Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1890-06-07

with any thought that is inconsis-
tent with he solemnity, the sacred
ness and conservation of the hour,
but unless the ideas for which the
dead who sleep around us died were
right; unless the ideas for which those
who opposed them were wrong; then
the soldiers who died i'm defense of the
flag of the Republic, and the institu-
tions of their country died in vain.
ROBERT E. LEE
was undoubtedly one of the greatest
soldiers of the age. He was man
of the Hottest personal character, he
was a man of incorruptible private
life so far as | am advised. He had
a lineage that dated back to the
memory of patriotism in the Ameri-
can Republic. He was a soldier with
out fear and without reproach. Two
days before he surrendered his COM
mission and his sword, he said II can
anticipate no greater calamity for
the country than the dissolution of
the Union. 1t would be an accumu-
lation of all the evils we complain of.
/ am willing to sacrifice everything
but honor for it's preservation. Sc
cession is nothing but revolution.
The trainers of our constitution new
er exhausted so much labor. wisdom,
and forbearance, and surrounded il
with SO many guards and securities,
still it was intended to be broken by
every member of the Confederacy at
will. 1t was intended for perpetual
union, so expressed in the preamble
and for the establishment of a gov
eminent not a compact, which can
only be dissolved by revolution or
the consent of the people ia convtt
ton assembled. 1t is idle TO la.
secession. Anarchy would have been
established and not government by
Washington, Hamilton, Jefferson,
Madison and other patriots of the
Revolution
Had Robert T.. Lee adhered TO
those lofty and ennobling sentiments
he would to-day have been the fore
most citizen of this Republic in the
estimation of all it's citizens. He was
offered the command of the Union
armies. He had been educated al
the expense and under the sanction
OF the Government. For twenty
five years his sword had been drawn
under the flag he had taken oath tc
support, under the Constitution o.
the United States he was to protect
against all enemies, foreign sand do
nestle. And yet within two DAYS af
ter that letter was written he resign
ed his commission, he laid aside his
support,
HE VIOLATED HIS OATH
to support the Consti tuition, the gov
eminent and the laws of the United
States and took the leadership of tn,
most causeless rebellion that eve
occurred since the devil rebellet
against heaven.
And yet by a great object lessor
in treason, in disloyalty, in perjury
in violation of faith, of public anC
private honor, upon the very da,
that has been for a quarter of a cen
I fury almost made sacred by the com
mon concurrence of the loyal and pa
triotic people of the Republic for th
conservation of the graves of the Tn
} ion dead, those who profess to hav
accepted the results of the war il
: good faith, who profess that the.
; had furled the flag of treason and re
bellion forever, who profess tina
, they came back under the Constitu
? ton and laws of the United State
2 with honor and patriotism, chOos
2 this occasion of all other anniyersa
r ries in the 800 days in the year, wit
: every augmentation of insolenc
D which they should copy, Confedel
4 flag is placed in the hand-the bronz
: hand-of the statue of Washington
cries of shame
i "What wonder that the shade
t and spirit of the mighty dead di
l not stir the unconscious and pathe
o ic dust at Mt. Vernon to cry OF
= against the sacrilege and the bias
e phemy? Everywhere, all over I'll
= capital of the Confederacy, from toy
!. er and dome and from roof and PHI
It nacle and spire, flashed and flame
s the glory of the stars and bars, an
, we are told that God alone know
lie which was right.
d 81 heard one of the chosen leade
n of the Confederate armies, who w;
+ on this very field, say in a spee'
that his estimate of the war was Iii
Is that contained in the epitaph upC
% the tombstone in Kentucky viii,
he was reared by a mourning faith
lie above his sons who had been slai
id one under the National and one u
st der the Confederate flag. The
ne scriptiOn read: They both died I
We what they believed to be their dut
r and God only knows which W
~ right
/ ''Mr. President and comrades
C. the Grand Army of the Republic,
lr make the sublime ordinances of
b. Constitution of the United Stat
al the supreme organic law of a natl