Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1870-12-21
, spEEoH BY SENATOR NYE.

On the 18th of December Senior
McCreery, Of Kentucky, introduced a
toint resolution In the U. s. sen1tc to
the effect that Arlington Hightt the!
former property Of tho late Robett E.
Lee. be reconveyed to his widow and
heirs, and that the national cemeteries
now thereon be removed. On this
subject Senator Nye, of this State,
made the following speech:
Ineyer. expected, Nj. President, to,
witness such a scene as this, although
from the logic of events it might have
naturally been expected. when we
consider the rApid haste on the part of
some to restore rebels to their privl-
Ieges,, the o~verwsening anxiety dls-
played to let by-gones be by-gones,
and let the past be forgotten, Of which
we hear so much every day, ldo'not
knoWsbut chat this proposition Is In ex.
net accord with the "logic, Of events"
I cherish toward General Lee the
simple feeling that he did ail'he could,
after having been nursed upon the
bosom of his country, to destroy u.
History will record him a traitor. The
testimony Of the living today records
him as a traitor; and If the countless
dead could speak, they would add their
testimony to the truth of the charge.
And yet we are told by the honorable
Senator from Kentucky that he wasa
hero /! 80 was Arnold, whose name
has gone down to everlasting infamy.
Wby? Because he betrayed his trust.
lie was false to his country and nus
flag, and the history Of the world to-
dayy everywhere writes him q traitor.
What would have been thought In
those ancient days, when patriotism
had a new birth and resurrection here,
of n proposition to restore Arnold to
citizenship and return to him hlssprop-
erty In Connecticut! Why, sir, the
persou who would have had the au-
lacity to offer such q proposition
would have, been accused then of hav-
ing feelings kindred with Arnold. l
do not intimate that such Is the case
here. i think this resolution has ena-
mated from the over-goodness of heart
of the Senator from Kentucky. But
no takes occasion to tell rs that Lee
was q Christian man. Sir,Sl do not
know as we'll rs 1 ought to know what
constitutes q Christian; but If the
deeds Of Lee as recorded by the pen
of the historian make him 4 Christian,
| do not want to DO one ; aud l assert
here that, If they are the evidences OF
Christianity l. hope 1 shall never pos
sesS it. .y,a $40
Sir, do the family of General Lee
want Arlington Nights ? Go, count
the seventeen thousand dead VINO lie
there, and see If the aroma from the
| graves of the patriot dead would be
pleasant to the nostrils ofthe survivors
OF Lee. Remove the bones, and yet
the scent Of patriotism ! Will hang
around Arlington still. No, SIR do
not believe that the widow Of this
"Chrstian general" as he is called,
would be happy there.
But, sir, that Is not the question.
| The question Is, shall we rs q body
Join in a eulogy upon General Lee?
Shall we Us a body eountenance all
effort to eulogise the man who has
caused the white stripes OF our flag to
be lost In the general rednesS that per-
yaded it? Understand, Itilnk, what
forgiveness is, and | crave 1t as much
rs anybody; but had done what Gen-
eral Lee has done; had Itrailed the
| flag, which I had sworn to protect
under all circumstances, In d~ishonor ;
had | Redeemed the fields of my native
State with blood until the thirsty sand
cried Enough :" had l e Q countless
thousands fall by my order, when bid
to march to the destruction of my
country, I should not, have expected
to be forgotten or forgiven here OF
hereafter. .Iur
Sir, If there Is one sin that towers
above another, it is the sin of disloy-
atty to o good Government, and that
sin Is increased and aggravated when
the acknowledged cause was to bind
the letters stronger upon the oppressed
and to make oppression instead OF lib
erty the rule of government. Can the
American Senate long debate when
that question Is submitted to them ?
Can my honorable friend By my skle
CMr. Howard 60 home to Michigan
and see the vacant places around every
h~earthstone in his State. and,conscien-
tiously recognize rs u Christian or q
patriot the man who drenched this
country In blood and who clothed It's
inhabitants In mourning? ER
l do not wish to characterize things
by strong names; but. sir, I feel IN
jurel, If not insultcd In my own per-
son BY such q proposition as this.
What did the State of Virginia 10
when the brave Thomas lay down to
his long sleep? Where were the rcso-
buttons approving Jof his conduct +?
None such have ever been introduced
in the Legislature of that State. What
lid virginia say when her arch-traitor
died?G Eulogy after reulogYw was pro-
-nounced upon him.. What Is the next
step? The next step is to pension the
widow Of this "Christian patriot !" to
tax still further the energies Of a Ia
boring, toiling people to give back to
his family not only the property which
the nation has purchased flor 1t was
not confiscated, but purchasedh but TO
give them IN additional bounty, and
for what? For treason! 8,EY
Mr.. President, r desire the bloody
scenes of the rebellion never to be re-
enacted. How are We to prevent their
rc-enactment? Isl t by pampering the
rebel, or is 1t by stamping him with
the seal of condemnation that shall be
u warning to future generations ? Go
on with this policy, and what Is to fol-
low? 1t is o bounty for coming trea-
son. The young man whose pulse Is
now beating high with ambition will
say, General Lee was honored by
the Senate OF the United States that he
attempted to destroy ; why may not |
try the experiment? If my property
Is not wasted for the moment, they
will generously return It to me, rs per
example Of General Lee2n No, sir;
let him sleep with himself, and let him
be Judged In the day Of, Judgment as
m intelligent people have judged him
now. His rebellion was Failure, but
not for want Of, eXertion OH his!part.
Sir. suppose he had triumphed, and
suppose the Senate of the nation over
which he presided was sitting here,
and all his kindo Of people with him,