Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1878-01-18

The quession - 30 whrther she Gov
ernmest will retain possession Of the
AFEineaon estate. or Arlington Cenete-
". - Il - aow called. or be elected
fscm g uader suit brought BY General
Gusts lee. the only heir-at-law 10 u,
wiil prObsbly be decided st an early
dase. in the United States Circuit
COuEt in Asexandria counsel for Gene
ral Lee and the United States united In
asking Judge Hsehes and BoEA to name
= day next month when the case could
Prcccrd. A decision Of importance.
bearSng On this case. has just been made
inshis Distract. and General Lees friends
are eoaedeat that Il win be susts;ned
and that Arlnngsoa will be restored 70
him. The Carroll heirs entered suit
against the Superintendent oi The Gov
ssumens Botanical Garden here. OF
eearse 90 suIs could be entered against
she United Ststes, and, N is common in
ejecsment suits. the person 10 posses
ssua waa made the defendant. The de-
sendans 6led suggestion that he occu-
PIES oaly 90 ascnt cf the United States
aad shsi the United States Is in possess
sion of The property. UpcE this show
ing the listed States Attorney tiled
saoasSn thai the CcuFt dismiss the suit
sor saani oi Jurisdiction. and this motion
wnm argued On Saturday last. Chief
Justiec Cartier oveFrused the motion 10
Gisuss~s, and held that no court could
deny the plaintiffs the right 20 prove q
title sgsinst any persons holding land
claimed by them. This else is identi-
cal With the Arlington case, In the lat
ser cMse the Attorney General OF the
Caifed States hes 6ied . suggestion in
fasming the Court that the United States
Is IN posse~sson Of the property through
iss cgkcrr~ and AGENTS, the only possess
sion that Il - capable Of having, and Is
using Il IN the execution Of :ts sover-
eign aaa constitutional powers. lie has
saxgrssea % the Court that Il has not
jurisdiction 20 take any action which
vii send 60 disturb the possession Of
th~ Uniiea States. and has fled mo-
ten 90 dissnsss the suit. This motion
resnnims uaderided, but if Judge Hughes
fsllDws the precedent OF Judge Cart
ter's deciaon he must override the mo-
ton and perusit Cenerel Lees suit 10
proceed. TIE AFliags0a estsse covers
over ahoasand acres. and the Airing
son House from ls09 was the re.idence,
unaai his seath. ef George Washington
rzxke Cnsfis. The sdoPsed son of George
Washsagtua. when bis daughter, the
vie of General Robert z. Lee, occu-
pied q till 1861. General Lee then lett
q. witA hie family. to 20 South nnd Join
the ConfrdeFacv. n was soon after Ia
Ken ~ the military headquarters Of Cen
essl Mcdowell. os the United States
Asmy. and was held by the military I'LL
ls62. whea q was sold BY The Govern
msems. under the Direct Tar oct, for $6J
ofosendue taxes. The money was TEN
dercd Nv Crnernl Lees friends, but re-.
faEea. Il belonged 10 Mrs. Lee, end
wns net confseated, ss u generally sup
En~ea. GcneFal Lee never had any in
serest IN q whatever, and that of Mrs.
Lee was cnly . life estate, 60 at her
aeaah 4 reverted 20 General Custis Lee.
who hsings the suit Of ej<etment. In
1857 natioaal cemetery was formally
established by the Government upon
80 srres Of the land, IN which there
are barred nearly sixteen thousand col
asers. inelnaing : Few hundred Of the
ConSe5crase army. Over the arch Of
she carasge-entraace is this inscription:
s.llere Fest 1855 Of the SIS. .55S citi-
sens whs died In defense of tAeir coun-
azy ffosa 1861 20 1865" Bills were in-
srodBced in. Congress TO pay Mira Lee
while she wss alive for the estate. bet
came 60 no vote. Should General Lee
Win his sasf The Government would un-
Souhaedly purchase the property.