The age-herald., 1901-08-14
GENERAL ROBERT E. LEE
 AND SUFFRAGE PROBLEM

heels upon white neclks" as the dominant idea.
 By Howard-"Suppose the restoration policy of President Johnson should be all that you anticipate. and that you should also realize all that you expect in the im- provement of the material interests, do you think that the result would be the gradual return of the kindly feeling7'
 A-"That will be the natural result, and can see no other way in which that re- suit can be brought about. The friends of the policy (Johnsons) adopt 1t because they see in it the means of repairing the political position which they lost in the recent contest"
 This last remark was an unfortunate one.N The North opposed anything that would repair the political position" A probationary condition of years of losses, humiliation, robbery, insults, expressions had to be experienced. Such was the plan. Yet Gen. Lee was so very right when he said, 'I can see no other way but gem erosity, that will bring a good result"
 Howard. Question.-"They do not gen. erally suppose it was treason against the United States to secede, do they?' Ans wer-"So far as I knew they look upon the action of a state in withdrawing (re- ferring to the past) itself from the gov ernment or carrying the individuals of the state along with it; that the state was re- sponsible for the act, not the individuals. and the ordinance of secession, so-called. or those acts of the state which recog- nized a condition of war between the state and the general government, stood as their justification for bearing arms against the United States. Yes, sir; think they would consider they were merely using the reserved rights"
 What are your own personal views on that question:" Answer-"That was my view, that he act of Virginia, in with drawing herself from the union, carried me along as a citizen of Virginia, and that her laws and her acts were binding upon me-"
 And that you felt your justification in taking the course you didT "Yes, sir"
 suppose an amendment should be adopted conferring upon blacks the right or suffrage, would that, in your opinion, lead to scenes of violence, or breaches of the peace between the races?" think 1t would excite unfriendly feelings"
 Are you acquainted with the proposed amendment pending in congress?' NO. scarcely ever read a paper"
 Would Virginia consent for negro suf- frage if she were to gain larger repre- sentation?' "I think Virginia would nre- fer to do without the extra representa- tion IT 1t be plain to her that these per- sons will vote properly and understand ipgly she might admit them to vote."
 Do you think that Virginia would be better off If the colored people were to go to Alabama, Louisiana and other southern states?" q think it would be for the benefit of Virginia if she could get rid of them. That Is no new opinion with me. have always thought so, and always been in favor of gradual emancipation,
 Do you think that Virginia is abso- lutely injured and its future impaired by the presence of the black population there?" 'I think 1t is" replied General Lee.
 Yet, in face of the advice of the great chieftain, Virginia was put under ne- gro domination and Thad Stevens had his way there as well as in all the other southern states. Negroes were organized into secret political leagues and educated against the whites. Nothing was left un-s done to destroy all white influence over the negro. All things were done to break all titles between whites and blacks and to sever the blacks from us and organize them into a party unto themselves, sepa- rate and distinct from the whites.
 General Lee had not the faintest con- ception of the future humiliations and op- pressions in store for his reople and all the south when he was there before that committee, saying what all the south said, advising them what all the south advised.