Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1883-02-20
Gen. Lee as to the Right Of Secession

We are glad to see that Gen. Fitz-
hugh Lee has pronounced the report OF
his recent speech in Brooklyn incorrect.
The Associated Press dispatches repre-
sented him saving that he "drew his
sword in defense of Virginia in the late
war. and at Appomattox became con.
WINGED that secession was not right"
The words would have fallen with bad
grace from the humblest private in the
ranks of the armies of the late Southern
Confederacy. But that they should
have been the post-prandial admission
of a distinguished leader of the South
arn battalions seemed to be amazing
and unworthy of bellef.
The war is over now, and the ISSUES
involved therein will, we trust, never
again incite our people to interneclne
strife. The right of secession is no
longer a uues ton to be debated, because
no necessity exists for discussing it Ell
her as an abstact proposition of constl-
tutiopal Jaw, or as proposition arising
4xisencies of the occasion. The coun-
try should be united. Nothing but bad
blood could be engendered by reopening
he question, and we are almost conn.,
lent that we are right when we assert
hat it would be anachronism to enter
INTO a review of the merits of any such
How Gen. Lee could have been so
misunderstood and misTepresented pass
| es our imagination to conceive. Hlm-
| self one of the knightiiest OF the knlght-
| ly paladins who followed the fortunes
| If the South from the very inception OF
| 1er struggle for Independence to the
last moment of her subjugatlon, his de-
Votion to her cause must have been
founded on the deep conviction OF the
| righteousness thereof, else he would
never have fought so manfully for hel
| affairs and fresides. And now at this
late day to represent him as saying tna'
he never believed in the right OF Sc
| cession," is preposterous, and is either
the work of stupid reporters, or the OFT
| come Of malicious indiscretlon.
| The prineiple of secession may have
been wrong, but Gen. Lee and the gal
| liant veterans who followed him will
| never believe that it was. They may
have been misguided. but they feel nc
| impulse within them which does not
| throb with sympathetic faith in the
| Righteousness of the "lost cause" But
| thew are animated with a higher ano
| nobIer instinct than to commence anew
a discussion which may engender bao
feeling and create misjudgment o.
their former glorious but disastrous
struggle. Their province it is, as they
have done, to lay aside all malice and
hatred, and to assist in the unlficatior
| of the people of ali sections.
The privates of the srmy of Northern
Virginia never believed the stqpid
blunder which the Associated Pres;
| wired from one end of the country t.
the other. They had tried their Ole
leader in the days which made thu
souls of valiant men ache, and they hat
found him as true as steel, and animated
with lofty courage and sublime valo
which was second to none save thel
own. Brave men do not readily mis-
understand each other, and nov, II
these piping times O. peace they vii
shout a glad huzza that their former
leader, the nephew of imperieus, heaven
crowned "Marse Bob" has cleared aim
self of the un worthy suspicion throw
upon him. With one acclaim they vii
shout in clarion like tones,
LONG LIVE OUR GALLANT RUPERT
-Hd9erst0W8 Md Mail