The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1870-10-18
Death of Gen. Robert r.. Lee.

Robert Edmund Lee, the ablest SOL
dier of the rebellion, the most popular of
the rebel leaders, and the guitiest traitor
to his country and his flag, of all the re-
bellion, died at Lexington, Va, at $3.50
O'Clock, on Wednesday last, at the age of
ia years. He attained to the high dis
tinction of worldwide notoriety, which
some will christen fame; but the major
ity of the loyal citizens of this genera
ton, and the mass of the people of the
country, north and south, in after genera
tons, will name it infamy He was born
in Virginia, in 1908, graduated at the
National Academy at West Point in 1920,
second in his class. He served with dis
tncton in the Mexican War, and slowly
rose to the rank of Lieut.. Col. Of Cavel.
ry. President Lincoln reposing especial
trust in him, commissioned him as Colon
el, twelve days after his Inauguration.
Gen. Scott bestowed his entire confidence
upon him, showed him his plans and gave
him information. He accepted the COM
mission, spied out the plans of the gov.
eminent. 1t was natural that our officers
should trust him. He had been in the
nations service from the time that he was
seventeen years old. He had risen stead
lily in that service, and could hope to at
tain to its highest pcrferment. His life
had been strictly professional for thirty
six years. He had never had any connec-
ton with politics, but was simply a SOL
der. Yet it is now well known that he
was engaged in deccitful course, and
that he affected to be faithful 10 that
Government whose wages he had received
ever since 1925, only that he might OBJ
tain so full knowledge Of its plans as
should make his trcachcry valuable to
the rebels, and command for him his
own price at their hand. Not six weeks
before he deserted and broke his faith to
his country, he accepted promotion from
the men he had plotted to bctray.
Colonel Lee openly deserted on the
18th Of April, 1861, but he had been APP
pointed to the command of all the forces
Of Virginia on the 22d, which established
beyond controversy that he had been
playing the part Of rebel spy at Wash
ington for some time, while holding ma
tional commission, receiving national
promotion, and drawing national wages
and rations. On the 10th of May he was
made Major General in the rebel SER
vice. Soon afterward he was made Gen.
eral and the rapidity with which he was
promoted is another proof that he had
valuable secret service for his employers,
and that he had sett his price high.
Looking at Gen. Lee only as a soldier,
and forgetting that he behaved most dis
honorably, and was false to that flag un.
der which he had served for six-and-thir-
ty years,it is impossible to deny to him the
possession Of great merit. He was a
very able soldier, and to his professional
talents must be attributed the long con-
tinuance Of the secession struggle.
Now that he has gone, we should have
nothing more to say of his faults than is
necessary to prevent those false lauda-
tions which the adherents of the lost
cause will endeavor to heap upon him
To allow such encouragement of rank
treason and dishonorable espionage would
be to be untrue ourselves, to the noble
principles of our government and the
glorious flag we love.