History Plays for the Grammar Grades Part 13

INTRODUCTION:

Robert E. Lee was born in 1807, of an old aristocratic Virginia family; he graduated from West Point (1829) and spent thirty-two years in the regular army; he distinguished himself in the Mexican War.

Just before the Civil War broke out, he wrote to a friend: "If the Union is dissolved and the Government disrupted, I shall return to my native state and share the miseries of my people, and, save in defense, will draw my sword no more."

A few days after the fall of Fort Sumter, he was offered the command of the United States Army and declined it. He resigned and after Virginia seceded, accepted a Confederate commission. He took command of the Army of Northern Virginia June 1, 1862. He had great power over men and his soldiers had perfect confidence in "Uncle Robert."

ACT II.

INTRODUCTION:

The surrender of Appomattox Court House. Salute. Lee and his staff in room. Lee in full dress uniform. Grant enters with his staff. Grant shakes hands with Lee. Grant dressed in rough clothes.

GRANT: How do you do, General Lee. We have not met since the Mexican War. Strange is it not?

LEE: (Salute). How do you do, General Grant. No we have missed meeting. I have sent for you today, General Grant, to ask you the terms of a surrender.

GRANT: The terms are the same as those sent you a few days ago, General Lee. All of Northern Virginia must lay down their arms and take up the Stars and Stripes.

LEE: Write them and I will sign.

UNION SOLDIER SPEAKS TO OFFICER WITH LEE: Why is it that you and your General are in full dress uniform?

OFFICER: When Sherman came through we saved our best suit and this is all we have.

(Grant writes terms and reads to General Lee.)

The Terms: All the Army of Northern Virginia must lay down their arms and take up the Stars and Stripes. The men are to be allowed to return to their homes and are not to be disturbed by the United States authority so long as they observe their paroles and the laws in force where they reside. They are to be allowed to take their horses home to do the spring plowing.

LEE: You have been generous, General Grant. (Offers sword to Grant.

Grant takes it and returns it with this remark):

GRANT: A brave man should not be separated from his sword. I tender it back to you.

(Grant and Lee shake hands. Lee goes to his men and speaks to them).

LEE: Men we have fought through this war together. I have done my best for you.

GRANT: (Speaks to his men). This day is not to be spent as a day of victory but in peace and quiet. These men are now citizens of the same country and are to be treated as such.

SOME WOMEN OF HISTORY

INTRODUCTION:

We are now going to tell you the story of some of the great women of our nation, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony, Julia Ward Howe, and others.

The first act will be Elizabeth Cady Stanton, the first champion of Woman Suffrage, and the first Woman's Rights Convention.

ACT I.

MRS. STANTON TALKING: Ladies we are met here today to discuss women, our social, civil and religious conditions, and the rights of women.

(Applause). For generations we have been held down by man (more applause). I want to read to you a set of resolutions. We will call them a Declaration of Sentiments. They will be met of course with ridicule but that does not matter. Right is right and in time will prevail. Here are some of the resolutions:

First: We should have the same right as any other citizen of the United States.

The right to own and manage our own property.

The right to cast a vote at an election.

There are others that we will talk of.

You see ladies we should have an equal vote with men. (Much applause).

ACT II.

INTRODUCTION:

Susan B. Anthony met Mrs. Stanton soon after this convention and though she had not been in sympathy with the "Declaration of Sentiments" she changed and was ever after a friend of women's suffrage. They started a weekly paper which they called "The Revolution."

The next act will be Mrs. Stanton and Miss Anthony talking about their paper.

MISS STANTON: We must let the people of the United States see that the only True Republic is this "Men their rights and nothing more--Women their rights and nothing less."

MISS ANTHONY: Yes, this is the only way for us to get our rights. We will organize a National Women's Suffrage a.s.sociation.

MISS STANTON: We will go over the country to any state we are needed and talk to the people.

MISS ANTHONY: Yes, I will address Congress and I will cast a vote for the President. It is my right under the Fourteenth Amendment to the Const.i.tution.

_End of Act II._