Wichita daily eagle., 1886-03-23
R. Z. LEES ACCEPTANCE
OF THE COMMAND OF THE ARMY OF
VIRGINIA.
erOy, Of Kansas The Committee Of
Twelve from the RichmOnd COnven-
tion-Call Of the Sovereign State

"Did ever tell you, said ex-senator POme-
roy, Of Kansas, to me the other day, that l
was present when the command Of the Con
federate army was offered to Gen. Leef
GNon
@Well, I was; / stood within six feet Of him.
Nobody in the party knew me, as had just
arrived in Washington from Kansas, and was
almost an entire stranger here. Kansas was
admitted, you remember, during the last
days of Buchanan's administration, and Lane
and were elected to the senate. We came
to Washington with lot of Kansas fellows
to see what the secessionists were doing, and
were on the cars when we heard that Fort
Sumter was fired upon.
FROM THE SECESSION CONVENTION.
But am going to tell you about Lee. ]
was keeping a dairy then, as l have ever
since, and do now Only the other day was
reading it over, and it recalled to me that
about the 10th or 18th Of April, 1851, a com
mittee of twelve men came up from the seces-
sion convention, then meeting at Richmond, =,
and stopped at the hotel where ! was used
to circulate around among them, trying to
find out what they were up to, and discov-
cred that they had come to see Gen. Lee who
was over at Arlington. One afternoon, about
O'Clock, they started of in carriages, and a
friend Of mine and got a buggy and fol-
lowed them. We joined the procession before
it got to Arlington, and acted just as if We
were a part of their crowd. When we reached
the old mansion Gen. Lee, who was evidently
not, expecting any callers, came out in his
dressing gown and slippers, and tell you he
was as noble-looking man as ever saw. He
had been sent for by Gen. Scott, and came
from California, you remember, to use his in
luence to prevent Virginia from going out
Of the Union, and while he had not made any
public declaration, people generally under
stood that he was opposed to secession, SO we
watched what was going on with great deal
Of interest.
The chairman presented the delegation to
the general one by one, and when they had
been introduced he began a speech, which
wrote down as nearly as I could remember il
IN my dairy that night. 1t was very nearly
in these words: Gen. Lee, we are authorized
by the convention now in session at Rich
mond to convey to you an expression Of their
confidence and esteem, as one of the most dis
tinguished citizens Of Virginia. and to tender
you the command of the troops that have
been raised to protect the old state from the
peril which now confronts her. We are en-
couraged by the belief that you, as a son Of
Virginia, will respond to her call and direct
the military forces so as to prevent the in
vasion Of her sacred soil We know that
large bodies Of troops are being organized in
the north FOR the coercion Of our people, and
they will be resisted by every patriotic citi
zen Of the commonwealth. The convention
at Richmond is waiting anxiously for our re-
turn with your answer, as Jour acceptance
will give strength and encouragement to the
people
CALL OF THE SOVEREIGN STATE
STo this Lee responded briefly and directly
He stood a moment with determined ex
preston upon his face. as if his mind was
fully made up, but he was not certain how
to express himself My friend and from
what we had heard, expected that he would
decline and tell the committee to go home and
abandon the secession programme. He
started out all right in his reply: Gentle
men, he said, L am opposed to war, although
bred to the profession Of arms. i am espe
cially opposed to civil war, to strife between
brother and brother. l regret that one sec
ton Of this country is arrayed against the
other
up to that continued Mr.. Pomeroy, q
thought he was going to decline, but his next
words scared me: 1 hear the voice Of Vir
ginia.' he said, of the mother that bore me
whose soil is as sacred the ashes Of my
father buried there He's gone l said t.
my friend; he's made up his mind and hi
next words were: L can not resist the call o.
the sovereign state TO which l owe my first
allegiance: but remember, gentlemen, shal
draw my sword only in her defense, and witt
the prayer that we, in defending our rights
may not be compelled to shed the blood Of oul
brethren
He then said that he would go to Rich
mond at once and report in person to th'
government
The next morning everybody knew tina
Lee had gone to Richmond, and within
twenty four hours the newspapers contained
his order upon assuming command Of tn
Virginia trooP.--Curtis' Letter in 1ntel
Ocean