Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-03-20
Washington and Lee.


More than one writer on the Lee statue
has attempted to justify the action Of the
Virginia legislature on the grounds Of the
similarity Of the lives Of Lee and Wash
ington. But, as matter Of fact, proof
only Of one resemblance has been made to
appear. They were both Virginians Here
the similitude ends. Washington repre-
had time and again presented their griev-
ances to the mother country. and finally
these were set before the eyes of the world.
The world then knew what the contention
was about, Washington led the patriots.
thus organized and armed with everlasting
right, to a successful victory. In this. as in
all other acts of his public and private
life. he was the open representative of all
that was noble grand and patriotic He
did not desert a high-salaried Office and
violate sacred and binding oath. under
the British government. through any
hatched-up pretext Of greater loyalty to
his colony, to assume the honored trust
assigned him by his contemporaries.
Lee headed an organized but powerful
mob. equipped with stolen arms and
munitions OF war, which he, as an officer
Of the government. ehad, without protest,
witnessed in their systematic transfer to
cause he was then secretly preparing to
espouse. With this stolen equipment, and
without the slightest pretext. appeal or plea.
and with no declaration Of principles. fur
Their than that Of imaginary danger to a
system Of human slavery. which his fol-
lowers have never owned or admitted, Lee
headed a rebellion against his government.
which. for dts destructiveness, was unparal-
leled in the worlds history. And he justi-
fed himself on the specious pretext Of 10y
atty to his state.
And, again, have the friends and admirers
Of Washington, and they are legion. either
ever dared to claim. on the score of his
eminent and patriotic services to the Brit
ish crown. a place for his statue In West
minister Hall, at London? And how much
claim appear had he ignomin!ously failed.
as Lee did. in his scheme Of disrupting the
government of the mother country!
Washington, although self-educated, was
q great general, and Lee, with all the
coaching the government had so lavishly
expended upon him, was not. Washington
was always considerate to the comfort and
lives Of his men. He attempted no impos-
sible things. Lee did In many instances.
His invasions Of the north must have ap-
appeared to his better judgment, and be-
forehand, as vain. His order for the cele-
brated charge" of Pickett, at Gettysburg,
decided against him, was little short of
premeditated and wholesale murder. and
his persistence in holding out after the
evacuation of Richmond, and that In de-
fiance of the frequent pleadings Of his mag
unanimous and humane pursuer. to Spare
the further sffusion OF blood by an i'm
mediate surrender" showed wanton and
reckless disregard for precious human lives.
Robert E. Lee did but little that was for
the good Of his state, but very much that
was harmful and ruinous. At an early age
he became the protege OF the government.
In the meantime. he was not in his states
service or in any material way promoting
her welfare and prosperity. When he de-
serted Eyes. that Is the word,) his govern
ment's service he threw the weight Of his
influence. and that was no small ltem with
a hero-worshiping constituency such as he
then had, in favor Of the secession move
ment. and thus he became the instrument
for evil in carrying many Of his fellow
citizens with him to their certain destruc-
ton. And this is the man who In its mis-
taken folly his state government seeks to
set up In our national halls as an example
to posterity. One can but wonder In this
connection what Robert e. Lee would have
done had not that portion of Virginia once
belonging to the District of Columbia been
ceded back to his state. In that case,
would he have been loyal to the govern
ment, In the domain Of which Arlington
House stood? w. H. Raglan.