The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1870-11-11

LAA<+I AAC Wtes AlElIECb1y SGLi5AASQ WITH tie
Articles as they stood, and that there
was no bare afEectation on his part in
/ this matter. The truth is, a look, or an
fntOnation of voice even, at this time,
which would have fadjc0fed that his
pTOiessed satisfaction was not the real
and unaffected feeling Of his heart
would have defeated that measure.
1 This | knew; but the result was as /
believed it would be from the time OF
our first interview.
General Lee on this occasion, as well
I as on the occasion Of the resignation of
i his commission in the United States
army, after Mr.. Lincoln had made the
! most tempting offers TO him as has
( been stated by high authority showed
I q personal disinterestedness and an
I connected with himself individually,
or his official rank or personal position,
unselfish devotion to principles and
country, rarely to be met with IN this
1 cof.aetE.g rarely to ll2 mtei Nitls in this
! WOTldI These are the faets Ia relation
to him, which | have thought not in
! appropriate to state in this connection.
! It was on this occasion, and in this way,
/ when put to the test in this severe cru
/ cible, he exhibited those sterling inner
/ qualities of the man which greatly eX-
alted him iii my estimation on our first
/ acquaintance, and which have contri-
I
| liant luster that crowns his public ca
reer, even under the most adverse for-
/ tunes of war.
/ How well he merited the eulogy Of
! his countrymen and the place assigned
/ him at the head of the army of Virgil
MIA, his subsequent career attests. In
/ 1861, first iu the hearts of the people,
Elm 1865 he still held that place, and
with a tenacity that found public eX-
| preston by the Assembly of the Legis-
] lature of Virginia, which, early in jan
/ uary of that year, adopted a resolution
requesting his appointment to the COM
mand of all the armies of the COnfede-
rate States. This was laid before Pre-
/ sident Davis, who responded as follows,
! thus setting the seal of his attestatiOn
! and appreciation of the great soldier:
! EXECUTIVE OFFICE, RICHMOND, I
January Is, 1865.
! To MessI1s. James T. johnson, Presi-
/ dent pro tenn. of the Virginia Senate,
and Hugh w. Sheffey, Speaker of
the Virginia House of Delegates:
! CfeIltLenlcJl-I have the honor TO ac-
| knowledge the receipt of your joint
! letter of the 18th inst, inclOsing a reso-
/ luton of the General Assembly of NiT-
! ginia, passed on the 18th inst, and
! communicated in confidence, as direct
J ed by tue Assembly. This resolution
! Informs me that, i'm the opinion of the
! General Assembly of Virginia, the APP
( pOintlnent of General Robert i. Lee to
/ the command Of all the armies of the
! Confederate States would promote their
! efficiency, and operate powerfully to
reanimate the spirits OF the armies, as
/ well as of the people of the several
/ States, and to inspire an increased con-
! fidence in the final success of our cause.
: In your communication you kindly
8 assure me that the General Assembly,
with n sincere confidence in my patri-
Otic devotion to the welfare of the cOun-
try, desire, in this critical period of our
affairs, by such suggestiOOs as occur to
them, and by dedication, if need be, of
t8o entire resources OF the Common
wealth. to the common cause, to
strengthen my hands and to give sue
cess to our struggle for liberty and in
dependence. This assurance to me is Il
! source of the highest qualification and
. while conveying to you my thanks for
( the expression of confidence of the Gen
/ eraI Assembly in my sincere devotion
! to our country and sacred cause, must
beg permission, in return, to bear Wit
ness to the unhesitating spirit with
which Virginia has, from the moment
/ when she first drew the sword, conse-
| Grated the blood of her children and all
| her material resources to the achieve
ment of the object of our struggle.
The opinion expressed by the Gener-
! al Assembly, in regard to General RO-
| bert r. Lee, has my full concurrence.
| Virginia cannot have a higher regard
/ for him, or a greater confidence in his
character and ability than is entertain
! ed bV me. When General Lee took
| command of the Army of Northern
] Virginia, he was in command Of all the
armies of the Confederate States. By
my order of assignment, he continued
| in this general command, as well as in
! the immediate command of the Army
! of Northern Virginia, as long as could
resist his opinion that it was necessary
| to him to be relieved from one Of these
two duties. Ready as he has ever
shown himself to be to perform any
service that desired him to render to
his country, he left it for me to choose
between his withdrawal from the COM
/ mand of the army in the field, or re-
lieving him of general command of all
the armies of the Confederate States.
1t was only when satisfied with this
necessity, ] came to the conclusion to
relieve him of general command, be-
lieving that the safety of the Capital,
and the success of our cause, depended,
in a great measure, OH then retaining
him in command in the field with the
{ y
Cral subsequent occasions the desire, OH
my part, to enlarge the sphere of Gen
eraI Lees usefulness, has led to renew
ed consideration of the subject, and he
has always expressed his inability to
assume the command of other armies
than those now confided to him, unless
relieved of the immediate command in
the field of that army now opposed TO
: General Grant.
In conclusion, assure the General
Assembly that whenever it shall be
found practicable by General Lee to as
sumo command of all the armies of the
: Confederate States, without withdraw
) ing him from direct command of the
2 Army of Northern Virginia, L will
deem it prOmotiVe of the public inter
: ests to place him in such command,
l and will be happy to know that by SO
: doing / am responding to their express
: ed desires. 1t will afford me great
: pleasure to see you, gentlemen, as pro-
! posed in your letter, whenever it may
t be convenient for you to visit me.
+ 1 am, ve.y respectfully and truly
: yours, JEFFERSON DAVIS.
4 The people of the South were moi
e alone or singular in their estimate o.
4 his character. Foreign statesmen
e journalists and writers We'd with eacI
other and We're earnest in their appre
e ciative expressions of so exalted
: character From many before us W.
e select one article said, at the time o
q its appearance 1864) in the Montrea
t Telegraph, to have been inspired,
l not written by an English officer o
g high rank and great ability. 1t read
8 as follows;
!, " Posterlty will rank General Le
e above Wellington or Napoleon, befOr
= SAKE or Turenne, above Marlborough
I or Frederick, before Alexander or Cte
Q sar. Carefni of the lives of his men