Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-02-23
GEN. LEE AT WHITE HOUSE.
An Interesting "reminiscences from Ed'-
tor MekelWay.

tor MeksIway.
Forty-three years ago DR.. st. Clair
lMcKelway was watching events in
Washington. D. c.. for the New York
World and Brooklyn Eagle. An event
occurred which he did not report in
his dispatches, and which has not
got into the history books and biog-
raphies. He now tells Of 1t In his
Brooklyn newspaper.
Virginia was about to elect gov
ernor under the reconstruction act.
The conservative candidate was Col.
Gilbert c. Walker, a Union soldier:
the Republican candidate was the
states military governor, II. II. Wells.
The conservatives feared that Wells
would use the troops Sin way to In
sure his own election" II occurred
to Mrs. Myra Gaines, widow Of the
distinguished major general, that 1t
might be great thing for Virginia
to have the situation explained across
a table by Robert e. Lee to Ulysses
s. Grant. She gave McKelway a let
ter to Gen. Lee, and he set out for
Georgetown (where the general was
then sojourning) on his errand. 1t
was Sunday. he remembers. and an
uncommonly stormy one. He says In
his Eagle story:
THE general had the correspond
ent's horse and carriage taken to the
stable and himself spent the whole
day with the correspondent. ques-
tioning him closely about northern
opinion and answering the correspond
ent's inquiries with fullness and can
dor. Over period Of time so long
as that which has elapsed since the
conversation between the general and
the correspondent, the memory Of the
latter concerning impressions Is more
clear than concerning details. The
correspondent can say that he never
saw man more commanding and
impressive in appearance or more dig
nified yet natural In manner than
Robert e. Lee. Nor did he ever see
a man whose bodily and intellectual
resemblance to General Washington
as the latter has been suggested by
historians and artists. was more strik-
Ing. No notes, Of course, were taken
Of what Gen. Lee said at the time. but
the. effect Of the personality OF the
general himself has never been lost,
and is made only stronger by the
flight of years"
On. his return McKelway was able
to report that Gen. Lee would be glad
to go to the White House on the mis-
sion suggested. President Grant said
he would be. glad to see him; through
the secretary Of war, Gen. Rawlins,
he invited him to the White House.
Lee asked and got leave to take Gen.
Jubal E. Early and ex-senator r. NJ.
T. Hunter along. Grant and Lee had
not seen each other since Appomattox.
The three virginians put the situa-
ton In their state before the presi-
dent, and told him that all they asked
for was a fair election. He said they.
should have 1t. He gave and en-
forced that promise" says McKelway.
"Wells was defeated and Walker was
elected. virginia's resumption OF
elective government was prosperously
and peacefully effected under Walk
er's four-year governorship. THE
state escaped the worse conditions
that had befallen Florida. South Car
olina, Georgia, Mississippi. Louisiana,
Alabama and Texas, and which
peaceful revolution within the Union
was required to throw of"
The fact that the three Virginians
had called at the White House got to
the papers, but no hint Of what took
them there, or Of the promise they
took away with them. Both Grant ana
Lee asked McKelway to keep mum,
and. of course, he did so. He thinks
that "the lapse of time and the course
Of history" justifies him in now telling
the story. He feels sure that II VIII
be news to Dr. Thomas Nelson Page,
Lees latest Observation-Disclosures
Courant.