Brownlow's Knoxville Whig, and rebel ventilator. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1863-1866, 1864-06-11
The Chiyaly Of the Rebel Gen. Lee.

"When monkeys are gods, what must the
people be?" Robert Z, Lee, commander Of
the rebel army, ia deemed the paragon of
Southern chivalry, Therobels have always
been vain of being led by one Of such pure
blood, such stainless honor, Justly enough
by their standard, But lot US put him to =
civilized test,
What is his blood His grandfather, r.
ii, Lee, had the faint of treason in him.
Writing in 1890, on the Federal Constitu-
ton, he said, "When we (the South attain
our natural degree of population ] hatter
myself that We sh all have the power to do
ourselves justice, with disSolciag the bond
which binds as tOgether' His great uncle,
"Light.lIo Harry" was stgmatizcd by
Jefferson, who knew him we'll us IAN in.
triguer,' IAN iniormer,' "a miserable ter.
giyersator,' Maj, Gen, Charles Lee, Of
Revolutionary memory, and a kinsman, was,
as one may see by lrying's Washington, not
only a calumniator Of Washington, but was
plotter to supercede him he was tried by
court-martlal after the battle Of Monmouth,
was iou.d guilty Of disobedicnce Of orders,
misbehavior before the enemy, and dsre-
spcct TO the Commander in. Chief; was sub.
sequently dismissed from the service in dis
grace, and soon aiterward died in Berkeley
county, Virginia leaving in his will these
words; 81 desire most earnestly that may
not be buried in any church or church yard,
or within n mile of any Presbyterian or
consecrated meeting housc; for, since re-
sided in this country, have kept so much
bad company, while living that | do not
choose to continue it when dead. The great
uncle, Arthur Lee, was the libcer Of Frank
lin and Jay and Jefferson, and is described
by Tucker in his life Of the latter, to have
been "singularly impracticable in his tenn
per and disposition. The uncle, Henry
Lee, was in Congress at the time of the
Presidential struggle between Jefferson and
Burr, and, according to Tucker advised
desperate measures to defeat the former
and he was man Of such bad character
that when, in 1880, Gen Jackson, whose
fiery partisan he had been, sent his romina-
ton to the Senate for the counsulship at
AIgicrs Mr., Tazcwcll, Of his own party and
State Chairman on Foreign Relations, re-
ported against it, and it was unanimously
rejected 1t would be difficult TO name an
old family in this country, of any historical
mark, whose "blood' has been shown to be
Of worse quality than that Of the Lees Of
Virginia.
But it is not family that makes the gen
tlcmcn, or the reverse. 1t is personal hon
or. Has Robert 4. Lee this? We say en-
,,hn hat Ia, L., is Iah
cient in its very first and most essential ele
mcnt--truth. He is rs mendacious as
Deauregard himself This can be proven
ncontestaly, and that too without going
back of the history Of the last fortnight.
On the 18th Of this month he issued an ad-
dress to his soldiers, which We have pub
lishcd, 1t is brief but it contains five broad
ialSchoods.
The first is that "a part of the encmys
force threatening the Valley Of Virginia
has been routed by General lmbodon, and
driven back to the Potomac This, if it
means anything refers to the withdrawal Of
Sigel across the Shenandoah, whencontront-
ed with superior forces. He experienced no
rout, and little loss and, instead Of being
back to the Potomac, was then seventy
miles SOUtn OF IoJOmac
The second is that "a portion of General
Averills forces had been dispersed by Gems.
Morgan and Jones who are in pursuit Of the
remainder There was no such dispersion,
no such pursuit. Gen. Avcrll most success
fully accomplished the destruction Of con
nections and ofstores, and everything which
he undertook
The third is that Northern journals Of
the 10Th inst. announce the surrender of
Gen Steele, in Arkansas, with an army of
5000 men, The Northern journals of
that date, or Of any other date, made no
such announcement, except rs reproduced
in extracts from Richmond papers, which
their own advices from Arkansas had pre-
viously contradictcd Gen Lee has been
guilty Of the trickery Of imputing to the
Northern papers statements which are ex-
pressly given as rebel representations.
The fourth is that the cavalry force sent
by Gen. Grant to attack Richmond has been
repulsed, and retired toward the Peninsula"
This relates to Gen. Sheridans expedition,
the most dashing brilliant, and completely
successful raid Of the war. 1t was never
sent to attack Richmond" was never re-
pulsed, but went straight through like
bosom Of destruction, from the Potomac to
the James, in spite Of Jeb. Stuart who per-
ished in his etiort-to prevent it.
The fifth is that every demonstration Of
the enemy south Of the James River has, up
to this time been successfully repealed -
On the contrary, every demonstration,
without an exception, had been successful,
for, at that time, the demonstration upon
Fort Darling had not been made, and those
upon the railroads had invariably succeeded,
and positions had been secured Of great i'm
portance, which our forces held, and still
hold, in defiance Of the enemy
Now these misstatcmcnts must have been
wiful. They are Of character that
prccludes the possibility Of their being the
product Of mere misapprehension Lee
deliberately and hagitously lied. If it be
said in his behalf that he did it in order to
keep up the dropping spirits Of his soldiers,
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