Quote#Politics & Power
Mr. Blair, I look upon secession as anarchy. If I owned the four…
Quote byRobert E. Lee · 1807–1870
Commonly attributed — not confirmed in an authoritative edition. Cited on Wikiquote to: Life and Campaigns of General Robert E. Lee (1866) page 30. Responding to Francis Preston Blair after he relayed an offer to make Lee major-general to command the defense of Washington D.C..
English (original)
Mr. Blair, I look upon secession as anarchy. If I owned the four millions of slaves in the South, I would sacrifice them all to the Union; but how can I draw my sword upon Virginia, my native State?
— Robert E. Lee
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Sir, if you ever presume again to speak disrespectfully of General Grant in my presence, either you or I will sever his connection with this university.
We must forgive our enemies. I can truly say that not a day has passed since the war began that I have not prayed for them.
I have fought against the people of the North because I believed they were seeking to wrest from the South its dearest rights. But I have never cherished toward them bitter or vindictive feelings, and have never seen the day when I did not …