Letter: Monday is Robert E. Lee holiday in Alabama

Published 2:24 am Saturday, January 13, 2018

Dear Editor:

Alabama Code (Law) 1-3-8: (a) Robert E. Lee’s birthday, Confederate Memorial Day, and Jefferson Davis’ birthday shall each be deemed a State Holiday. (b) Of the above-enumerated legal public holidays, the following shall be observed on the dates herein prescribed: (1) Robert E. Lee’s birthday–the third Monday in January

Deceived politicians continue to remove Confederate Monuments, including that of Gen. Robert E. Lee, falsely sighting slavery as their reason.

There is no proof of Abraham Lincoln ever stating his War was over slavery. Lincoln said:  “I have no purpose to interfere with the institution of slavery. The power confided to me will be used to collect the duties and imposts (a 40 percent sales tax on imports); but beyond what may be necessary for this object, there will be no invasion.” (Lincoln’s First Inaugural Address, March 4, 1861, paragraphs 4 and 21).

Lee did not own any slaves during Lincoln’s Tax War, whereas, Lincoln’s top commander, Gen. U.S. Grant, owned four slaves during the War.

Mrs. Grant wrote: “We rented our pretty little home (in St. Louis) and hired out our four slaves to persons whom we knew and who promised to be kind to them. Eliza, Dan, Julia and John belonged to me. When I visited the General during the War, I nearly always had Julia with me as nurse.” (The Personal Memoirs of Mrs. Ulysses S. Grant, pages 82-83).

Grant’s slaves were only freed by the State of Missouri’s Emancipation Proclamation, in January 1865, just three months before the War ended.

Lincoln exempted all slaves in Northern States like Missouri from being freed in his phony “Emancipation  Proclamation.”

If slavery is the reason, then why then do these politicians condemn Confederates like Lee? Is it ignorance; denial of the facts; intentional deceit to divide Americans, or too proud to admit they were misled?

Roger K. Broxton,

President

Confederate Heritage Fund

Andalusia