Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-03-16

that, too without a single grievance. Not
until this hour had he rendered service or
any kind to the state of Virginia, and that
which followed was to both the detriment
and the dishonor of his state. He led the
forces of disurlion and national overthrow
until in its suppression-whieh any otner
self-respecting government on the earth
would have undertaken-his state was
deIuged in blood, her noble families and &C
complished sons sent to untimely graves
and all her material interests swept as by
the bosom of destruction, from which they
have not entirely recovered in almost half
a century.
This is the service for which the state of
Virginia proposes to reward him. Passing
by Madison. the father of the Constitution
of the country. and Monroe, the father OF
that doctrine which forms the cap sheat
of the pinnacle of fame Of the state,iest.
grandest. most glorious government on
earth, and host of other ornaments OF the
age, she stoops to gather up the blasted
image OF him who sought to destroy all and
wipe the United States from the map OF
the globe why choose him instead OF
them?
There can be but two solutions Of this
question The first demonstrates that the
leprosy of disunion and national overthrow
Is not yet healed in the hearts OF these peo-
pie. They teach 1t to their children; they
organize associations that can have but
one purpose-that Of keeping alive devotion
to the lost cause. and for which representa-
tives and senators leave their seats and
their oaths behind them and go annually to
these reunions for the sole purpose OF giori-
flying the cause and those who fell in the
effort to make 1t a success. Second, IL Is
the last expiring effort to lay the dead ana
sinking carcass of secession and disunion
on the platform of the public gaze ana
galvaniZe it into an equality OF respectaDHl-
ty with loyalty and national honor.
Washington and Lee! Out upon such
stoma ch-retching platitudes! washington
drew his sword to establish the liberties of
y To- jroxp n
power to enslave others; he wrought only
for the destruction of his country, and but
for the armed Intervention OF her ioyai
sons he would have accomplished 1t. AND
yet there are some-let us pray there be but
few-still gangrened with the virus OF
national dishonor they cannot see 1T. Wash
ingtou was patrfot-Lee was the regfcide
of the only nation OF kings on all the
earth
How many men in blue, think you.
would have marched to the defense OF the
Union and the flag could they have fore
seen for single moment that WITHIN their
own lifetime those who sought the over
throw and destruction of both should re-
ceive the same consideration and honor at
the hands of the nation that they them
selves were entitled to? Not one-no, not
one! and we should have been today In the
lamentable category of those farcical or
ganiza tons of South America-subject to
be goDbed up by any rover Of the seas who
desired to take In both them and US. This
Is the destiny to which Robert E. Lee in
vited US. But worst of all else is the fact
that he went to his grave disowning his
country leaving on record nowhere the
slightest recognition of or admonition to
honor its Constitution stand by its flag.
And yet it is proposed to enshrine him in
the holy of holes of the nations Capitol.
Mr.. Everett pirates much about Lees first
and superior allegiance to the sovereign
state of Virginia Virginia never saw a
moment of time when she had the slightest
shade of O shadow of sovereignty. She
could not then and cannot now and never
can, coin money, make treaties, declare
war or conclude peace, or exercise any OF
the attributes of sovereignty, or was ever
known or recognized as such by any
power on earth.
It Is claimed by this mans misguided
friends that his memory should be thus
efnbalmed as a tribute to his high charac-
ter rs a polished gentleman and gallant
soldier. The American woods have always
been and always will be full of such. But
life is too short and more important matter
too pressing to undertake the herculean
task OF immortalizing them all. and es-
pecially would we be excused from heading
the list with the name of Robert E. Lee.
But the browning plea and the one most
pathetically urged in extenuation of this
act is that he believed he was right"
''No thief c'er felt the halter draw
With good opinion Of the law"
And no mdefactor ever went upon the
scaffold who did not believe he was right,
or at least that there were extenuating cir
cumstances in his case.
If the Congress Of the United States
should permit this thing to be done it will
have but one more act to perform, to be
consistent. and that is level the walls of
Arlington and every other Union soldiers
cemetery in the land to the ground, and
make of their monuments and headstones
gutterng for the streets. and turn those
heretofore halowed spots into grazing
grounds for cattle and swine. for 1t will
have dishonored and insulted every patriot
heart that sleeps beneath.
T II. SYPHERD.