Washington sentinel., 1901-05-04
HISTORIC REL ICS
Returned by the President TO their
Rightrul Owners.

done very kindly act in restoring
to the Lee family the Washington
relics which were taken from Ar
lington, the home OF Gen. X. +,
Lee, after the breaking out of the
war, and which have since been in
the custody OF the United States.
They consisted OF a number Of the
personal effects Of Gen. Washing
ton, including many pieces OF brio
a brac, and full Continental suit
Of clothes worn by him. For many
years they were kept in the Patent
Office in glass cases in one Of the
broad corridors, and were at first
special objects OF attention as
trophies secured at Arlington. OF
late years the" have been on ex.
hibition in the Museum attached
to the Smith sonian Institution.
Frequent efforts have been made
by the family to recover them, but
they have been barred by a reso-
luton OF the House OF Represen
tatiVes passed in 1869 against res.
titution to Gen. Lee. Recently
Senator Daniel addressed a letter
TO the President 0 n the subject in
behalf ol Gen. Cuslis Lee, calling
his attention to the fact that these
articles were his property in rever
sion by direct inheritance from his
mothers father, George Washing
ton Parke Custis, a grandson OF
the wife OF George Washington,
through her first marriage.
AT the Senator's request the
President instituted an investiga-
tion and found that the relics were,
as stated, the property oil General
Custis Lee; that they had been
placed in the keeping ot Gen. Nc.
Dwell by servant OF the Lees at
Arlington, who feared that .hev
would be taken by some irrespon-
sible person, and had been care
fully preserved for restitution to
their rightful heir. He concluded
his reply to the Senator's letter by
saying: "It will afford me great
satisfaction to give dir ction for
the restoration to the present head
OF historic family Of these cher
ished heirlooms oil the Father Of
His Country"
When the war began Gen. r. <.
Lee left the handsome estate Of
Arlington as it stood, removing
nothing, his family following him
shorty TO Richmond. The prop
erty was taken possession OF by the
Federal authorities and retained in
their keeping as nominally con6s-
Gated, and made the site OF Ma
tional Cemetery. 1t was sold for
nonpayment Of taxes and held
under this title until in recent
years, after the subsistence OF pas
sion and the renewal of fraternal
feeling between the North and
South, Gen. Custis Lee, as the
heir Of the property, was fully paid
for it by act of Congress, under
contract Of purchase. No one but
a Southerner can understand what
a load was lifted from the hearts
OF the people Of the South at this
recognition Of Gen. Lees claim,
waiVing any rights under the tax
title, and removing the common
error that the property had been
confscated as that OF a rebel. 1t
was almost like the recovery OF the
heart oil Bruce to his faithful fol-
lowers,
This last act OF President Nc
KinleY, closing the Arlington
source Of irritation, is but one Of
many touching manifestations OF
his personal good will to the South,
and he could NOT, il he had had the
fixing Of the time, have selected a
better occasion for such an act,
When he crossed the Potomac in
sight Of Arlington, and passed into
the State OF Virginia to begin his
tour Of several thousand miles
through the South, he entered
upon triumphal procession, as
far as cordial greetings are con-
cerned. In passing through the
battle SCARED region made mem.
orable by the genius oil Lee and
S'onewall Jackson, if he saw a
brighter light in the eyes or a
warmer grasp OF the hands Of those
who greeted him than on former
visits, he will know to what to at
tribute it, and until he passes out
Of the boundary OF the South at FL
Paso the same greeting will await
him at every station.
Intelligence vs.. EiIiteracy.
| Eo,,- Cr,kha., Ck.t.. Mi.