Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-07-30
Fitzhugh c
Hartford Courant.)

A not very distant contemporary In
dulges in this not very judicious snarl
at the war administration:
1T was expected that he General Fitz-
hugh Lee would take a prominent part
in the Cuban campaign. The administra-
ton, however, probably didn't expect II,
and may not have intended TO permit any
thing OF the kind. unless General Lee
changed his politics. Democrats may
fight In the ranks, and some OF them are
doubtless doing SO, but they don't seem
to be getting the posts of honor, nor are
they like to while Michigan's Republic
can contingent holds out"
General Joseph Wheeler got What most
OF US regard as n post Of distinguished
honor In the Santiago campaign. He is a
Democrat. isn't he? He was made a ma
tor-general by the same man who made
Fitzhugh Lee and Matthew Calbraith But
Ter. of South Carolina, major-generals-
William Mckinley. The other name OF
the Michigan Republican contingent al
luded TO In this sweet-tempered para
graph is. we suppose. William Rufus SHAFT
ter. We have no information as TO whe-
Their General Shafter is a Republican or
a Democrat in his peace-time politics, and
1t wouldn't surprise US a bit TO learn that
II never occurred TO the President to ask.
The daily Dispatch, Of Richmond, Va, Is
n Democratic journal Of a pretty pro-
nounced type, but IL has a sense OF fair
play and decency. II does not believe hat
Fitzhugh Lee has been ''side-tracked,"
and ii gives a reason for its scepticism.
Much as we differ with the President as
to policies of government" 1t says, we
truly believe he would not consent to that
shabby trick" The Virginia paper re-
spects President Mckinley; the Connecti-
cut paper insults him.
Last week a letter from Jacksonville
reached Washington. 1t was an interest
ing letter, and its contents became public
property. The writer wrote:
IT have just had a long conference with
General Lee, and In his free, informal
manner the General did not hesitate to
express his desire to enter Habana as soon
as practicable; but General Lee recog-
nizes the folly OF attempting such a thing
Just now. His two years residence In Ha-
bana as Consul-General of the United
States gave him practical experience as
to the climatic conditions during the sum-
mer. and he has given his impressions on
the subject to the public through maya
zine articles since his return from Cuba.
General Lee said to me this morning: Il
take a fatherly interest In my soldiers"
and this spirit prompts him to prefer 10
have his troops remain here, where they
are well cared for, until the early fall,
when there will be little danger from Sick
ness in sending them to Cuba. The
boys In the ranks comfort themselves
with the thought that, while the Seventh
Army Corps must remain in Jacksonville
for the present, in all probability the au-
thorities at Washington are saving Gen.
eral Lee and his men for Habana."
A correspondent of the ST. Louis Globe
--fAn andnr hnfn nf tho ~
instant-last Friday:
Even II there is no active campaign
against Habana, no fighting for possession
of the chief city. General Fitzhugh Lee
will probably be called upon to perform a
most important part. Everybody now sees
that the establishment of a new govern
ment in Cuba is going to be a more seri-
Gus matter than the expulsion Of the
Spaniards. Fitzhugh Lee will be
in a position TO render his own country
and Cuba a service with which the win
ming of n battle is not to be compared"
A correspondent of the Philadelphia
Public Ledger writes from Washington,
under date Of the oath instant-last Sun
day:
MANY Of the southern troops. at the
request of General Lee, nave been retain
ed for the final campaign in the province
of Habana, in which he has been prom !
ised that he shall take an active part"
Fitzhugh Lee left Habana last spring a
consul-general. He, a Democrat, had been
continued in that Office with the hearty
approval Of the American people, by
President Mckinley. He will return TO
Habana Of he lives a major-general. and,
in all probability. the first American mill
tary governor Of the western provinces
Cuba-if not of the whole island. He
has no grievance against the administra-
ton, and our unamiable contemporaries
secondhand grievance is purely imagin-
AIRY.