The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-04-24

OF print, In the Southern Literary
Messenger, the Virginia Historical
Register and half a dozen other publ
cations. when compared with the origi-
nal manuscripts. have been found to
be so Inaccurate In text. that. like many
OF those of the Memoir they are un-
safe for the student 10 use Printed
letters with a trustworthy text are so
lew or so scattered amongst publica-
lions like W. w IIenry's .pa trick
ltenry, The Charles Lee Papers, and
The Deane Papers. as to be practical
~ useless In these cases where the
manuscript was discovered and per-
mission TO consult It was granted. the
letter has been reprinted from the
manuscript IN order to preserve any
variations that the text contains"
The letters are arranged according
10 tne order of the years and dates in
which they were written, beginning
with August %. 1862 They are dated
from Richard Lees home. CHANTING
va. from Philadelphia. Baltimore and
York, Pennsylvania.
The letters of an American who
on June Z. 1875. moved in Congress
' he was representing Ills state
mat these United Colonies are, and
or right ought TO be free and Indepen
dent States. that they are absolyed
from all allegiance to the British
crown. and that all political connection
between them and the State of Great
6ritain H. and ought to be- totally dis
soiVoa -refecting the spirit of a peo-
pie on the midst OF revolution and In
us midst, animated in their struggle bv
the loftfest sentiment. the moe az
voted patriotism-cannot fall to hay-e
vitality important bearing on Ameri
can history. cannot fail to he filloa
with interest for every American who
IS interpreting the history Of TO-DAY
~ m n ~. L
Yesterday. which laid the foundation
and the safeguard of American liner.
ties.
whether. the letters are written hv
Mr. Lee to the cditer of the Virginia
Gazette, announcing the Withdrawn of
MS application for the post of collec
.or of duties. OF to other Americans
ana iSngltshmea regarding the great
pubic questions then burning in rner,s
minds. the result is the same In regard
TO the stand taken by the writer, as
one OF tho patriots who was n Iea,e,
IN his State and In tho CONTINENTAL
Congress. -
That the letters possess The widest
range ana are written from very
comprehensive outlook, taking in do
nestle as we'll as public interests may
ne seen from the following extract
from one written at Chnntilly. Julv :
1870, which says: You know have
got the entail OF my estate from nv
iather dockt by writ of ad quod dam
num- but not knowing how future
iudSes and lawyers may explain away
things, / remain uneasy about NV
younger children, and wish securely to
provide for my poor little HELPLESS
girls In the following manner I i'm
derstand there Is IN London an office
where any sum of money being put
draws 10 or more per cent Annually
that at the end of every year The in
ter, ST is cngrafted into the principal
and both draw interest That his
continues as long az the puttcr In
chooses, always observing that IL death
intcrposes, The Whole becomes ofiicn
property. Now | would choose "a Mac,
lloO sterling. for each of my girls
there. and let 1t continue until they
were OF age or married. and then le,
them or their husban ds do Within H.
they pleased" a'i5's' m
Again, in a letter to Arthur Loo
June &c, 1874, the spirit of Resistance
70 tyranny comes uppermost as Is
shown in these words. The first sion
taken taken by our Virginia Assembly was
20 appoint me !st OF June. the day on
which hostility began against America
10 be observed as fast. Tho shirt thai
this denoted was not liked by the gov
eminent and we were dissolved In two
days afterwards, tho country business
unfinished, no fee bill passed Sand the
courts OF Justice consequently stopt.
Tho last letter in this first volume OF
the Lee letters is addressed to II onry
Laprens and contains tho p ssertlon Of
the writer that: whilst 4, live II Yiu
strain dvory ncrvet0 secure the I'm
dependence. interest ana happiness OF
my country against all attemp Is to tho