The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-01-20

lnuopted tnat question was confessedly
lett undecided; and Intentionally 30 left,
More than this, even. the Federal Con-
stltutlon was theoretically and avowedly.
based on the idea OF divided soy-
erelghty In utter Disregard OF the fact
that when a final issue Is presented,
sovereignty does not admit OF division
But to-day have much ground To-
Universe and scaht time IN which to
cover IT. While would not fall to be
explicit, must be concise shall.
therefore. here omit much that ha vn
prepared on this highly interesting topic
and would like to utter. But wcro / To
attempt 30 TO do, could not bring N.Y.
sell within tho limits OF tlme have
prescribed. Those Interested in tho di..
cussion OF n wc.wprn theme must
therefore, satisfy their curiosity by the
perusal OF tho printed page. Here ana
now must hurry on.
Brought at Last to
Parting Of the Ways.
1t was during tho sixth dcccnnium OF
tho century that the time came and peo-
pie were compelled to make their cleo
ton: the modus vivendi was at an end
was the State sovereign: or wns tho
Nation sovereign? And. with shock OF
genuine surprise that any doubt should
/ exist on that head, eleven States arrayed
themselves on the side OF the Sovereignty
| or the State and claimed the unduestion-
Ing allegiance Of their citizens; and I
think 1t not unsafe to assert that no.
where did the original spirit OF State
Sovereignty and allegiance to tho State
then survive In greater intensity and
moro unquestioning form than In vfr-
sinla-the odd Dominion"--the mother
| OF States and OF Presidents.
But this. 1t Will be replied. though
true OF the ordinary man and citizen.
should not have been true of the gradi,-
ate OF the military academy, the officer
OF tho Army OF tho United States. VIM
| field Scott and George 1I. Thomas did
not 80 construe their allegiance; when
| the Issue was presented. they remained
| true to their flag and to their oaths,
Robert r. Lee, false to his oath and flas,,
was renegade! The answer Is brief and
| to tho point: Tho conditions In the
several cases were not the same, neither
+, Scott nor Thomas was Lee. II was our
| Boston DR.. Holmes who long ago de-
clared that the child's education begins
about two hundred and fifty years before
II Is born; and II Is quite impossible to
separate any MAN. dst OF all. perhaps,
full-blooded virginian-from his prena-
tai traditions and living environment.
From them he drew his being: In them
he exists Robert =. Leo was the en-
bodiment Of those conditions the creature
OF that environment, yirginian OF
yirginians. His father was Light Horse
Harry" Lee. devoted fAlJower of
Washington: but In January, 1902. Light
Horne Harry" wrote to Mr.. Madison:
mo consideration on earth could In
duce mo to act n part, however graft
Tying to me. which could be construed
into disregard OF. or faithlessness to. this
Commemorative" and later. when In 1893
the Virginia and kentucky resolutions
were under discussion. Light Horse
Harry" exclaimed In debate. virginia
is my country: her will 1 obey. however
lamentnbla the fate to which II may
subject me-
Born In this environment. nurtured in
these traditions. to ask Lee to raise
his hand against Virginia was like asking
Montrose or the MacCalium More to
head a force desiyed for tho subsection
OF the Highlands and the destruction OF
the clans. Where such a stern election
is forced upon man as then confronted
Leo the single thing the fairminded In
vesusator has to take into account Is
the loyalty. the single-mndadness OF the
election. Was Ii devoid of selhshness--
was 1t free from any baser and more
sordid worldly motiye--ambition. pride.
Jealousy. revenge or self-interest? To
this question there can. in tho case OF
Lee. be but one answer. When, after
long and trying mental wrestling. ha
threw In his fate with Virginia, hs
knowingly sacrificed everything which
man prizes most-his dearly beloved
home. his means OF support. his profess
sonai standing. his associates. q bril-
liant future assured to him. Born slave
holder In race OF shareholders. he
was himself no defender. much less an
advocate OF slavery; on the contrary he
did not hesitate to pronounce It In his
place "a moral and political evil" Later.
he manumltted his slaves. He did not
believe In secession; as a right reserved
under the Constitution he pronounced It
idle talk bu., virginian. he also
added III the government Is disrupted.
I shall return to my native State and
share the misares OF my people, and
save In defence will draw my sword on
none" Next to his high sense OF al
legiance to Virginia was Lees pride in
his profession.
He was soldier; as such. rank and the
possibility OF high command and great
achievement Were very dear to him.
His choice put rank and command be-
hind him. He quietly and silently made
the greatest sacrifice soldier can be-
asked to make, With war plainly i'm
pending. the foremost place In the army
OF which he was an officer was now ten
dered him: his answer was to law down
the commission he already held. Virginia
had been drawn into the struggle; and.
SIOukn ne ESCU6HiEeu no necessity TOT
the state OF affairs, "in my own person.
he wrote. II had to meet the question
whether I should take part against my
native State; / have not been able to
make up my mind to raise my hand
against my relatives, my children, my
home" 1t may have been treason to
take this position; the man who took 1t.
uttering these words and sacrificing as
he sacrificed, may have been technically
q renegade to his tiag-if you please.
false to his allegiance; but he stands
awaiting sentence at the bar Of history
In very respectable company. Associated
with him are. for instance, William OF
Orange, known as The Silent; John
Hampden, the original Pater Patriae:
Oliver Cromwell, the Protector of the
Commonwealth Sir Harry Vane.
once Governor OF Massa chusetts, and
George Washington Virginian OF note.
In tbs throng OF other offenders am
also gratifed to observe certain OF those
from whom not unproudly claim de-
scent. They were, one and all in the
sense referred to. false TO their oaths-
forsworn,
AS to Robert E. Lee individually, r
can only repeat what I have already