The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-06-25
THE VETERANS TAKE
issue With M0SBY|
Statement by Latter That Gen.
Lee Never Owned Slaves
Arouses Much Interest.
JUDGE CHRISTIANS REPLY
Cites Statement Made by Gen.
Fitzllugh Lee as Els
Authority.
JUDGE CHRISTIANS REPLY

rhe publication in yesterday'a
ispatcllt of an interview with
Colonel John 8. Mosby, OF Washing
ton, in which he Is quoted as saying
that General Robert u. Lee was never
the owner OF slaves, has aroused con-
interest among prominent
3sympathi2ers In Rich.
mond. and In every case the accu-
racy OF Colonel Mosby's statement has
been questioned There arc quite
mum berPo men In Richmond who have
been close students Of the causes lead
ing up to the War Between the
States, and many OF these men have
followed with care every publication
bearing on the early life OF the Con-
federate leaders.
& General Robert E. Lee, when q lieu
tenant in the. artillery service OF the
United States, married Miss Mary Gus
tis. a granddaughter OF Mrs. Wash
ington, and the heiresa OF O large
property. On the death OF her father,
the Arlington and White House es-
large landed estate, with a considcra-
BILE number of negro slaves. 4l n
4 General Lee was the executor OF.
this estate Of his father-ln-law and
for q number OF years managed the
property in his wife's interest. BY.
an agreement at the time of~the death
of 1dr. custis 1t was understood that
the Arlington estate should go to the
ioldest son, then Lieutenant G. Gus
It's Lee. OF 1.-the United States Army.
IInd Number In Own Right
General Robert Z. Lee also Inherit
ed an estate Of limited size from his
mother, the widow Of the famous
Light Horse Harry Lee, Of Reyolu-
itionary fame. In this estate were a
number OF negro slaves which were for.
q considerable time owned by General
Robert e. Leo IN his own right. Dr..
28. says: x.
.Throughout life he was the
gentlest and most irMulgent OF
masters to his African retainers.
We are told that one of: til e. ear-i5..
Hest duties laid upon himself by
the young commissioned officer
was to take his mothers negro
Il coacbman, a consump tive, to The Il.
mild climate of Georgia, and there E.
Fl to provide tender nursing until the @
END came.
Through the marriage with the
( y heiress of Arlington was Robert
E.Lee ultimately ushered into the r.
position Of patriarch over Virginia
plantations and their adlerents SER
wants. Arlington itself and the
White House farms on the Pa.
+ munkey River. This same year,
1881, saw the beginning OF the
-abolitionst5 assault, under CARR
sons leadership, against hesin-3i
stitution OF slavery in the South
ern States. Mr.. Custis himself
wa a believer in gradual oman
cipation.5 and left provision in his
fh a Ia sarva fa
come freedmen certain number
of years after his own demise.
n AS executor. Robert =. Leo ca ri ed
" out that provision to the very let
ter. and In 1862 sent these man
united servants, with passes. Isl
through his own military lines
into the Northern States"
AS to General Robert E. Lees per-
sonal opinion Of the institution Of
slavery Masons Life Of Lee,' page
5o.r quotes from O letter to his wife
says:
There are few, I believe, in
this enlightened age, who will not
| acknowledge that slavery as an
institution Is q moral and political i
evil in any country. It. is useless
to expatiate on Its disadvantages.
I think 1t is a greater evil to the
white than to the black race. The
blacks are immeasurably better Oft
here than in Africa morally, ply
sically and socially,
Is 1t not strange that the
descendants of those Pilgrim
fathers who crossed the At s3
lantic to preserve their own free-aS
dom of opinion. have always
proved themselves most Sintolerant
Of the spiritual liberty Of others?.
Reply to Colonel sIosby.
Judge George Z. Christian. OF Rich.
mond, wholhas been for some time q
| close stud nt OF Confederate history
oi,.,.,