Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1877-04-21
WASHINGTON LETTER.
The arlington Estaie-H is a Small Picture
Of Our Politics.-C Changes ia he Depart
meHts Southern AGdirs, ETC., etc.
WAsnrNeroN. d. G. April II. ls77.

WASHINGTON, D. c., April II, 1877.
The suit Of the Lee heirs for the possession
Of Arlington calls attention TO that iiue
property 1t belonged 10 the wife Of General
Lee and came into possession Of the Govern
meut at a sale made under one of the couGsca-
ton laws The Government also holds " tax
title to the property. This is about the last
of the real estate 50 acquired 10y the Govern
mcut, which has not been restored by the l.
s. Ciurts to the original owners or their de-
scendants The Estate is va:iously occupied
now, and presents miniature picture Of our
preselt American politics.
First comes the Inevitable African, for twelve
or fifteen hundred Of these citizens are there
squatted, und,r protection Of the Government
They are bad lot. They are very ignorant
Few Of item will work Most Of them steal,
so that to own and cultivate place near them
is found TO lie impossible They are supposed
10 pay a small rent 10 the Government, but do
not.
Then there are thousands of Felerel soldiers
buried in National Cemetery there, place
made more ond more beautiful from year to
year BY the hands Of friends and strangers a.
like, aud which is held sacred in thousands
upon thousands Of Northern homes.
There is no doubt the legal right 10 the pro-
perty is with the Lees all the decisions in
similar cases are that way; but 20 sooner viii
the Courts So decide and the Government be-
gin to carry out the decision, than thousand
Phi'lipses, Garrisons and BlainCs Will appeal
to tie passions Of tie people agains. tue pro
ceedng. Ii is useless TO assure them that the
negro viii be better off, if put where he must
work for his living, rs white men do, or that
the dead shall remain undistuIbed where they
rest. and no hand disturb a flower over enc Of
their graves ii is useless, for the whole stock
in trade Of these orators is their hold upon the
blind hatred and credulity OF their followers,
and The legal adjustment Of rights would leave
them without means Of support. What pity
that such agilators could not change places
with the brave men who sleep at Arlington,
and who fought and died, not in anger against
brethrcn-but that the thing might occur that
long ago occurred-that the Union might be
restored.
Secretary Schnrz dismissed sixteen Of the
employees Of the Pension Office on Saturday,
most Of them ladies' DismiSsals will also be
made from the other Bureaus Of the Depart
ment, the Land, Indian, and Patent Bureaus.
The dismissals were not preceded by any ex-
animation as to the efficiency Of the parties,
and it is understood that the plnces will be
| filled without competitive examination. Sim
liar changes will soon be made in the Treasury
and Post Office Departments.
| This week promises TO be the last Of Pack
ards reign as Governor Of Louisiana. The
Presidents conservative appetite grows by
what it feeds on so that the swallowing OF
Chamberlain only makes him the more hun
Cry for another victim. When he commences
to devour the radical portion Of his party in
the North, he will perhaps find some Of them
moro ndigcstillc than his Southern food. The
friends Of tho President say Packard has only
this week in which to &C! out Of the way.
MEMO.