Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1907-02-08

her Washirgfe.1 and The r,fn1ue.il Of i,3f
Monticello The Couf "a erass, funrfip
for those rights and I'D s;,uniffes
guaranteed 4 n-m sby tiies fyrnstitus
ton. The North batfiTd for ptie
preservation of The u, ion. and
through this baptism of blood lbot b
North and South atoned for their
participation in the trsffic of h6nasfl
flesh. ~ 50 N
"rhis day marks an important ne.
Rod in the history Of Virginia, when
the youth aud patrons of the free
public schools of the colored race
are called upon by the high officials
"f the Safe and municipality to eel.
citrate the 100 h anniversary of the
birth OF the generous, noble, princely
Lee"
Principal Tucker is simply up.
holding the truth of history when he
likes upon the North that sections
proper share of responsibility for the
establishment and perpetuation of
human slavery in this country, but,
SO far as we are aware, be is the first
man of his race to make public
avowal of the facts.
Any fair-minded person can see
that the act of the victorious North
In freeing the slaves without com.
pensation to their owners was one of
the most tremendous blows ever in-
filcted upon a conquered people in
civilized times. 1t was infinitely
worse than the revengeful punish
ment inflicted upon France by Ger
many in 1871, when the whole world
was startled by the size of the in
demnity. Mr.. Charles Francis Ad-
ans, of Massachusetts,, said Satur-
day in his speech at Washington and
Lee University;
because no blood flowed on the
scaffold, and no confiscations of
houses or lands marked the close of
our War of Secession, it has always
been assumed by us of the victorious
party that extreme, indeed unpre.
cedented clemency was shown to the
vanquished and that subsequently
they had no good ground of COM
plant or sufficient cause for restiye-
ness. That history will accord as
sent to this somewhat self-com pla-
cent conviction is open to question.
On the contrary, it may not unfairly
be doubted whether a people pros
trate after civil strife has often re-
ceived severer measure than was in,
hicted on the so called reconstructed
Confederate States during the years
Immediately succeeding the close of
strife. In the matter of confiscation
it has been computed that the free
ing of the slaves by act of war swept
out of existence property. valued at
some two thousand millions; while.
over and above this, asystem of si-
multaneous reoonstruction subjected
the disfranchised master to the rule
of the enfranchised~ bondsman. -
"That the policy inspired ss the
time feeling Of bitter -reseususentl
IN the South was no cause Cor Wen@
der. = Upon it timerhas alrsad, sFsr,
corded verdict. Eoliowisk -thS|
high precedent set ct AppomS3tSx
was distinssiy 90 worthy. SCoaeessea
10 p&seiSas it igsorea both casncel
and the PAifesophy Of statxsnsars|
ship; worse Sss, 10 was uagsseress.I
Lee, for instance, again setting e. the
example, applied formally fdE am
nesty and a 'restorationof ci vii riahts.
within two months Of his surrendss. !
His application was silently iguoesd;I
while he died "a prisoner on parole,
the suffrage denied him was conferred
on his manumitted slaves. Verify,
1t was not alone the base Indian of
the olden time who threw a pearl
away richer than all his tribe"