Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1875-01-14

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naintain to ths hsk" General Grant
replied II hAve 10 idea cf proposing
diskonor1ble terms, General, but /
would b glad II you would etats vhAt
you consider honorable 1ernna." 0ene-
ri Lea then brieAy Stated the terms
upon which he wouh b willing to sur
render. Grant expseused himself a. sat-
isRed with them, an6 Iesrequested that
be would form41ly re1nes the proposi-
lions 70 writing.
We haye thns n desultoxy lhshion
~ ~ 80 sut 1oeturssz 4Ae!tsssi
tor and the vanquished-face to face,
and we viii do General Grant the JUS
tice to say that never did he or will be,
in the eye Of stern history, appear to
such advantage as he did when, as a
soldier, he gave generous terms to a con-
quered enemy. Now for the divergence.
General Grant became President of the
United States. General Lee, without a
struggle, sank down or rose up (ac-
cording to taste) into q college profess
fessor, for which it may be conceded
the 'conquering hero" was not especi-
ally qualified. We can, reasoning a
priori, imagine what would have become
of Grant had the chances of war been
different. Galena would have reclaimed
her own. But the divergence
In ls70-the year of his death-the
trustees of the university determined to
increase General Lees salary and to
make some provision for his family
Here is his mode Of receiving the pro-
position:
WASHINGTON COLLEGE, Va,
May %, 1870.
Hon. John ". Brockea5rough, Rector
Washington College, Va.
My DEAR SIR: I received with feel
ings of the deepest gratitude the reso-
lu.ions of the Board of Trustees Of
Washington College, at their meeting
on the 18th ult. The warm sympathy
expressed at my sickness, and the cor.
dill approval Of my absence, rendered
more grateful to me the generous pro-
vision for the support of my family
Though fully sensible of the kindness
Of the board, and Justly appreciating
the manner in which they sought toad
minister to my relief, l am unwilling
that my family should become tax to
the college, but desire that all its funds
should be devoted othepurposes of ed
ucation. I know that my wishes on
this subject are equally shared by my
wife, and l therefore request that the
provisions of the fourth and fifth reso-
Iutions adopted at the session of the
10th of April may not be carried into
effect. l feel full assurance that. in
case a competency should not be left to
my wife, her children would never suf-
fer her to want.
With my warmest gratitude for the
consideration of the Board of Trustees,
and my special thanks for the kind
manner in which you have communica-
ted to me their action,
am, with the highest respect, your
obedient servant, X. Z. LEE.
With reference to the subject of the
foregoing letter, it is only necessary to
state that the Board of Trustees, in
terms of the utmost respect and delica-
CIV, declined to recede from the position
they had taken, and thus the matter
stood at the time of General Lees death
But Mrs. Lee, catching the spirit of her
illustrious husband, always declined the
annuity until her lamented death set
tied the question.
In 1868 the same thing was attemp-
ted, with the same result. During the
war there were kindred efforts to give
him pecuniary assistance, but they all
failed. A house in Richmond ives Of
fered to him in 1868, and here is his an
swer:
/ assure you, sir, that no want of ap-
probation of the honor conferred upon
me by this resolution, or insensibi,ity
to the kind feelings which prompted it,
induces me to ask as most respectful
" do, that no further proceedings be
taken with reference to the subject
The house is not necessary to the use of
my family, and my own duties will pre-
vent my residence in Richmond.
should therefore be compelled to
decline the generous offer, and l trust
that whatever means the City Council
may have to spare for this purpose may
be devoted to the relief of the families
of our soldiers in the field, who are more
in want of assistance and more dcserv-
ing of it than myself.
A proffer of pecuniary aid came from
New York, and the same answer was
given:
have done. and continae to do, In
my private capacity, all in my power to
encourage our people 10 set mGaiuliy to
work TO restore the country, to rebuild
their homes and churches, to educate
their children, and 10 remain with thei.
States, their friends, and countrymen.
But, as a prisoner ON parole, cannot
with propriety do more; nor do / be-
lieve it would be advantageous for me
+, to do so.
(Signed) r. E. LnE.
And then the writer of this biogra.
! ply adds-we regret to say-justly,
though iil-naturedly:
| The refusal of General Lee to re.
ceive presents or gratuities was but one
Of the many points in which he resem.
bled George Washington, ''the Fashel