Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-02-11
LEE AND JACKSON.
We're They Justifisble In Taking Sides with
Virginia Against the Union?

TO the Editor orths Dispatch:
Two articles In your issue OF January
Path have interested me profoundly way
OF here in my western home. One IA your
editorial entitled, An Unexpected Adj
misson," the other is the query by
| "Shockoe as TO what is the best pub
lished defence Of Lee and jackson for
leaving the Federal army and taking sides
with Virginia and the south against the
Federal Government in the war for States
rights.
il is likely that people will differ widely
as to what il the best defence OF those
great and patriotic men and Their coadJu-
tors IN their heroic battle tor their rights.
One of the best of these defences L ever
saw was uttered by Mr. Jefferson Davis. 1
saw it in print years ago, but do not now
recall exactly when or where. The q9es-
ton proposed by Shockoe was put TO Dir.
Davis. His reply In substance WAS as fol-
lows: II is not true that Lee and Jackson
and their fellow-oficers were educated at
the expense Of the United States. They
were educated at the expense of their re-
spective States Virginia, for example,
furnished all the means necessary for the
education of the cadets which she sent TO
West Point. and it would have been the
prossest iugi atitade to her on the part of
Lee and Jackson If they bad not stood
with her and by her when she stood
no against overwhelming odds for the
rights guaranteed to her IN the organic
| law of the Union.
The DrspATcn merits and should receive
| the undying gratitude Of every lover OF
truth and right for the continued and
| earnest efforts 1t is making TO instruct the
ris ng generation as to the real facts IN TINS
case. IL will be simply monstrous and an
undying shame IL the southern people ever
| consent TO rest quietly under the charge
| that they were "rebelsn in the late war.
| il was a war of rebellion; but the Federal
| Government was the rebel, and single
| glaring fact makes the truth OF this appa-
rent TO every unpreludlced MIND. The
| Constitution OF the United States SAYS
THE powers not delegated to the United
| States by the Constitution, nor prom olteu
| by 1t to the States. are reserved to the
| States respectively, or to the people"
| TeDH Amendment And. as the DISPATCH
| has often said, the States have no powers,
and dare not exercise any right, except as
| il may please the Federal Government.
| Here surely Is vast change, mighty
revolution. IN the government. How was
! this change brought abouti Ii Is perfect
| lv notorious that this vast accretion of
| power on the part of the Federal Govern
ment was secured by war, by war Ok az
| preston on the States--on all the States,
| North as well as South.
IL may interest the readers OF the Dis
| PATCH TO be informed as to the position
| occupied by General X. 4. Lee himself on
| this point. We all know that that great
| man had two very remarkable character
| ist,cs. One was an upriyalled clearness OF
| intellectual vislon--a judgement weil-nlgh
| unerring in oil practical matters. The
| other was determination to do right, as
| he understood II. come what might. Two
| questions presented themselves TO him IN
| 1851. One was whether il was desirable for
| the southern States to secede from the
| Union. Prior TO the aggressive attitude OF
| the Federal Government and the secession
| of Virginia. General Lee said mo" to
| this question He regarded the secession
| of tho more southern States as premature
and ill-judged He loved the Union; lis
interests. professional and pecunlary, were
| wrapped up in It's preservation.
| The other question was: Has the Fede-
| raj Government q right TO compel the
States by force of arms 10 stay in the
| Union when they desired to withdraw. 10
| that question he gave unhesitatlngly n
negative answer, and from this position be
| never swerved for moment. Usually
| reticent on all matters pertaining TO the
war. he never hesitated TO speak out, ana
| boldly, on this point. At Appomattox.
| lust before the surrender, he said TO Gene
Ial Pendleton; Il havenever believed We
| cOulu, dShlllst tue bisnHhiN
| for our subjugatlOp, make good inthe long
run our Independence, unless foreign
| powers should, directly or indirectly. slst
ms But such considerations
| really made with me no difference. Wo
| had / was satisfied, sacred principles TO
| maintain and rights TO defend, for which
| we were III duty bound TO do our b,si
even If We perlshed III the endeayor.'
| senator Daniel is authority Tor the fact
4 "A ,-Ix ava D..
| Z" could ave taken no other course with
| out Il slonor. And if all Nere to lie done
| over asain, 1 should act precisely IN the
| same manntr. IDanie's speech at u e
| unyeilng of the Lee monument, LexlnL-
| ton. Va. page 49,
| General Lee fought, as all true Virgin
| ians fought against armed aggression on
the part Of the Federal Government
| against the constitutional rights of the
States-dgdinSi rebellion, not for rebellion.
just before he resigned his commission
| in the United States Army Mr.. Francis
| Preston Blair tainted HIM with the charge
that il was his desire to perpetuate slavery
| which made him side with Virginia and
the South. He Indignantly repealed this
| charge and declared that If he owned all
| the negroes IN the South be would gladly
yield them up for the preservation OF the
Union. (See Longs Memoirs, page 92).
1
| Rev. Or. John Leyhun, Of Baltimore: 80
far from engaging IN war to perpetuate
slavery, | am rejoiced that slavery is sbol-
lshed, | believe il will be greatly for the
| interests of the South. SO fully am ] sat
isfed of this, as regards Virginia espe-
cially, that ,coud cheerf,sly hare lost al
haUe LOST By tie tcdr. and haue suffered al
| hare suffered, 10 hdce his object attained" Dr.
| Leyhun tells us that he said this with
] of IN "a
northern writers were misrepreseIting the
South on this and other points he added
doctor, think some of you gentlemen
that use the pen should see that justice Is
done u.s."
These utterances of General Lee before
and after the war show clearly that he re-
earded the war as being simply wicked OF
the part of the Federal Government, anC
therefore be could have nothing to dc
with it except to oppose 1t with all HI:
powers.
In connection with Mr.. Davis's state
ment as to the fact that General Lee wa:
educated at West Point by Virginia ant
not at the expense of the United States,
know OF no better defence for his resigna
ton of his commission In the United State
army than that he resigned. Notwlth
standing bis love for the Union. notwith
standing his attachment to the service o
| the army oIthe Union, MISUNDERSTANDING ~
peril to his pecuniaTy interests. notwith
standing the enormous bride offered hin
in the shape of the baton of the com
mander-in-chief of the army of the Union
Lee, with dearest insight into the mora
and political questions involved, will
keenest sense of what was honorable OF
his part, resigned. Tho act stands TO
itself and speaks for itself. 1t remains
perpetual protest against rebeliion3reoel
ment against the States, rebellion of tn
creature against the Creator.
SIC SESpER TYIANsIs.
| In Favor OF Cieveland-A Low Tariff.