National Republican., 1880-02-25
Srr. W. w. Corcoran VS.. Admiral Lee.
AUDI ALTERAM PARrEM.
WAsuINGroN, Feb. 9

| WAsHINGroN, Feb. %, 1880.
To The Editor of The National Republican,:
The epstolary encounter between Mr.. w
w. Corcoran and his friends with Admiral s.
p. Leo is over, but an occasional volunteer
shot in the newspapers indicates that the pas.
sion of war only sleeps. Pending tho suspcn'
sion of hostilites the opportunity Is afforded
| for judicial consideration Of tho issue.
Mr.. COrcOran, as everyone knows, erected
| the art gallery previous to the mmuncement
Of the late war, and wont to Europe, leaving
his enterprise in an unfinished state. The
Government took possession Of it very much
| In the manner of Seiziug abandoned property,
and occupied it until the rebellion was crushed.
Then Mr.. Corcoran returned TO his own coun.
try, the event of tho war having disslntcd
Whatever doubts may have dWelt in his busonl
upon the identity Of his citizenship.
| About the same time Admiral Leo returned
| to Washington, but from n different direction.
IIe had been faithful among the ftithless and
during tho period of hosLiltirs had stood fore
most among those in front whose object was to
save the Union and tho Capital, including the
| Corcornn Art Gallery from falling into the
| hands of the country's enemies and Mr.. Cor
coritn's friends.
And now tho latter are disposed to expect
the whole community to join them in for.
getting Admiral Lees public services Join
them in turning upon him their vials Of wrath,
| because no uOts nov All III forwarding III
COrcOran's semi'private enterprise by surrrn-
dcrng II lot in the rear Of the art gallery
which ho desires to keep.
There seems to DO no doubt touching Ad-
miral Lees tito to this picGo or parcel of
ground. He bought ii with his own money,
took u deed In his own name, holds IT. in his
own right, aud why should he not, under the
Constitution, Bylaw and Rcscripts of the
Commissioners Of the District, enjoy 1t IN his
own wHy2
But docs he enjoy il, when Mr. Carcoran, In
tho rolu of pubic henefac'or, appeals to tho
gratitude aud hopes Of Il community to make
his retention of his property the signal for
popular Indignation
The public fully appreciate the gifts Of Mr.
Corcorou to this community, and also appre
ciato tho services of Admiral Lea to this
country, and ii Mr. Corcorans generosity is to
be put in one balance, II is suggested that
Admiral Lees patriotism bO put in the other
However valuable tho art gallery may bo, We
should sot higher value upon tho moral rs
well as legal right Of an individual citi2on to
the free possession and control Of his own
property.
There Is worry little differance between dis.
possessing Admiral Lee OF his lot ri ct arniS
aud holding him mp to public eSeCration be.
cause he won't sell IL to advance Mr.. Corcor.
IS enterprise, however moritolious that en-.
tcrprise may be. All things arc comparative
IN this HE, ana there ID only distinction
between the mob which pulls u mans house
down about his ears, aud the coterie Of influ.
entail gentleman who lead the hue and cry
because another will not sell what they wish
to buy.
1t is understood that It is unoithodox to re.
fuse Mr.. C0rcOrLn any ything, such Is tho ind.
suce Of one millionaire in Il community of
poor men, aud we regret to say that Mr. Cor.
corUn's Acquicscng friends have made him
rather aulocratic in his demands aud expacta.
tons. Mislcd by the grateful recipients and
hopeful expectnnts OF his bounty, ho looks for
self-abnegatiOn from those who probably re.
spect only his old age, for there are some who
declare that his benefactions arc not bOnev.
olencCs, and that his sympathies do not cx.
tend above Mason and DixOn's line geOgraph'
ically, or below "gentewomen" socially.
His advisers have placed him in position
In this controversy which even he cannot af'
ford to occupy. His appeal TO the press aud
the public in the premises, based as ii ID upon
the refusal of q citizen to part with his own,
is q threat hurled at every member of the com
munity whose privileges stand in tho way of
the wishes of wealthy aud popular man.
Suppose Admiral Loo should close tho cor
respondence by u lotter somewhat IN the
following strain
10 Mr. ~ H. COycorGn;
SIR | Will not comment upon the iudolicacy Of
the publication of our correspondence, or upon
your appeal to the press and public. The desire of
one citizen to retain what belongs 70 him and tho
determination of another to obtain Il, or falling la
that, 10 disturb him In lis enjoyment, furnish an
issue which your own novel tribunal can settle but
i'm one way, II II eau take disiutCreslel view of
the case and ITS surroundings,
II viii perceive that the extension of your art
gallery was an allerIhouSAl, subsequent ~ my