The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1910-03-31
LETTERS FROM READERS

yet | hope you VIII permit ITO W
reply to an able article by Mr.. Van
D., which appeared in the issue of
Feb. 10, 1910.
"Was Lee a Traitor?" First, let
us consult Webster. Here it is:
"Traitor-one who violates his al
legiance or trust" Did Lee violate
his trust? We will see.
When he entered the Military
Academy at West Point, to receive
the scientific training t hat he
afterwards used in an endeavor,
| useless though it was, to destroy
the Government that had educated
him. he took an oath something
like this: II solemnly swear that |
will bear true filth and allegiance
to the United States and will de-
fend it against ALL ENEMzEs.
[ further swear that l will sup
port the Constitution OF the Unit
ed States" etc.
When R. E. Lee had finished at
West Point he was given COM
mission as an officer in the u. 5.
Army, which read something like
this:
"The President of the United
States, to all who shall see these
presents, Greeting:
"Reposing special TRUST and
confidence in t h e PATRIOTISM,
ZEAL aud COURAGE of Robert E.
Lee, I hereby appoint him. etc.
Mr.. Van D. remarks that, eff
General Lee was guilty of treason,
80 was every white man, woman
and child in the South" While
the majority of the inhabitants of
the South were, no doubt, rebels,
it dees not follow that they were
traitors. Had the Jones's, Smiths,
and Browns, of the rank and file
of the Confederate Army ever taken
oath to defend the United States,
support the Constitution, etc?
No. Then they were just the cola-
mon or garden variety of rebels
under the command Of an arch
rebel and traitor. The truth is,
that the South prior to the Civil
War was all oligarchy and the
common citizens had, in reality,
little to do with the Government.
| might add that pretty much the
same conditions exist today, but
occasionally one Of the proletariat
manages to break into the lime
light.
But am drifting from the sub
ject. The writer goes on to tell
how Lee was offered the command
of the Federal forces by the Presi-
dent, but refused, saying that he
deplored hostilities and all that,
but would not draw sword unless
his beloved Virginia was invaded.
Two days later we fluid him accept
ing the command of the rebel army.
Had any one invaded Virginia.?
Not yet, but soon.
Tue writer follows with extracts
from several letters of Gen. Lees,
all harping on the same string
viz: deploring the war, not in favor
of secession, but my beloved
state" etc., when the fact of the
matter is, had Lee, Longstreet,
johnson, Wheeler, Beauregard and
a great many other general officers,
educated at West Point, stood by
their oa.hs and told the people of
the South that while they loved
their native states, they would not
{ turn TRAITORS the cause OF seces-
sion would have died a-bornin'.
Aside from the fact that Lee
was traitor, the proposal OF Vlr-
t ginia to place his statue IN the
, Hall Of the House of Represent
, atives was Of doubtful propriety.
t It goes to show that the sting OF
defeat is still keenly felt by the
> South and they are still clinging
: fondly, not to the memory of. "a
! lost cause but to an issue dead
/! beyond the possibility of resurrec
ton. While Lee no doubt possess
; ed beautiful character" as the
: writer asserts, that in no wise less
| ems the fact that he was a traitor.
/ I realize though, that to be accred-
4 | 1. Il. Il Il