Confederate
President Jefferson Davis’ prophetic words on the Lee Monument , removed from Monument Avenue in Richmond, Virginia
From
a speech given by President Jefferson Davis at the formation of the Lee
Monument Association in Richmond, following the death of General Robert
E. Lee.
Full speech:
[Richmond, Virginia - November 3, 1870]
“Soldiers and sailors of the Confederacy, comrades and friends”:
Assembled on this sad occasion, with hearts oppressed with the grief
that follows the loss of him who was our leader on many a bloody
battle-field, a pleasing though melacholy spectacle is presented.
Hitererto, and in all times, men have been honored when successful, but
here is the case of one who, amid disaster, went down to his grave, and
those who were his companions in misfortune have assembled to honor his
memory. It is as much an honor to you who give as to him who receives,
for above the vulgar test of merit you show yourselves competent to
discriminate between him who enjoys and he who deserves success.
Robert E. Lee was my associate and friend in the military academy, and
we were friends until the hour of his death. We were associates and
friends when he was a soldier and I a congressman; and associates and
friends when he led the armies of the Confederacy and I presided in its
Cabinet. We passed through many sad scenes together, but I cannot
remember that there was ever aught but perfect harmony between us. If
ever there was difference of opinion it was dissipated by discussion,
and harmony was the result. I repeat, we never disagreed, and I may add
that I never in my life saw in him the slightest tendency to
self-seeking. It was not his to make a record, it was not his to shift
blame to other shoulders; but it was his with an eye fixed upon the
welfare of his country, never faltering to follow the line of duty to
the end. His was the heart that braved every difficulty; his was the
mind that wrought victory out of defeat.
He has been charged with “want of dash.” I wish to say that I never knew
Lee to falter to attempt anything ever man could dare. An attempt has
also been made to throw a cloud upon his character because he left the
army of the United States to join in the struggle for the liberty of his
State. Without trenching at all upon politics, I deem it my duty to say
one word in reference to this charge. Virginian born, descended from a
family illustrious in Virginia’s annals, given by Virginia to the
service of the United States, he represented her in the Military Academy
at West Point. He was not educated by the Federal Government, but by
Virginia; for she paid her full share for the support of that
institution, and was entitled to demand in return the services of her
sons. Entering the army of the United States, he represented Virginia
there also, and nobly. On many a hard-fought field Lee was conspicuous,
battling for his native State as much as for the Union. He came from
Mexico crowned with honors, covered by brevets, and recognized, young as
he was, as one of the ablest of his country’s soldiers. And to prove
that he was estimated then as such, let me tell you that when Lee was a
captain of engineers stationed in Baltimore the Cuban Junta in New York
selected him to be their leader in the struggle for the independence of
their native country. They were anxious to secure his services, and
offered him every temptation that ambition could desire. He thought the
matter over, and, I remember, came to Washington to consult me as to
what he should do, and when I began to discuss the complications which
might arise from his acceptance of the trust he gently rebuked me,
saying that this was not the line upon which he wished my advice, the
simple question was “Whether it was right or not.” He had been educated
by the United States, and felt wrong to accept place in the army of a
foreign power. Such was his extreme delicacy, such was the nice sense of
honor of the gallant gentleman whose death we deplore. But when
Virginia withdrew – the State to whom he owed his first and last
allegiance – the same nice sense of honor led him to draw his sword and
throw it in the scale for good or for evil. Pardon me for this brief
defence of my illustrious friend.
When Virginia joined the Confederacy, Robert Lee, the highest officer in
the little army of Virginia, came to Richmond, and not pausing to
inquire what woud be his rank in the service of the Confederacy, went to
Western Virginia under the belief that he was still an officer of the
State. He came back, carrying the heavy weight of defeat and
unappreciated by the people whom he served, for they could not know, as I
knew, that if his plans and orders had been carried out the result
would have been victory rather than retreat. You did not know, for I
would not have known it had he not breathed it in my ear only at my
earnest request, and begging that nothing be said about it. The clamor
which then arose followed him when he went to South Carolina, so that it
became necessary on his going to South Carolina to write a letter to
the Governor of that State, telling him what manner of man he was. Yet,
through all this, with a magnanimity rarely equalled, he stood in
silence, without defending himself or allowing others to defend him, for
he was unwilling to offend any one who was wearing a sword and striking
blows for the Confederacy.
Mr. Davis then spoke of the straights to which the Confederacy was
reduced, and of the danger to which her capital was exposed just after
the battle of Seven Pines, and told how General Lee had conceived and
executed the desperate plan to turn their flank and rear, which, after
seven days of bloody battle, was crowned with the protection of
Richmond, while the enemy was driven far from the city. The speaker
referred also to the circumstances attending General Lee’s crossing the
Potomac and the march into Pennsylvania. He (Mr. Davis) assumed the
responsibility for that movement. The enemy had long been concentrating
his force, and it was evident that if they continued their steady
progress the Confederacy would be overwhelmed. Our only hope was to
drive him to the defence of his own capital, we being enabled in the
meantime to reinforce our shattered army. How well Gen. Lee carried out
that dangerous experiment need not be told. Richmond was relieved, the
Confederacy was relieved, and time was obtained, if other things had
favored, to reinforce the army.
But, said Mr. Davis, I shall not attempt to review the military career
of our fallen Chieftain. Of the man, how shall I speak? He was my
friend, and in that word is included all that I could say of any man.
His moral qualities rose to the height of his genius. Self denying –
always intent upon the one idea of duty – self-controlled to an extent
that many thought him cold. His feelings were really warm, and his heart
melted freely at the sight of a wounded soldier or the story of the
sufferings of the widow and orphan. During the war he was ever conscious
of the inequality of the means at his control; but it was never his to
complain or to utter a doubt – It was always his to do. When in the last
campaign he was beleaguered at Petersburg, and painfully aware of the
straights to which we were reduced, he said: “With my army in the
mountains of Virginia I could carry on this war for twenty years
longer.” His men exhausted and his supplies failing, he was unable to
carry out his plans. An untoward event caused him to anticipate the
movement and the Army of Northern Virginia was overwhelmed. But in the
surrender he anticipated conditions that have not been fulfilled – he
expected his army to be respected and his paroled soldiers to be allowed
the enjoyments of life and property. Whether these conditions have been
fulfilled, let others say.
Here he now sleeps in the land he loved so well, and that land is not
Virginia only, for they do injustice to Lee who believe he fought only
for Virginia. He was ready to go anywhere, on any service for the good
of his country, and his heart was as broad as the fifteen States
struggling for the principles that our forefathers fought for in the
Revolution of 1776. He is sleeping in the same soil with the thousands
who fought under the same flag, but first offered up their lives. Here
the living are assembled to honor his memory, and there the skeleton
sentinels keep watch over his grave. This citizen! this soldier! this
great general! this true patriot! left behind him the crowning glory of a
true Christian. His Christianity ennobled him in life, and affords us
grounds for the belief that he is happy beyond the grave.
But, while we mourn the loss of the great and the true, drop we also
tears of sympathy with her who was his help-meet in life – the noble
woman who, while her husband was in the field leading the Army of the
Confederacy, though an invalid herself, passed the time in knitting
socks for the marching soldiers! A woman fit to be the mother of heroes –
and heroes are descended from her. Mourning with her, we can only offer
the consolation of a Christian. Our loss is not his, but he now enjoys
the rewards of a life well spent and a never wavering trust in a risen
Saviour. This day we unite our words of sorrow with those of the good
and great throughout Christendom, for his fame is gone over the water –
his deeds will be remembered; and when the monument we build shall have
crumbled into dust, his virtues will still live, a high model for the
imitation of generations yet unborn.
From The Papers of Jefferson Davis, Volume 12, pp 502-506. Transcribed from the Richmond Dispatch, November 4, 1870.
4 comments:
This was a very sad day, and it's too eerie that the 20th anniversary of 9/11 is only a few days away. Felt like the Taliban won again.
A better, noble man, supreme patriot, has ever set foot on the USA. May God's will be done, although we now suffer the rotten ill-noble fruits of an undeserving, global power-mongering "nation" (I use those words VERY mockingly). "Those people" are not worth one drop of blood from true American patriots. Today I watched a video of General Lee's statue in Richmond being taken down amid the cheers of ignoramus onlookers. I pray for secession for true Americans from the Marxist/leftists ilk who are destroying everything true patriots have fought, bled, and died throughout our history. To add fuel to the fire, the MSMBC covering the story as a "leading TRAITOR!" of our blessed Cause. That inflames me to no end!
Unreconstructed,
--Michael Helms (Marine Corps veteran of Vietnam and purple heart recipient.)
Keep erecting flags. The more the better. Start collecting the artifacts and monuments and take them to safety.
We must never Forget!
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