The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-02-17
-RED5ZEnD 40 Gzzzzn5 nEzN2gzn2zA2WsE2Mzzxu

accounted much too precious to permit OF
transportation about the country and
their display In buildings not nreproof
Until very few y nrs ago the relics
OF Washington now held By Miss Mary
Lee were also on display ut the National
Museum side by side with those owned
outright by the government, and tho
story OF the restoration of these anccs-
trail herloons Ito the 4 representative OF
the Lee family Is especially Interesting
now TINT there Is reason to hope that
the relics may be placed permanently
in the aafckeepng OF the federal gov
ernnet,t Just who could @rishtfully claim
ownership to them was for years In dis
| pute. and repeatedly put the government
officials In q qUnndary. 4
The federal authorities had taken pos
\ session OF the relics soon after the out
break Of tie Civil War. when the Union
troops Invaded Arlington, the beautiful
home Of Gen. Robert Z. Lee, on the 70
tomac- opposite Washington. Now. the
mansion at Arlington had been built by
General Washington's adopted son, George
Washington Parke Gusts, and after the
death OF Martha Washington. the builder
OF Arlington had removed from Mount
Vernon to his new home the silver plate,
china and other household articles which
had been beQuea1hed to him. The only
daughter OF the household In time mar
ried Robert E. Lee who came to make his
home at Arlington, and thus the beginning
OF the war for the Union found the
priced Washington relics left behind In
, room In the basement Of the home sud-
denly abandoned by the Confederate chief
tain.
When Arlington was converted into
Federal Army camp the captured relies
: were sent to the Patent Office, ut Wash
y inston. for safe keeping. few years
" after the close OF the war Mrs. r. T..
: Lee petitioned that the Washington relies
. be returned TO her, and President john
son. after CONSULTATION with his Cab,-
:. net, ordered that this be done. but
: Congress entered vigorous protest and
- passed law prohibiting the Secretary
:, OF the Interior from allowing the articles
to be removed from his department The
- matter hung hre for years, and then
=, when the government by act Of Congress
=. paid to the sou OF General Lee the SUR
:, of $4,000 IN settlement of his ciar
=, for the cop6scation OF the Arlington
70 estate many Of the government official!
=, deemed that this payment embodied
10 purchase price for the Washington
- relics, and under the suppost!on tina
~ they were government property tn
~ trophies were transferred to the Nationa
an Museum.
cd The next chapter In the story OF tn
nd Washington relics brings w. to the ae
I'm mnistration OF the late President 81
irs Kinlcy. ITO whom Miss Mary Lee nj
8, piled for the restoration Of the famll
ed hclriooms, Senator Daniels, OF virgini
De. transmitted the request which the Chi
ant Executive Immediately referred to Il
ere Attorney General OF the United State
md MIR. T.. c. Knox, who was nj tina, tin
cry at the head OF the Department OF Ju
ED tice, made thorough Investigation
the the rather complicated situation, nj
nre finally reported that the government b
cial never through amy act OF war laid pl
ep' pretary claim TO the relies, and that
are ! wns clearly within tho Jurisdiction