Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-11-07

ROBERT E. LEE AND THE SOUTH
ERN CONFEDERACY, 1S07-1S70. BY
Henry Alexander White, NJ. A, Phi. d.,
d. D., Professor Of History In the Wash
ington and Lee University. New York:
G. p. Putnam's Sons. 457 pages. $50
and s1.75.
All biography OF General Robert Il. Lee
is history in its highest sense, No man
Of modern times was a greater history
maker than he Yet Professor Whites
work is more Of a history than even its
double title indicates. Moreover. 1t Is
written with the true historians art and
method and consciousness. The author
has been faithful In sitting and dilgent
and painstaking in research, and while
he is almost epigrammatic in compilation,
ne is comprehensive.
The volume is one Of the Putnams
Heroes of the Nations Series" 1t
takes us back to the earliest known an
cestry of the Lees, and follows the family
to this country and through the Colonial
period.
When he comes to what we may term
the parting of the Lees with the royalists.
Professor White says:
"When Patrick Henry's voice rang out
in opposition to the stamp act in 1765,
claiming for the Assembly the charter
right to supreme authority in Virginia,
his resolutions were passed through the
House of Burgesse3 by the Republican
party against the votes Of the Conserva-
tives OF the Tidewater section. With these
stern Caivinists, who held that govern
ment must be based on compact. many
of the Potomac planters were In full ac-
cord. Among the latter were Washing
ton, Mason, Madison, and several mem
bers of the house Of Lee.
From his early studies in law and
government Richard Henry Lee had come
forth an ardent republican. OF the type
of Hampden and Sidney. This son of the
Royalist Thomas Lee stood side by side
with Patrick Henry in the leadership OF
the Virginia republicans against the
party Of establishment. 1t was not to
William and Mary, the stronghold Of the
establishment, but to Princeton College.
the academic centre of the Revolutionary
party. that Henry Lee, of Leesylvania.
sent the vigorous young horseman OF the
household
A rapid but interesting glance at Light
Horse Harry Lees services in the Revo-
lutionary war, and OF Robert II. Lee
early life education, marriage, and career
in the Mexican war is given, and then
we come to the question Of secession and
slavery, To these less than thirty pages
are devoted, but the South's vindication
is mastery and complete Commencing
with the history of our Federation and
the beginning OF slave importation into
| this country, Professor White, while es-
saving no argument of his own, presents
an array of facts that is unanswerable
| logic in Itself.
The John Brown raid. the influences
| behind it, and the withdrawal Of General
| Lee from the United States army, are
next treated, and then we find Lee In
| command of the forces OF Virginia Re-
| garding the question Of Virginia's uniting
| with the Confederacy and President
| Stephenss fear of the effect OF reducing
| Lees rank, Professor White says:
| President Stephens perceived that the
| convention of Virginia would not unite
| with the Confederacy II General Lee
| should refuse to step down to the grade
| of brigadier," and sought an interview
| with General Lee. An extract from
| President Stephens's account OF this IN
| terview is given. and Professor White
| continues: "The convention soon perceived
the omission of any provision Tor Genera
| Lees permanent rank in the new al
| lance They were ready to Withdraw
Virginia from the Confederacy upon thi:
single issue, but Lees own solicitation
led to the union with the other States
| AS Stephens said: The truth Is, look
or an information of voice even. at this
|