The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1877-12-07
PRESIDENT LINCOLN AND GENERAL LEE
The ofsr to General Lee Of the Command CT
a49 the U. S. Army. s--s+ 5tl

: iloh. a. Il. Masruder in Phila. Weekly Times
III looo-several years after the war
senator had the temerity to make th
charge that General r. E. Lee ha,
; applied to President Lincoln for the com
mand of the Federal army destined to in
Faae and subdne the Southern States, an,
that being refused, from pique and resent
ment he turned and offered his sword in
ala OF the Southern cause, and thus wa,
raised to the chief command of the reha
FORCES. On the instant, Mr. Reverdy John.
son. oi maryland, himself q Union man,
denounced the statement as untrue, sayin.
That although he had not the authority nj
the accused to deny it, Gen. Lees lofty
character and unstained honor alone uf,icad
e~>,s-".~'-.+ .-S,-...,s,.
johnson, not alone the conclusive proof of
the ineolTectness of the charge, but the
clear evidence that he had himself declined
from stern sense of duty and honor, the
very preferment which he was falsely ac-
cused of coveting. None can tell the ex-
traordinary story in better terms than Gen.
Lee himself, as contained in the following
modest but characteristic letter addressed
by him at the time to the Hon. Reyerdv
johnson, who, not long before his death
| avouched to the contributor it's entire an
thenticity: eg.
LEXINGTON, Va, Feb 25. 1868.
lion. Reoerdy johnson, United States Sen
ate, WasAiagton a .a...ss2 a r,
MY DEAR SIR-My attention has been
called to the official report of the debate in
the Senate of the United States on the 10Th
inst, in which you did me the kindness to
doubt the correc' ness of the statement made
by the Hon. Simon Cameron in regard to
myself. desire thai you may feel certain
OF MY conduct on the occasion referred to-
SO far as my individual statement can make
you SO. a- a.. .-. -as s..s-
never intimated to any one that I de-
sired the command of the United States
army, nor did ever have conversation
but with one gentleman (Mr. Francis Pres.
ton Blair) on the subject, which was at his
invitation, and, as understood, at he in
stance of President Lincoln. After llstenino
to his remarks, declined the offer he made
me to take command of the army hat was
to be brought into the field, stating as can
didiy and courteously as [ could. that
though opposed to secession and deprecating
war, could take no part in an invasion of
the Southern States. ~ .ugs
went directly from the interview with
Mr. Blair to The Office of General Scott. and
told him of the proposition that had been
made to me and my decision. Upon re-
Election after returning to my home, con-
GUIDED that ought no longer to retain nv |
commission in the United States army, and
on the second morning thereafter / for
warded d my resignation to Gen. Scott.
At The time hoped that peace would |
have been preserved, that some way would |
have been found to save the country from |
the calamities of war, and then lad no |
of my life as private citizen. Two days
afterward. upon the invitation of the Gov
ernor of Virginia, repaired to Richmond,
found the convention then in session had
passed the ordinance wi i.dga wing the State
from the Union, ;,:il accepted the commits
sion of commander of it's forces which was
rendered me. 2 4 .a
These are the simple facts Of the case,
and they show that Mr.. Cameron has been
Your obedient servant,
te@ .s+-E '.-3s5N+ -& @@3sR IT. Trr