Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1878-02-01
Historical Sketthes.
WRITTEN FOR THE 'sENTINEL''
ARLINGTON HOUSE ESTATE
AND ITS
HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS.
BY WILLIAM KILGOUR.
("REvERiE.hO

"Sagely said
Go back into the Court, and preach it, where
Fraud laughs at faith, and force at right, and
where
Success IS sainted il it come from hell
And seek the right--ths right"
Mr. Gusts Lee, seeing that all petit
tons and remonstranocs we're in vain,
has been compelled reluctantly to insti-
tute proceedings in the United States
District Court, of Virginia. in order to
recover his property. The Government
has employed eminent legal talent to
defend the suit, and through its counsel
has caused to be entered plea to the
effect THAT the Government cannot be
sued"
How this suit will terminate, time
alone must develop, whilst those who
are acquainted with the facts, know how
it should. There was period in
the history of this National Common
wealth, when our judiciary, because of
its legal eminence, spotless purity and
high integrity of character. was the
white rose in the civic crown of our
national glory and national honor. But
alas !! history seems to be repeating it.
self Athens, rocked in the cradle of
divinity, reared in the nursery of the
gods, when the proud mistress and sove-
reign of all of the Grecian cities, pointed
to her Areopagus, where assembled her
lawgivers, philosophers, scholars, poets
and sculptors, yet her patronism fed,
when her ambassadors to Philip sacri-
feed justice at the behest of Macedonian
gold. The name of Roman justice be-
came mockery when associated as it
was with the vices and disgraces Of
Claudius and the peculations Of Verres.
England, grand in the renown of her
Eden, her Erskine and her Mansfield
looks back upon the pages of her judi
cial history, all blotted and blurred by
the disgrace of Bacon aud the infamy Of
Jefries-and the young Republic Of
America, whilst rejoicing in the music
Of those harps which once gave forth
the melody of its anthem in the temples
Ionia and Rome, hangs her head in
shame, as she singles out from the CHIEF
tribunal of the land the willing sycophant
of Executive pleasure and the vassal Of
party prejudice.
1t has been seen, in the instrument
under, and by virtue of which the Gov
eminent claims title to the estate in
question, the commissioners named there
in, state that the same was bid in by
them for the United States "fcr the use
of war, military, charitable and educa-
tional purposes" This instrument was
admitted to record March, 1867, the
brazen voice of war had long since ceased
to be heard throughout the land, the
battle flags Of regiments, brigades and
divisions had been furled and placed
away in the museum of curiosities, and
the ''blue and the gray" forgetting past
difference and embittered feelings and
prejudices, were engaged in building
anew their broken fortunes and restoring
the unity and beauty Of the national
confederation. IL by charitable pur-
poses" is meant the maintenance and sup
port of the ''nation's wards" (negrocs)-
the Frecdmens Bureau, the most gigan-
tic fraud that was ever pcrpetrated before,
during or since the war, that has long
since expired by Legislative limitation.
Then the only remaining one Of tho four
purposes named therein remains 10 be
accounted for-and this is done by the
bold assertion, that there is not an inch
of that large domain devoted TO educa-
tional purposes unless they have been
established aud provided for by the
Legislature Of Virginia.
Disregardiug The avowed objects as SGT
forth in the proclamation Of President
Lincoln. and mentioned 10 the instru-
meDt Of writing purporting TO be deed
for the land. the Government has set
aside some two hundred and fifty acres
around the mansion as a National Gene
terry. Here are buried twelve thousand
FIVE hundred officers aud soldiers. and
nearly four thousand contrsbands. or
the lat Of soldiers three hundred and six