Robert E. Lee was a very successful Confederate military leader during the four years of Civil War. After the war, he believed in reconciliation between the North and the South and in putting the past behind them by living in peace with one another and not continuing to hold grudges. He did not believe that the confederate cause should continue to be glorified in the South, nor that monuments of confederate leaders should be created since it promoted a period of division and conflict. He also accepted the end of slavery for he had always recognized the immorality of it, despite having slaves himself. As a slaveholder, he always treated slaves kindly and made sure they were well-treated and cared for. However, he was against political and racial equality for African-Americans. He did not agree that the former slaves should be able to vote, since he believed they needed more time and education before doing so.
