Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1873-06-14
MRS. LEES ESTATE.

The annual ceremonies at Arlington
the only Government cemetery in tn
country not paid for, never pass withou
exciting long controversy as 10 th
title of the property. 1t was willed e
Mrs. r. r. Lee by George w. Park
Curtis, who died in 1851, and left hel
the entire Arlington estate Of clever
hundred acres. General Lee was hel
executor, but never participated in The
control or ownership. The Government
refused to allow any Of Mrs. Lee
friends to pay the taxes or to bid on the
property. SO it was knocked of to the
best government the world ever
saw" - in the way Of hanging and
robbing women--at the nominal price OF
$26, 800. The sale was made under the
direct tax act of June 1852, amended in
February, 1863 Mr.. Gusts, in his will,
provided that his slaves should be man
united five years after his death. At
the expiration Of that time, in 1868, Gen,
Lee, the executor of the will, called the
slaves together. gave them passes and
set them free. His own will, probated at
Lexington, mentions and bequeaths no
real estate, as he owned none. His
effects consisted entirely Of personal
property. The question as to the gov
eminent title is admitted on all sides to
be extremely doubtful aside from the
principles of equity and justice involved.
A government that can afford to rob a
delenceless woman Of her hereditary
estate is indeed pitiable and contempt
Bile in the eyes Of the civilized
world. No treason can be alleged against
Mrs. Lee, for she is non-combatant
and in nowise responsible for General
Lees actions. But her husband was
never tried or convicted Of treason, and
in point of law is or would be entitled to
be considered innocent until convicted.
Even the President of the Confederacy
was never brought to trial or convicted
of any crime against the Government,
and the allegation falls to the ground be-
cause the Constitution never provided
for such case. How, then, can a pow
erful government claiming to be so
magnanimous, deprive lady of her sole
and separate property, and maintain its
consistency OF course Mrs. Lee does
not desire to have the real estate re.
stored, as it has been turned into q
national cemetery out of spirit of re-
venge against General Lee; but she is
entitled to full remuneration without
delay. The property was stolen and then
converted into sacred burying place
with the same degree of moral rechtude
that Congressman donates his back
salary steal to a theological seminary.
But we are not surprised at this, after
visiting the Patent Office Department at
Washington, and seeing large variety
of family relics cased up and marked
taken from Arlington" These we're
mostly inherited from the Washington
family, and could no more be considered
government property than the spoons,
watches and tableware wrested from the
people of New Orleans and other parts
of the South. The government seems
to consider these things worth stealing
and putting on exhibition as an example
for the people, but not worth paying
for. General JEFF c. Davis, the hero
who has starved out and captured |
a few dozen repentant Modocs, might as
well exhibit the articles of vertu he car
ried away from a confding family in
Fairfield county, South Carolina, and |
mark them captured from Confederate
ladies" 1t is not strange, considering
the imitativeness of human nature, that
Congressman steal back salaries, accept
brides and vote themselves and their
friends money and positions, and that
nearly all the departments at Washing
ton are full up to the brim with eorrup-
ton. If the Government expects to
have any moral character at home or
abroad let it begin to be honest with in.
dividuals to restore ill-gotten goods and
drive out thieves large and small.