Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1878-01-25

vided, namely, the Arlington estate, lately
occupied by Robert T. Lee, bounded as fol-
lows: north, by the land of - Ross; east
b, the Potomac river; south by the land of
james Roach, - Johnson, and Guy Henry
west by the hand Of - Elliot, Columbus
Alexander, aud John Tucker; containing
eleven hundred acres he the same more or
less. "ABRAHAM LINCOLN,
'President of the United States.
"ExEcuTvE MANSION,
Washington, 9Th JAM, 1864"
For Government use for war, military.
charitable, and educational purposes. said
commissioners did bid in the same TO the
United States for the sum Of S26 500, being
not less than the taxes. penalty, aud cost, and
ten per contain per annum interest on said
taxes.
In testimony whereof said commissioners
have hereunlo affixed their signatures on this
18th day OF Septemher A b 1866.
JNO HAWXflURST,
GlLLET F. WATSON,
A. LAWRENCE FOSTER,
U. S. Direct Tax Commissioners for Virginia
STATE OF VIRGINIA,
Aierandria County. TO ait:
Personally appeared before me Justice Of
the Peace for the State and county aforesaid,
John Hnw xhurs, Gillet +. Watson, and A.
ana ,hev s overall IT," 1 ,e
same to be their act and deed.
Given undermy hand this 7'h day Of March,
1867 ROBERT BELL D.. r.
u VIII thus be seen from the atorego-
ing instrument, that the commissioners
named therein bid N the Arlington es-
tate FOR Government use, for mar, mill
tn'y' charitable amd educational ompo-
SEES, for the sum Of S26,o00, not one DOL
Sar q 'oh'ch sad dn'on'1t 'cds ere'' taken
from or pau INTO ne coters Of the Trea-
Suy.
We must not omit to state, that upon
divers occasions pfior to the time OF
SAID sale, the taxes, to wit wv O7, had
been rendered the revenue officers, and
had by them been refused because 1t was
not offered by Mrs Lee in person. The
passage OF the SAID several acts, as well
as the construction placed upon the same
by the government officials, seemed to
have anticipated the obvious difficulty
which would arise IN the case OF Mrs.
Lee,who was at that time within the Con-
federate lines, and thereby enable the
ooVerhiheht 10 OBTAIN actual possession
OF tne Arlington estate.
In the case of Bennett VS.. Hunter. re-
nortad in OH WILL 206 tho S,,ror,o
| - e a. I'll
Oou'C vi Vno ohi.cu 'ooaooe nuVe ueclueu,
under the Acts OF Congress referred to-,
chat payment of the tax. which the act
| .ao,,;.a. to ho oo1o h, ,bo o,,,or ,ool
~ ~. ~ II, 49,
NOT necessarily DC ulaue ny tne owner I'D
| person. 1t Is enough that 1t be made by
| him acting through some friend or AGENT.
oon,,oneoted or unoonnonootod ony CO.,
80 -. m: 70
son III snorc "iiiiuS 70 acc III nis penai,
| and whose act Is not dlsav0wed by him"
| This decision was rendered at the De-
cembcr Session of 1860
On the 22d of January. 1879 over
two wears after the decision to which we
have lust referred was given Senator
johnson, of Virginia. at the instance of
Mrs Lee. presented 10 tho limited States
Senate her petition. "statp0 the facts in
the case. and assigning reasons for the
belief that the claim of the Government
was invalid" The notition concluded as
follows
yonr ,o,;,;o,er and no, 90, r. w c,sd.
Lee, 1.-The owner of the reyersion. J are willing
to avoid, however, all litigation on the sub
jet, and to have an amieable settlement of
H,a 'ns', ter WIN .n,s ~ vgw' tneg now
through your honorable bodies. thai npon lhe
receipt of $500 900 they will execute and de-
liver such necessary releases and conveyanecs
oe Sog gbic s"f Ge 20 sanrop noa
now have, by making a legal and valid title 10
the property.
You petitioner therefore praays your honor
,b u.. ooupv ,oa "e p%,,ngs % w nsg
iectuatc the above offer.
Respectfully submitted
(Signed) MARY A. r. LEE.
Here an opportunity was offered by
which the Congress OF the United States
would be enabled to do magnanimous
act of iusticn-ona which overv ohlion-
t;on and oyorv senee of ,iobt do,n.n3od
's"'
al thelr nahds, ana thus acquire legal
title to the estate IN question. But no,
the same malignitv which characterized
,Lo doI;horo,;9ns ~ ~ co.o J,,.;,
" ~ ''"S
the DloouieSe hours Oh Tue ciVll war, was
exhibited upon the presentation Of this
petition. and Justice and rirht ignored
Unon tbo doo,b If Me- NJ p
100
zee, Which occurreu III November, 1910,
Mr.. GUSTS. in his will, makes further
provision in regard 10 the Arlington es-
tate in those cords - n, tho 1oatb az
:" y
my uausheer, MARY Ann hahuoIph Ice,
all the property lett to her during the
term of her natural life. | rive and be-