The Portland daily press., 1868-09-10
MlSceuanY.



The "Pairiotism'' and ''H"maniiy" Of
e Robert h. Lee.
General Rosecrans seems to have enter
tainee the idea that all the troubles OF the
country could be settled if he could only get
the Rebel ex-Genera Lee-whOm he de-
clares to be "a patriot" in whom he has sun
limited confidence'-to write a letter pledeing
the South to a "chivalrous and magnanmous
devotion to restoring peace and prosperity to
our common country'-whatever that may
mean. He addresses Lee as the representa-
tive Of the Southern people; and Lee, in his
reply, accepts the position, speaking OF the
southern Democrats, throughout, as the only
"people of the South" He coolly declares
that the only way to have peace is to let what
he calls the southern people"-that is TO say,
the southern Democratic party-rule as they
did before the war, and trust to them to
treat with humanity and kindness" their po-
litical opponents, the southern Republicans.
whom he will not even allow to be part of
the southern people. The impudence of this
proposition is something amazing; but what
shall be said of the pitiiul funkyism of I'm
ion General, who could laud 1.-THE patriotism
and humanity" of the traitor Lee? The
N. Y. Post referring TO this correspondence,
says:
When parcel of demagogues in 1861 be-
gan an instruction whose avowed object
was to overthrow the Union, and disgrace
and exterminate the flag, Lee deserted from
tie army, and went over to the enemies OF
his country. Was that the act or a patriot.
Since the war ceased, Lee has been sulkine
in Virginia. He has doubtless great ipflu-
ence among the southern Democrats: he
might have used this influence Tor the good
OF the country. He might have told ad-
mirers that they ought to obey the laws; that
they ought not to be intolerant OF Others
opinions; that they do wrong to abuse and
kill the whites and blacks who were oyal
during the war, anil who now belong to the
Republican party. He might have told his
adherentS that peace means good will on
both sides. That would have been patriotic.
Has he done so?
No; he has chosen to sulk, in silence. de-
termlned apparently that the restoration of
peace and good will shall not have the help
OF his potent voice. Whatever influence he
has had since 1865 has gone to increase the
noble army of ''soreheads" in the southern
States; the crowd of the dissatisfied who feel
in their hearts what Robert Toombs spoke
out the other day, that 'as the late war was
produced by the defeated Democratic party
in 1860, We shall never have peace till it is
restored in 1865"
But Lees patriotism is no more useful than |
his humanity, OF which he himself boasts, |
would be Trustworthy. When he talks about |
humanity and kindness 10 those whom he |
wishes to be left in helpless dependence, does |
he imagine that people here forget Anderson
vile and Belleisle? Does he think men and
women here forget the cold and hateful cru
city OF the Rebel commander-in- chief. who
saw thousands OF our brave fellows starye
and freeze to death under his own eyes in the
horrible swamp of Belleisle, near Richmond?
Was Lee humane when our men rotted in
The AndersonVllle pen, and he refused to
write the brief order which would have en-
sured them sufficient food, clean water and
space enough to sleep in? Was Lee humane.
when in grim and cruel silence he suffered
thousands of Union soldiers to perish of
want and cold in Belleisie-but mile or two
from Richmond, which he constantly visited
Is IL not a little too impudent for Lee TO
talk about humanity? A sott-hearted man
would no more speak the word in Lees hear
ing than he would talk of hemp to a man
whose father was hanged. But this patriot
IN whom RosecIans has unqnestioned conf
dence, and who starved good MANY of Rose
Grams soldiers to death a few years AGO, no
more hesltates to talk of humanity than
Treasury, hesitates to talk about honesty. or
Wade Hampton about 'chivalry," or Simon
Bolivar Buckner about honor, or Ferdinand
Mendez Plnfo Beauregard about truth or
than any OF the whole gang OF demaoogues t
Who for tour years tried to break down and /
destroy the Constitution, now hesitates to |
weep over the sacredness of that instrument
Ahe Southern Democratic leaders who
have got on very high horse since the publ
cation OF the Blair letter and the nomination |
OF Blair, max mistake if they think that
every event of the last seven or eight wears is
forgotten ID the Northern States. There are
people here simple enough to think that ar |
roSance very little BELTS the leaders of the |
late rebellion; aud that unhanged Rebels are |
not perhaps The most proper expounders of |
the laws, or the most fit persons to rule the |
country they dld their best to ruin. And |
even IL our memoir were eebler than they |
are, they are likely to be refreshed when |
Wade Hampton denounces Southern ITnion- |
lists as "scalawags' who ought to be driven |
out OF society and out of the country: when a /
thrice -perjured traitor like Toombs asserts
mat there shall be no peace unless he and
MS IeiloW-Democrats can rule; when Cobb.
VINO, as Secretary OF the Treasury, treacher- /
ously broke down the credit of the United /
states before gong over to the councils of h
Davis, now denounces Southern white Il
Unionists as infamous" and calls upon his /
hearers to give them "no mercy." but ia /
drive them from the pale of social and DO /
ntIcal society,"" or when Lee, the most cruel 1
and dastardly all, guilty ofthe horrors and /
mlserles OF Belleisle and Andersonyille.
naugntIiy demands that the rebe! leaders
snail oe restored to power, and that we shall
. ~ -. W HIS ana their humanity and kind