely less
noble army OF refugees, now t0Iling ceasle-sy
but without murmur or repning. in the COnfeder-
ate capital aud in all the towns cities and coun'
try homes throughout the South, at'e>t the solemn
truthfuiuess of Lees simple assertion. And vet
these myriads OF corpses and this host of old mel
aud maidens, despOed OF their once happy homes
and earning u bare subsistence 10y hard labor, do
not realize in their own persons, or convey Il
those who have not been despoled the fullnes.
of meaning conveyed in Lees terse language
The dead lie peacefully under the sod, anC
their enfranehised souls lie forever done with tn,
cares and sorrows of this life; the refugees have
found Temporary homes amid kindred and friends
neither of them know what "nbiect slavery" is
The dead are free all free yet, but. il
we recresnt 10 That cause which Lee calls al
cred We shall ali know the unspeakale horrors .
affect slavery.
General Lee j. no politician, no ranter He il
q soldier, was eminently h0Dored by the ole
Government had "A soldiers devotion to the ia.
under which his first laurels were worn, ami ONT
yielded his position and his splendih prospect
because of his great love for Virginia and hi
sense of the superior allegiance due 10 his natv,
State When, at the request of the Convention.
he drew his sword for the Old Commonwcalth
he made no demsgogue defamation agans; th'
North, for the North had not revealed its detest
able features TO him. and the Justice OF the caus
in behalf of which he had pledged his life AN,
fortune did noe of itself warrant the expectation
of such atrocities as ne has witnessed. and from
which himself and his family have suffered =,
much Even now, after three years 0
terrible war, in which the enemy hav
committed every barbarty and violated
alike the laws of humanity, civilization
and Christianity he resorts TO none of the per
boIe OF the politician He does not waste hi
| breath in hgh blown dlatri0es. de revlles no
again. He says in plain. calm words: 9TH
enemy is cruel, and he seeks TO reduce our faith
| ers and mothers, our wives and children. to ab
jeci slavery: to strip them oil their property, anc
| drive them from their homes He states facts
| he tells the simple truth; that is all
IL * we'll for the Coniederacy, and especiall
well for rs in Virginia, that this Straightforward
soldier came TO oar side We know not what "
should have done without him lie is the oni,
great military man in the Confederate wh'
! has no. fallen under the ban OF the authorifies
| Why this is not go. it boots not to inquire. Ha
! il been otherwise. the army of orthern Virgins
would have long since lost its unity and efficacy
the wave of invasion would have swept over thu
capital OF the Coafederacy. and the hope Of indie
pendence would, in all probability have died on
! in every heart Thank heaven there is one tru
able General who is disturbed by his superior-
That General tells Us the cause in which We ar
engaged is sacred. aud worthy the name Won b
his army on 80 many bloody fields" Is Their
man, woman or child in the Confe1eracy VIII