Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-10-26
oc26-1t

often at that beautiful home on the banks
of the Potomac where the adopted son
Of Washington still lived George Wash
lrgton Parke Gusts seemed to enjoy the
me through the box-hedEed gardens. and
tell me about his boyhood days.
But Arlington was then the home OF
another. whose name is one indeed to con-
1ure with 1t is idle for the vain-glorous
boasters to shout of treason. rebellion,
and traitors great war was wased.
There was heroism of the noblest kind on
both sides, and names 10 be revered for
high virtues. as well rom the North as
from the South. but / believe that great
majority Of those living to-day in these
United States. regard Robert E. Lee as
the one man who came through that fear
full struggle. either from the North or
from the South, with a record beyond
cavil or criticism.
Heroic and magnificent in success. he
was possibly even nobler in adyersty In
his walks in those gardens of Airing
ton he must have imbibed the spirit Of
the great Washington. Tor his character
bears SO close comparison with that
seems to have been formed under kindred
Influences.
My friends, come before you as a
Northern man. In the great conflict be-
tween the Confederacy and the Northern
States. my State was opposed to you
and all true citizens of Pennsylvania We're
loyal to the cause il supported. The great
questions naC ISlied OF pea ceful solution
and one of the severest wars Of any era
of the world had to be fought to a con-
clusion.
LEE WAS RIGHT.
When Robert E. Lee before the Virginia
Convention said i will devote myself
to the defence and service of my native
State. in whose behalf alone would ! ever
draw my sword he defined clearly the
ob!igatio of a citizen to throw his for
tunes with his State Here and there men
their duties in . Eiffprent iiphf
no one should criticise harshly an officer
of the old army VINO held different views
Their position was complicated by their
environment. their training made them
less Independent in thought as we'll as
action. and undoubtedly the decision of
George II. Thomas to adhere to the North
was as truly the act of an llonora BILE man
as the course of Robert e Lee When
acting in Its sovereign capac city State
withdrew from the Union, whether such
action was a catse for war or not, and
IN my opinion. it was certainly the right
Of the States yemaining in the Union to
SO decide, the citizen of such a State
was, by that withdrawal, carried with
it. It is impossible to conceive of an en-
elusive allegiance TO government which
guarantees none OF the natural rights of
its citizens OF course. under the Fede-
raj Constitution. SO long as State is in
Guided in the Union, there are duties of
citizenship TO both the State and to the
United States. but they are distinct
to secure him in his home. his domestic
relations. and his rights of property. Nor
can he divest himself of his obligation to
serve his State in the protection OF its
rights. from invasion. from riot. or gene
raj obedience to its laws. The subject is
too large to enter upon here; but it was
an unreaSona bic view 10 assert that any
one failed in his loyalty who chung to his
State, on either side. under the condi-
tons which arose in 1851 II is probable
that our form Of government is too COM
plicated for the uninstructed citizen to
comprehend. and certainly few unframed
IN the law can define the radical differ
ence between the powers Of State Leg
iSlature and those Of Congress- The Con-
stitution of the United States as origi-
nally framed, was a marvellous creation
and TO my mind if strictly followed. would
have met every contingency that has
arisen. But from the first, beginning with
, the insidious efforts OF Alexander Hamil-
ton. under his doctrine of implied DOW
erS' a process Of distortion of the mean
ing of its plain language, and a subver-
sion of its safeguards has been pursued.
The States forming the Confederacy be-
We're no longer protected. under the con-
struction of the powers Of the general
government. which had prevailed. through
the sectional preponderance of the North
and West. made a heroic effort against
tremendous odds. to maintain their right
to separate from the Union.
AS THE WAR WAS FOUGHT
1t was early in the struggle that they
secured the recognition of belligerents
and in the main the war was fought on
lines consistent with the rules of civilized