The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-02-17
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ownership to them was for years In dis pute, and repeatedly put the government officials in. il quandary.
 The federal authorities had taken pos session of the relics soon after the out break of the Civil War when the Union troops invaded Arlington, the beautiful home of Gen. Robert F. Lee, on the Po- tomac. opposite Washington. Now, the mansion at Arlington had been built by General Washlngton's adopted son, George Washington Parke Custis, 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 bequeathed to him. The only daughter of the household in time mar red Robert D. Lee, who came to make his home at Arlington, md thus the beginning of the war for the Union found the priZed Washington relics left behind in a room In the basement of the home sud denly abandoned by the Confederate chief tain.
 When Arlington was converted Into n Federal Army camp the captured relies were sent to the Patent Office, at Wash ington, for safe keeping. A few years after the close of the war Mrs. R. E. Lee petitioned that the Washington relics be returned 10 her, and President John son, after Il consultation with his Cabl- net. ordered that thls be done, but Congress entered d vigorous protest and passed law prohibiting the Secretary of the Interior from allowing the articles to be removed from his department. The matter hung fire for years, and then when the government by net of Congress paid to the son of General Lee the sum of $15o,0o0 in settlement of hls elalm for the eonfseation of the Arlington estate many of the government officials deemed that this payment embodied T purchase price fore the Washington relies, and under the supposltion that they were government property the trophies were transferred to the National Museum.
 The next chapter In the story of the Washington relies brings us ito the ad- ministratIon of the late President Me kinley, to whom Miss Mary Lee ap- piled for the restoration of the family helrlooms. Senator Daniels, of Virginia, transmitted the request which the Chief Executive immediately referred to the
 
 MT. F. c. Knox, who was at that time at the head of the Department of Jus tice, made thorough investigation of the rather complicated situation, and finally reported that the government had never through any act of war laid pro prietary claim to the relics, and that 1t was clearly within the jurisdiction Of the President to release them to the heir of the original owner if he chose to do so. President Mckinley thereupon is- sued instructions that the relics were to be turned over to Miss Lee.
 It Is understood that the relies that were restored to the Lees after two score years are now stored in building owned by member of the family at Alexandria, Va. Miss Lee was earnestly importuned to allow the relics to remain in the National Museum, where they could be viewed by all visitors to that patriotic shrine, but she declined. So eager were the officials to be allowed to retain them as a loan that when Miss Lee announced her intention of selling the trophies they even offered to allow her to conduct the sale from the museum. In the end she did consent to leave in Uncle Sans show palace few objects, notably two candelabra and the treasure chest in which General Washington kept his bonds and other valuable papers.
 The relic collection which 1t is now hoped the government may purchase from Mss Lee is especially rich in the old china used hv the Washington family. There are numbers of pieces of the so- called Cincinnati and Lafayette sets. as well