Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-06-18
THE ARLINGTON estate.

THE ARLINGTON ESIAA1'
The Washington Republican OF the 18th
inst. gives an account Of an interesting in
terview with Mrs. Mary Gusts Lee, the
widow of the late General r. E. Lee, at
the residence of her relative, Mrs. Fairfax,
of Alexandria, Va, where she has been
visiting. Mrs. Lee is a great-grand- daughter
of the wife of George Washington, and a
daughter of George Washington Parke
Gusts, whom Washington adopted at the
age of six months. Mrs. Lee is apparently
about sixty years of age. She is alady whose
noble character and Christian graces render
her an object of reverence to all who meet
her. Her mind is richly stored with the
recoIlections ofthe patriotic, cultivated and
distinguished persons who will ever be
prominent in our national history as among
our Governments wisest statesmen, and
some of whom were her own nearest kins-
men. The following is summary OF the
interview:
The home of Mrs. Lees youth and mar
ried life, Arlin ton, was built BY her father,
to which she was carried when only
mouth old, and had for her besides the as
sociations or happy life, the relics and
records of family she was taught to re-
we're. In 1882 Mary Gusts married Robert
E. Lee. Her father George Washington
Parke Gusts dying in 1858, gave to Mrs.
| Lee by his will, the entire Arlington es ate
4 L, 4 a. hnr 60Qth tn
| descend to her SOD, George Washington
| Gusts Lee, and from him entire. and IN
changed to his latest posterity. Beyond
the simple duties Of an executor, General
| Lee had no further control of the property,
and never either before or since assumed
or attempted TO assume single right OF
ownership. 5aa44HE g. ssf-.91.s -
There are eleven, hundred acres in al,
! and some two hundred acres of the, estate
are occupied as soldiers cemetery. The
| land at the time of its literal occupation
| by the government could not have been
worth less than two hundred dollars per
acre. Since that time its value for various
reasons, has rapidly appreciated. AT the
time of its noIninsl purchase by the gov
eminent for the faintest sort of song,
under the operation of tax sale, there
were several of Mrs. Lees friends ready
to make the purchase for her or to pay
the taxes. Mrs. Lee willingly and
cheerfuly accepts the unfortunate
situation in which she is placed, without
desire that the sacred purposes to which
her homestead has been devoted shall be
disturbed, but expects that justice will be
done her in the premises. Neither does
Mrs. Lee regard questions as to the validity
of the title at all settled. To her miro her
property has simply been seized, c0nfiscat-
ed in short, and without the slightest remu-
neration being granted TO her. Injustice
has bt en- done, and she believes just and
Generous Government, sustained by an en-
lightened public opinion, will repair the
wrong.
When Mrs. Lees father died he Inserted
q clause in his will that all the slaves be-
longing to the estate should be set free after
the expiration OF FIVE years. The time of
manumission came on in 1868, and right in
the very height of the war, Gen. Robt. E.
Lee, as the executor of the will, summoned
these slaves together at convenient point
within his lines, and gave them their free
papers and passes through the Confederate
lines to 60 whittier they would.
The Republican adds: "No one can see
this much suffering lady, and hear her &C
counts of her old home, and not feel con-
WINGED that on the day our Government
shall have remunerated tho mistress Of Ar
lington for its loss, and made that settle
ment with her which is esteemed Just and
legal by al! who fully understand the cir
cumstances of her absolute ownership Of
the estate, it will add to its repute for Just
and honorable dealing"
In subsequent Issue the Republican
says: "a further discussion Of the claim of
Mrs. Lee for payment for the Arlington es-
tate has been provoked by our
recent publications relative to this
subject. The almost unanimous opin-
ion of the Northern press, so far
as can be judged from this discussion, is in
favor of careful investigation of the sub
ject, and it is agreed with equal unanimi-
ty that if Mrs. Lees statements are proven
to be true, as we do not doubt they will be,
she should be paid. The New York Times
remarks that sthe matter should be careful
ly investigated, for the American people
would regret any injustice done to Mrs..
Lee al the more keenly from her associa-
ton with the leader of the Confederate
armies. If they cannot forget their own
wrongs at his hands, they are by SO much
the more reluctant to infict wrong upon
his family In short, with the exception
of the Philadelphia Inquirer, we have yet
to find Northern journal of any import
ance that does not speak of Mrs. Lee and
her claim in terms of most earnest respect
and kind forhearance -