Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1901-04-27
THE WASHINGTON RELICS.

the restoration of the historic relics oi
George Washington, now in the Smith
sonian Institution, to the present head
OF the family, George Washington Gus.
tis Lee.
Efforts to have this done have been
&C ade from time to time, and recently
Senator Daniel presented the matter to
he President. The Senator was at the
Woite House this morning, and had o
talk with the President upon the mat.
ter, after which it was decided to make
public The correspondence upon the
sui jsct.
Toe following ia copy of Senator
DaDiel's letter to the President regard
Ing the matter:
"Wasbington, D. c., April %. 1901.
"Mr. President.
"Sir: / have the honor to endorse
herewith the application of General
George Washington Custis Lee submit
ted to ms on behalf of Miss Mary Gus
tia Lee, bis sister, who has his power
of attorney, for oration OF the relics
of General Washington which he be.
came owner OF on the death of bis
mother who was the wife Of General
X. E. Lea.
"When the House of Representatives
passed the resolution in 1869. now thir.
ty.two years ago, against their resto-
ration to General &. E. Lee 1t wa
under the apparent impression which 1t
recited that be owned them and bad
apple d for them. This was a mistake
as is shown In the report of the Judi.
ciary q mmittee OF the House 10 1870
Mrs. Lee had life tenancy In them
and the remainder was in General G.
w. G. Lee. as shown In bis application
for the restoration of the Arlington &C.
tate which Congress houored after lu.
dioiel decision. and P~:ss:Sna, q, t.ar'
nim. By this same title judicially rec
ognized in the Arlington case, and
cougressionslly recognized by the pur-
chase of Arliogton-these heirlooms de-
sceuded to him.
"Mr. President, you know the char.
acter OF the Lees. They bad rather
give than take aud as 'seotionalism
has disappeared am sure you will
not deem me presumptuous II l express
nv conviction that you who have done
90 much to this happy end will Should
your right to do 30 be confirmed BY
your epquiry), be glad to have these
honorable and cherished articles hand
ed over to the rightful heir. With
great respect, very truly yours,
John w DANIEL. T"
To this communication the President
replied as follows:
Executive Mansion
"WashiDgton, April 25. 1901.
"My Dear Sir: o. behalf of George
Washington Custis Lee, you have ap-
| oiled to me for the restoration OF Ger.
tain relics of George Washington,
now in the Smithsonian Institute.
These articles came from Mount Yer
non and before the civil war were the
property of George Washington Parks
| GUSTS, the grandson OF Martha Wash
ineton and the owner of Arlington
who, on his death 10 1857, left them BY
his will. along with the Arlington es
tate, to his daughter, Mary Ann Ran
dolph Lee, the wife Of Robert E. Lse
during her natural life and then to he
eldest grandson, Georee Washington
Custis Lee. TO descend from him, entire
and unchanged, to my (nis) latest pos
teriiy.'
"The relics were at Arlington whe'
the civil war began, and early in 1856
we're turned over to General Mcdowell
then 10 command there, by servant
the Lee family, who became alarm
ed for their safety. The gen
eral, interested 10 their preservat' o
sent them to the Patent Office for safe
keeping, whence they were transferre
to their present place OF deposit.
does not appear that the governmep
ever took any steps to divest the It'll
of Mrs. Lee and her son to them, o
ever claimed any title OF it's OVID. A
the government did was to accept th
trust of their custody at a time v he
the owner could not protect them an
they were consequently exposed to th
risk OF destruction. The need for sue
; protection having ceased, and To
trust Voluntarily assumed having bee
discharged, 1t will afford me great 50
isfaction to give direction for the re-
toration to the present head OF hi
toric family of these cherished bel
looms OF the Father of his Country.
Sincerely yours,
CIVILIAN MCKINLEY.
"Hon. John w. Daniel,
United States Senator"
1t 10 thought probable that Conert
will st lis next session make an effo