The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1870-12-22
ROBERT E. LEE.
WAsHINagoN, Dec. 23.--SsNAgE:

WAsHINQT0N,,Qe ,Qec.' 43.-.oHHAHt-
McCrecry asked leave 10 intreduce o
resolution, Of which tie gave notice yes
terday, proposing an-investiigga.iyesa with
view;to the restoration Of the AIRING.
ton estate to lhc widow Dr. General
Robert Z. Lee, the removal ofthe grave.
yards on the promises, aud general
restitution for any membranes Plat ed
therein in the interest Of the GSsesrn-
lnent. tfS ~ -
Edmunds hopcd!the, leave sonad mot
bo granted, as the proposition ,te'dig up
the bones Of our dead soldiers 10 order
that certain property might bc given
back to its rebel owners, ~was TO hls 3.
mind perfectly monstrous. While en-
tcrtaining the highest respect tor his
friend MeCrcery, he hoped the seuate
would never entertain tho proposal.
McCrecry then occupied twenty min
utes on the subject. HeSrefetfed ,te
the circumstances attending flie' regent
death of two of the foremost genefsfs on
either side in the late war, lee aTt
Thomas. He spoke Of the frieds
intimacy existing between these gen.
erals up to the commencement Of the
rcbclli,n, when Thomas followed the
starry emblem of the Union, and Lee
resolved to stand or fall by, Tho State
that had given him birth; ofthc general
sorrow aud respect which iiaaifeseed 1t.
self in either section sueseedihsi the
imournful intclligenceof their !dceease.'
He proceeded to euloeisc THO :inaSsibie
virtue, military genius .aaassyalps of
General Lee, remarkiexthaEtRe AmEi':
can peaple would neycr1rctiuauish; the
property which they hold'in' the anane
and fame of the great Virgiaian.s lie
then referred to the principal historic
features of Lees campaigns,- TO z!show
that, with the meansat his command,
possibly no other iuun could have ao.
complishcd results SO great. While
possessing great ability, he was, devoid
of ostentution, and from tho testimony
of his most intimate acquaiutabccs he
vas singularly exempt from the faults
and follies Of other men. Hislife ,wns
that ofa hero, Christian auds sgeutle>
man. There might 7be those iin the
Senate who would derive eomfort from
casting aspersions upon Gen. Lees chur.
acter, but all sections OF the lcountry
would eventually accord TO hissinerits
their Just deserts. The loved part"
ner of Lis bosom still lived, aadsjn her
behalf justice was now imPpret.-
She belonged to race fond OF be.
slowing charity, but poverty eAld not
force her to accept it Would the Sem
ute now remove the barrier That ex.
cludcs her from Arlington :.
Uuling his remarks McCrery reYicw.
oil, in detail, the salient IcaturesDi Gan.
eral Lees civil aud military 'stfvices,
particularly his recent efforts lf'edahitc
ton with Jefferson Oulle.c, hiS' v6lu
,ionury ancestry, aud sincere aeyotiun
to duty. Referring to tho s8ofa as the
least capable Of oil tribunals. IL decide
cause upon its merits, ithcsspeaker
went on to argue that the judSShs.,ehts dShs Ct
the sword had not always coIiinandcd
that universal respect which would
have been expected FROM 4 courtsefso
large n jurisdiction, audi that history
had cnro; led the Issmrs of Hhmpfen
and Sydney upou the >liSt'of mdityrsIin
the sacred cause Of risht!"eh = -
In response to Senator McCrcery,
! Edmunds said that Instead f.belng
welded to the institutions Of Virginia,
General Lee was the ward .ot the na.
tion-a nation which had fed, clothed
| and educated him. That hs1tyod ut
the capitul, but when the capital'called
upon him to defend the tia$. $.'uadrr
which he had been born, protested anj
houored, he deliberately turuea hia
buck upon it and planted his cannon
inside the capital he had sworn ~ pro.
tect and defend. He lEdruunds) would
not dignity such proposition by dis
cussing it. General Lee was h6S dead.
The only regret he thought aiYbriph,
minded man, who believed in'tlfe.war.
would have, was that Geueral Lee Had
not died either in hisyGu,h o., in bis
patriotic manhood, or even that he had
not died earlier than he did ,tby the
hand of the law which would 'have
utoned in some measure for lis crime
Senutor Trumbull, while disclaiuiins
sympathy with tho apparent object o'
the resolution, which vas to suSrendcI
and mu,ilate the last resting place oI
thousands Of the Union dead, held that
it would be, if not unprecedented, al
least unpa,liumeutary, to deny,to q
member ut least simple request fol
leave to introduce my Legislation not ia
| itself insulting to tho Senate. =. r.
Senator Carpenter inquired whether
Mr.. Trumbull could state proposition
more insulting to tho Senate than to
remove the slaughtered Union nrmy
from Arlington, for the purpose OF re-
turning the farm to IFS rebel possessors
Mr. Trunbull replied, that while the
resolutions wus, withOutdodbts repua atau'
to the sense Of the Senate. 'lfe'was
averse to the adoption ofany precedept
tho effect OF which woullb be to prevent