The National tribune., 1903-02-12
/ Cold Watch and CHAIN for $3ss;
,revet and FIVE times by regular promo
ion nine times in oil

brevet and FIVE times by regular promo
ton, nine times in all.
For the three critical years between
1852 and 1855, when wars hell-broth was
| simmering and seething toward its out
break, Robert e. Lee was Superintendent
of the great school for the study of the arr
of National Defense, and for 80 years he
wore the uniform of the United States
Army and received his sustenance and sup
port from the exchequer of the Govern
ment.
Then, this same Robert E. Lee betrayed
the Government that educated and made
him all that he had achieved of name and
fame. April 25, 1861, he resigned his com.
mission as Colonel in the United States
Army, and laying aside the blue uniform
of loyalty, put on the sad gray of dis
loyalty and disunion. to become, eventual
ly,e Commander-in-Chie of the forces in
rebellion, and thus set the seal of treason
upon his hitherto honorable career.
The act Of treason was not committed
in the white heat of passion, nor was il
the sudden impulse Of hot-headed youth.
Robert q. Lee had passed the half-cen-
tury mark, and for three decades had
helped to make efficient the military forces
of the country which he deserted in her
hour of need.
Premeditatedly. and with malice afore-
thought, Robert e. Lee left the Union and
Joined hands with those who had an. oath
registered in heaven to destroy the Gov
eminent and trail its flag in shame and dis
honor. With him there went into the
shameful rebellion 200 officers who had re-
ceived their education at the expense of
the Government, and who had been inocu-
lated with the virus of disloyalty by and
through the example set by their leader,
Robert E. Lee.
Then followed four years Of wars
scourge, with cost to the Union of ST.
GOO 100000 of money, and which wrecked
the lives of a million men, half of whom
were dead before it closed.
/. When the end came Robert E. Lee quit,
as he said at Appomattox, because of
overwhelming forces" and congratulated
to your country" - -:
After all that had passed, Robert E. Lee
still declared his allegiance to the broken
and dismembered fragments of a so-called
country History does not record that
he ever uttered word that expressed re-
greet or sorrow for his acts of desertion
and treason. -.l- ze* .-+,se
Therefore, we protest against this con-
templated statue.
Robert E. Lee deliberately carved with
his own hands the niche in Fame's Tenn
PIC hC ucSiCu W HI, anu uleu Us he udu
lived, in the belief that he had done an
honorable thing in placing the State above
the Union, and in deserving the Flag.
We bear no. malice toward q single sur
vivor of the men in rebellion. We have
the tenderest charity for all. We will sue
cor all those in need or distress. We viii
aid and care for their widows and de-
pendant ones. We will care for the
graves of their war dead, and bury those
whom death claims every day. We will
gladly pledge ourselves to educate their
orphan children, as we educate those of
our own brave heroes, and we will en-
deavor to inculcate those lessons of pa
triotism and devotion to country which
will forever bar desertion Of that country's
Flag.
But never, while the stars shine in the
armament and the sun gives light by day,
will we consent to have treason thus con-
doned, and disloyalty thus exalted and
glorifed, for the emulation of generations
yet unborn.
Resolved, That copy of these resolu-
tons be spread upon the minutes of the
Convention, a copy sent to the National
Convention praying for their adoption at
San Francisco; q copy be sent to the De
partment Encampment now in session, and
a copy be sent to each Department Wo-
mans. Relief Corps in the United States,
with the request that similar resolutions
be adopted by them. =.