The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-01-05

|,rreuty obligations were scornfully vio-
Hated. and oni' countrys honor was at
stake. The circumstances were these
Consul General Leo called on Governor.
Iuenernl Weylcr to ask the relense OF
Inn American citizen, who had been
thrown into jail on so,iln trivial charge
Lee was courteous. and then. rs always
1.-THE gentleman. Wcyler was tho brag-
CART, arrogant. contemptuous III tone
|nnd manner and said to Lee: You
must understand, sir, that Cuba Is now
under martial law, and my word is the
supreme law of the land" Tho lion
heart OF Lee was aroused by his inso-
lcnce, and looking him straight In tho
eyes. said: II want YOU to understand,
|sir, that, martial law or no martial law.
the rights of American citizens must
be and shall be respected, 'and l de-
mand the immediate release Of this
American citizen, whom you have no
fright to hold
Lee Immediately returned to his Of
flee, put his demand In writing, cabled
the situation TO Washington. and asked
for war vessel to enforce it, If neces-
sary. Our state Department cabled
him to know why he had changed his
policy" Lee replied: II have made no
cliange of policy.
i II am simply demanding that the
=Irigllts of American citizens shall be
respected. If you approve of my course,
Ise1d me n war vessel. If you do not,
accept my resignation, which goes by
lto-day's mall
! Weyler reconsidered, released the
lprisoner. and Lee cablcd that the vessel
Twas not needed.
Some time afterward the department.
Uniformed him that the Maine would be
lordered to make n friendly visit to
Havana. Lee demonstrated; his COM
lt,tN
|of IL war vessel to Havana. in It's then
excited state, would probably DO disas-
|trous. Unfortunately, the war vessel
had sailed, and was beyond the reach of
recall. You know the result. What
was left of the Maine, after 1t was
blown up. lies undisturbed in the har-
Dor of Havana, but still remains n
Vivid memory. ! recall this matter
because Of the erroneous, popular be-
since, that the Maine was sent at the
request of General Lee.
| The war soon came on, and General
| Fitz Lee returned to headquarters at
1 Washington, where, upon arrival, he
received the most genuinely spontane-
GUS and heartfelt ovation ever ac-,
corded, | believe, to an American citi-
zen by the rather blaze residents OF our
capital city.
| He had fairly won the hearts of the
country, and from that time became
its most popular citizen. and SO re
mained until death cut short his bril-
liant career; to which, / firmly be-
licve, fresh laurels would have been
added II he had been spared to gather
| them.
| So manfully and triumphantly had
he maintained the rights and interests
| OF American citizens on foreign soil,
as the representative of the United
States, that all prejudice against him
as a Confederate had vanished. And
| If primary election could have been
| held. or there had been an initiative
| and referendum, l'tz Lee would have
been chosen the commanding general
! for the Spanish War. AS 1t was. he
was made major general of volunteers,
and commanded the Seventh Corps,
which was made up of regiments from
North and South, and East and West,
and Blue and Gray (our friend. VIII
liam Jennings Bryan at the head Of
| one OF them)-all of whom, IN mu-
tual, well-beseeming ranks, marched
proudly all one way to the music of
the Union. under the old flag, and FitA
Lee. whose fame as fighter surpassed
| that of any other general in the army.
| Applications poured in upon him from
all parts of the country for places upon
came from the then Assis slant Secre-
tary Of the Navy. Theodore Roosevelt,
who thought General FitZ would GER
tainly be where the lighting would be
fiercest and most glory would be won.
President Mckinley had promised
| General Ftz II Havana was attacked
lie should lead the forces. but the poll
ticians feared if such a chance was
given him that the presidency would
| fn1lnNv wake tha trlnrv hp
would gain as the hero of the war, and
lie was side-tracked In Florida.
| Shafter was chosen for the chief
command because 1t was thought per-
ihaps he would probably be even less
formidable in peace than in war.
The scene shifted to Santiago, which
became the chief seat OF war; Mr..
Roosevelt, we remark in passing, with
that quick penetration for which he
is so noted, foresaw the plans of the
politicians, and sought glory with the
Rough Riders from the ranches Of the
West. If these same politicians had
known all Jesse ct posse) that there
was in that young man. they would
have switched him off long before he
lever reached the famous hill of San
Juan.
smart paraSrapher told us at the time
by swimming his horse from Key Yves,
i to Cuba, with his sword in his mouth
What followed you all know. What
remains to be administered (de bonis
nom Of the spoils OF that Spanish Wal
is known only to Him. who under
Il standest mans thoughts afar OFF.
L fear ! am too fond of episode fol
an occasion like this, where compress.
sion is so essential for even passing
glance at the rich and varied material.
; which our dear friends life so amply
: furnish.
} My idea is that General Fitz Lee. By
reason Of his brilliant reputation as
. soldier. both at home and abroad; hi!
eclas as the representative Of TIL,
!. United States in Cuba, when the hearts
of tho people went out to him Will
enthusiastic admiration and warmes
APPROVAL; his widespread popularity
IcooXtensive with the bounds of tn,
country; his extraordinary persona
magnetism which drew all hearts t,
him; and the fact, perhaps the mos
J important of all. that through hi
, agency and the epoch-making event
/, in our recent history with which h
was so closely connected. ana was s.
large a part. the relations between
' the sections became more cordial, an
the people more united by the bond
{ OF mutual respect and friendship thai
S they had been for more than half
D century.
+ These were the considerations an
= | fa ITO ic1, do IN,