The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1866-01-31
ROBERT E. LEE.

| have given you, my friends,
feebly the sketch of true American soldier.
Let me give you another sketch. There was
once soldier ofthecountry, bearing one OF
its proudest names, intermarrying into a fam
Iiy which the country delighted to- honor
who had received from d country, grateful for
the deeds of its ancestors, the highest educa-
ton that it could afford to give; who had been
the petted soldier Of the country, beloved by
4lfsi commanderin-c chief, almost the staff of
his ola age. When disorder and civifcotnmo,
tons and rebellion broke out the old chief
leaned upon the younger soldier as upon his
staf-nnade him the confdant of his secrets
and the depository of his plans. But sudden
ly that soldier departed from the ranks of his
country's service, .andswithin two days of the
time when his resignation was accepted, was
found fighting in the ranks of the enemy,
and in higher command During long
and bloody war he saw his former fellow Off
GERS and soldiers starved in prison under his
very eye-saw that from very desperation
they burrowed out through the ground-and
never raised voice in their behalf, although
his word was omnipotent, and although the
enemy depended wholly on his sword. He
saw the officers and soldiers of the country
that reared and honored him murdered by
thousands in the prisons, and never said
word in their behalf. At last after every
means of resistance had failed; after having
carried on a war which he knew to be hope
less. and after having fought his army until he
g dinin she'd it 10 Z, 300 muskets. be surrendered
at last, after writing a note to the commander
of the opposite army, stating that frankly he
did not consider that the time of surrender
had come. That man is now a teacher ofthe
youth OF the country, to tell them their duty
10 their flag, their country and their God. If
this is tebe SO, fellow soldiers, have we not
shed our blood in vain, and are not our los,
comrades simply murdered, uselesslv MUIR
dered, without hope in this world, and only
with nope IN the resurrection,
What is the plea to be interposed in favor
Of this man? The rights of secession-that
he went with his State? But suppose that
that plea is false one, what shall we saw
then? Robert +. Lee resigned his commits.
. SOU i,n the 18th of April, 1861, of the same
time that our neighbors were murdered in
Baltimore. On the 18th day Of the same
April Virginia had passed sa ordinance of
secession. which was not to take effect until
voted on by the people on the third Tuesday
OF May, i've weeks afterwards. On the 18th
of April l say, General Lee resigned his
commission, or rather it was accepted on that
day, after 1t had been through the various Of
hoes OF the department in Washington, and
on the I'D of April he was appointed COM
htaiiuti u-CHfel vi lne rebet forces
gnla. His State had not then seeded. but
on the contrary, he, at the point of the heyo-
net, carried her out of the Union aud forced
the vote on the third Tuesday of May follow
ing. And yet there has not been strength 4
enough In this government so far-a govern
ment that could put a million men in the field
at once, and that did in the last campaign put
INTO the field one million six hundred thou
sand men-to bring that man to trial and as
certain whether or not treason is a crime and
ought TO be punished. [Applause.
have not spoken yet of another and
greater-no, another and different-criminal. /
! am now speaking of Il man who think can
Pc within the spirit of Your resolution tried /
by military commission, and to which all /
the people viii say amen. | put it to YOU.
fellow soldiers; as military men, whether de- /
serting the flag OF our nation and taking ser /
vice within two days afterwards in the ranks /
OF the enemy is not military crime, for /
which man Is amenable to a military tribu- !
nal! think there can be no doubt on that
question. | would like to see him tried for
that military otfense. | do notthink that any I
subsequent parole, got out of too much ere I
dulty that the time had not come to surrender
the northern army OF Virginia, would be a
good plea desire to see that man tried SO
that II may Misunderstood hereafter that it is
death upon the galows for any man to desert
ms nag and take service with the enemies of \
MS country. lGreat applause.