The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-05-10
GENERAL LEES LECTURE At AP-
POMATTOx.

In Yesterdays paper we made some req
erence to the lecture OF General Fitz-
hagh Lee at Indianapolis and the COM
ment made on the lecture by the Indian
apolis News. Since then we have seen
q report of General Lees lecture and
have the exact words that he used in his
reference to the cause OF the war be-
tween the States.
st am one" he said, ''wl1o does not be-
Heve that slavery had everything to do
with the separation Of the sections. Slav-
cry had existed in the North. and had
been given up because it was unproti-
table II continued IN the South because
it was considered profitable. Our fore
fathers had most to do with the causes
that led to the Civil War. In 17s7 no
resolution was offered prohibiting the
secession Of State. Had our forefa-
theirs undertaken that at that timc I do
not think it would have passed.
Our States were jealous Of their pow
ers So the Constitution was to be
binding as soon as nine States ratified
It. These States were slow about lt.
Finally the remaining States adopted it.
The North took up the idea that this
bond was indissoluble, that we should
have great country. The South took
the OPPOSITE FlS"s liS SSaAA SeAA sAS
States delegated certain powers to the
general government. and that ell powers
should be written in the Constitution. II
not there, the general government did not
Thave them: they were reserved TO the
States as States. as primitive powers, and
the States had never parted with such
powers Those Southern men believed
that was the proper and legal construc-
ttion of tho Constitution, and they fought
for that idea, not for money, for Con-
Tolerate money was not worth ten cents
q yard"
! In ono sense slavery was the cause Of
this war, but it is very far from the
truth to say that the Southern people
went to war simply and solely TO keep
the slaves from being freed. For many
years the slavery question agitated the
people of both sections. and by and by
when the Northern fanatics became so
Iinsolcnt that the South could no longer
remain in the Union in peace, some OF
the Southern States exercised the right,
which they held under the agreement to
secede. Even then Virginia did not
secede. and she did not withdraw from
the Union until she saw that war was
Inevitable and that in the war which was
70 come she must cast her lot either with
the Northern invaders or with her sister
States in the South. In that crisis there
could be no two opinions. Although the
people of Virginia knew that the Old
Dominion would be the battle-ground and
that she would suffer most of all. there
was no hesitation. Blood is thicker than
water. 1t was a noble sacrifice to duty
and affection. anu, much as she suffered,
Virginia has never regretted the step
which she took. If she had cast her lot
with the Union she would to-day have
been one of the wealthiest States of all,
but it would have been at the expense
of character. and her noble men and
women would have COMO down to the
grave in modification. We thank God
that in this old State there are some
things which are above and beyond all
pecuniary consideration.
But having done her duty by the
South, Virginia has since been doing her
duty by The Union. My State of Nir-
Einia,, said General Lee in his lecture
to which we have aaluded, has no other
ambition than to be part of great
united nation
That is true and all that Virginia asks
is that she be treated by the National
Government as such a State. She asks
no favors, but she claims all the rights
and privileges and iInmunities enjoyed by
other States of the Union. Only this
nnd no more, but she asks and claims
that much.
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