, 1865-06-08
EHE LEE ESTATE.
ArltuEtpn-Tho hAtioual Cenatferv-
ETeedmtnsA Fll3npt.


FFeedmenss Village.
From Correspondence Of the Boston Advertiser,
Entering the boundaries Of the estate
which i1cluae-a thousand asses Of land. We
l:1 conc portion under cultivation, and In a
| slayee, are tllling the fields along ths sLora
| Of tho river, and at the gate of every waving
! meadow Is a sfsnboard, inscribed "Govern.
ment Farms-Do not Trespass.h The frat
thug which sttracts the notice Of the I,asser,
however, is on the south side Of the road, an
immense inclosure extending further than
one can zee. and evidently d cemetery. The
graves are arranged uniformly and symmetri-
cally IN rows, like tho ranks Of q regiment,
each with its white painted head board Of c1.
| acty the same shape and size, extending far
away to the east ard south, aud blending
| together into white lines In the distance.
| Tie gates arc open and we enter. 4 largo
sign has upon 1t the rules for visitors, mainly
similar to those established in Mount All.
burn and other places Of the kind. The last
one Is worth copying:
| "Vfeitors arc reminded that theee grounds ara
| sae1edly devoted to the lntetment Of The dad.
those d. inx IN The service Of the!r country and
place dsrotcd to sneh an object viii be required
| Of all who visit Il"
One quarter Of the entire estate Is SET
apart for burial purposes, bat only a small
portion of the two hundred and fifty acres
thus inclosed is as yet thus occupied, The
graves near the northwest corner arc all
neatly sodlcd over, and every ona Is provided
with itn wooden slab at the head and foot.
painted whIIe, and with the name, command
hnd date Of death of the soldier inscribed In
ncat black letters. Trim gravel walks enable
enc to pass among the graves without din
Guilty Or desecrution. Here are names from
every State IN the Union. There are no cpl
4nS1 },Nr n S3y In
pany and regiment-and surely there is no IN
scription which q man would wish placed
over bis gsave more than this. Occasionally
one secs the title Of commissioned officer
In the sad, silent 1anks; occasionally grave
with only two words above it-and whole
rightly, ,-.-slmply the inscription " Unknown
solllern; and occasionally in the line some
name from Eouth Carolina or GeorEia, with
one curt word added to the usual insc:iption
=" Rtkl." There Is no pursuit Of enemies
beyond tho tomb,-no distinct portion Of the
Their resting places ere IN the midst Of those
Of Thousands OF Union men, and their graves
as tendvrly cared for, as neatly tur'ed as
those. The only distinction between friend
nnd foe Is comprised In that one necessary
word. sharply painted above the mound =
"Rebel." By number on each of the slabs
reference Is made to book In which entries
All R1tainnhlc particulars as 10 the soldiers
residence, ngc, relatives, wound OF disease,
and other data Of tho same sort. The highest
number thus fur reached Is somewhere be-
tween five aud alE thousand.
In wandering about. this grand national
cemetery, shaded by giant OAKS, and washed
by one Of the most beautiful Of American
rivers, one Is constantly impressed by the pc.
cul!ar appropriateness Of the Site which las
been cboEtn for thls sacred purpose. There
arc few more admirable burial grounds In tbs
than tlls Of Arlington Heights. And beyond
that merit It is most fitting that this great
army of Union martyrs should rest within the
boundaries Of the State where they fought
their battles, won their victories ind gave up
their lives,-that they should sleep close by
the shore ef the noble river whose name they
point In the area Of their cemetery. should be
plainly visible the lofty dome of The Capitol
which they defended, symbolizirs the
strength and the unity Of tie nation which
their eaorts hare preserved. Surely it Is bot
ter that they should remain hero, arranged
thus with military precision und simplicity,
and cared for by the grateful hand Of the M.
tion, than that they should be exhumed, as
small proportion hare already been, and
taken sinefy to their distant Northern homes.
A great deal Of timber has been cut from
the Arlington estate during tho war, but
much still remains, including some royal old
oaks, which It DOES ones heart good to look
OF magnificent forest, more than half Of
which has since been cleared md put under
cultivation. On the right Of the mansion,
nnu nearly half q milc from Ii, Is the Freed
mems Village. This consists Of group Of
white cabins, clnp-boasdcd and painted, d
tcIvals CT rod or so along both sides Of
street describing q very ncurate semi circle.
These llouscs are quite neatly Eept, a1ihonsh
sItuntIon and Foil precludes the possibility
Of much gardening or similar ornamentatIon.
Houses, streets and door-steps are popnlous
with mtn, women and children Of the black.
est lue. Apparently no arissecraey is admit
men's Village. OF course there Ia much that
Is groteEque in the costume and manners Of
these cnfEuuch!scd people, set apart here
with 60 much excluEiyeDesa that The transit
Of white person through their street Is
evidently a noticeable event in the history Of
the day, nnd causes general rush to the
doors and windows. It Is odd how uniyer-
sally the men and boys wear some article Of
Gust away Union army clothtng-80met[me6
whole uniform, sometimes battered cap, or
pair OF trowse1s, the blue OF which Is ou'y
occasionally visible In the iaterstices between
munity are employed on the government
firms, ard in work on the cemetery.
The report that General Lee proposes to
claim once more his ancient heritage Is con-
tEadcttd- But perhaps the imagination
could derise no filter, no 6evcrer punishment
for such man than to make Arlington once
more bis residence. Suppose him rcluBtated
In this grand old house, md enjoying the
scene from Its broad portal, before him the
stately dome of the Capitol he would have
destroyed, rendered only more firm By the
rebellion which dashed impotently against IL
and was brokcn oves his head, waving gn1y,
the dear nag under The protection Of which
be WAS nnrtured and honorcd, (which he
his defense, but which all his skl1lful Cen
e1a1khip ard mIsdl1ected valor werc unable
to bring 10 the ground; the same stars md
stripes floating peacefully from score of i'm.
prcgnab.e forts all around the distant hori-
zcu; on one side the precious grares Of
thousands Of men who Enve up their lives
chccrsnlly TINT the Union he would have rent
might bc preserved, nnd for whose sacrifice
his wretcled treason must here and hereafter
be held responsible; on the other hand,
dwelling in ftccd0n and happiness on the |
land his crimc made forfeit, the race which |
lie drew his sword to condemn to bondage for |
ever; and far behind him stretching out lh |
desert 1etha'gy the once proud State of Vir-
EiDIa, to which he profcsscd allegiance, but
which bis batiled treason has only resulted In
making devastated waste, the unworthy
cemetery Of scores of thousands Of gallant
men. No-Robert Lee Will not ask the Gov
eminent to restore his conflscated lands
Even his still unrepentant t,cnson would not
dare to meet the memories, the reflections,
the useless regrets which would I'LL his mind
should he venture now to make visit TO