Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1873-06-20
MRS. LEE AT ARLINGTON.
dent Her Claims Against the
United states Government.

| United States Governments.
Prom the Washington Republican, June IL.
Mrs. Lee, widow of the late General
Robert e. Lee, is a great-grard-d -dauglf-
ter of the wife of George Washington,
and a daughter of George Washington
Parke Custis, whom Washington
adopted at the age of six months
Mrs. Lee is apparently about sixty
years of age. She is a lady whose
character and Christian graces render
her an object of reverence to all who
meet her. Her mind is richly stored
with the recollections of the patriotic,
cultivated and distinguished persons
who will ever be prominent in our ma
tional history as among our Govern
ment's wlsest statesmen, and some of
whom were her own nearest kin smen
The home of her youth and married
life, Arlington, was built by her father,
George Washington Parke Custis. To
this charming place she was carried
when only one month old, and all the
associations of her life centre in and
cling to this spot. Among the classi-
cal localities which our Government
claims as its property Arlington is one
! of the first, and is almost equal to
| Mount Vernon in its historical memo
ries. Here were entertained all the
statesmen and men of letters pronli-
nent in our early history. Here all
distinguished foreigners were invited
| in the name of American hospitality,
and year after year, as summer restored
her beauties to the yards and gardens
and fields of this noble estate, which
included in its limits eleven hundred
acres, all American visitors were made
free guests to enjoy the cool retreats,
and free to examine the instructive
relies, books and papers there pre-
served.
Open-handed hospitality reigned at
Arlington. In 1882 Mary Custis mar
| George Washington Parke Custis,
his viii, The entire Arlington estate
| The terms of the viii vested the prop
erty in her absolutely. Beyond the
simple duties of an executor, General
Lee had no control of the property,
and never. either bcfOEe or since as
sunied or attenp pted to assume single
| right of.ownership.
Mis-. General Lee has for many
years been a great sufferer from infiam-
matOry rheumatism, and quite unable
to move without assistance but in her
age and affiiction she has noble and
dignified corntenance. Her features
much resemble those of Martha Wash
ingtor. With her sad yet firm express
sion of face and eyes, beautiful and
sparkling with the uncomman intelli-
gence which marks her conversation !:
with her almost snowy hair, fine, soft,
waves and curis, framing her full fore
head, and cove. ed by her plain wild
ow's cap, she sits before one grand
and lovely picture, combining within
itself much of the history and glory of
the immortal past with the modern
events of our history
No one can see this much suffering
lady, and hear her accounts of her |
old home, and not feel convinced that |
on the day cur Government shall have |
remunerated the mistress of Arlington |
for its loss. and made that settlement |
with her which is esteemed lust and |
legal by all who .ully understand the |
circumstances OF her absolute owner
ship of the estate, it VIII add to its re-
pute for gust and honorable dealing.
From Mrs. Lee, herself, it was def
nitely ascertained that not only was
Arlington her unqualified bequest !
from her father, but that General Lee !
nerer participated in any way in its
ownership nor control, always refusing I
(from scruples not unfreQuent with !
gentlemen III regard to wives estates |
to arbitrate in important matters re- |
lating to 1t, and from the termination |
of the war to the date of his death he |
constantly avoided any authority, con- |
troll, right or independence relative to !
the estate, and refused to act concern |
ing it in any way.
When Mrs. Lees father died he |
made in his will an obligation that all |
the slaves belonging to the estate
should be set free after the expiration !
of five years. The time of their manu-
mission came on in 1868, and right IN |
the very height of the war. General |
Robert E. Lee, as the executor of the |
will, summoned these slaves together |
at Il convenient point within his lines, |
and gave them their free papers and !
passes through the Confederate lines |
to go whittier they would.
Concerning these two great and I'M
portant facts we have reason to think |
the community generally have not |
been quite familiar. They certainly !
have an important bearing upon the |
case. Mrs. Lee does not ask to have
the estate restored to her. It has be
come a national cemetery, and as such
she presumCS with other citizens ii
will ever remain, but she does expect |
a reasonable remuneration for the
ground.
There are eleven hundred acres in
all, and some two hundred acres OF the
estate are occupied as a soldiers Gem
etery. The land at its literal occupa-
ton by the Government could not
have been worth less than the two hun !
dred dollars per acre. Since that time
It's value, for various reasons. has rap
idly appreciated. 1T the time Of its
nominal purchase by the Government
for the t.aintest sort OF Il song, under
the operation Of 81 tax sale, there were
several OF Mrs Lees friends read 10
make the purchase for her, OF 10 pay
the taxes. They We're not allowed to
do either, and Ms. Lee is now hardly
more serious in calling in question the
validity of the present tue Of the
Government 10 the land than pycn the
high legal authority within the lines Of
the Government itself.
Neither does Mrs. Lee regard tie
question as to the validity Of the tit!,
settled. 70 hcr m.fd the prn' e~tv
has simply l:een se;z"d. cu Use d =.
short. and without tie sl;C'l!esC.r l9.-
m ration being granted hes. ia3as-
tice has been done. and she believes .
just and generous Government, su.-
tanned by an enlightened public opi;i-
ion, will repair the wrong.
The pure and lofty womanhoOl, ana
the true nature Of Mrs. Lees charac
ter, were revealed in the farther fact
that she conversed uron the whole
matter without one single expression
or shade of bitterness. OF the Presl-
dent and his administra III she spoke
in the sincerest terms of resi- Get, and
seemed entirely cain and patient i'll
the reflection that ut the proper time
the right would prevail. Like her
great husband, she recognizes no
necess sy for the state of things" that
existed when the late war commenced,
aud now she recognizes no necessity
for any other state of things than that