The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1912-01-23
WHY LEE WENT TO THE. WHITE
HOUSE.

Some months ago Hon. st. CLAN Nc
kelway, editor of the Brooklyn eagle,
delivered an address at the lnlNersiy
Of North Carolina on October 25th,
and en- route was entertained by q
friend in Raleigh who invited q num-
Der Of prominent citizens to dine with
the distinguished Brooklyn editor. At
his dinner, DR.. Mckelway grew rem
iniscent and entertained his Raleigh
friends with q story about the only
time that General Lee visited the
White House after the war. 1t was a
story. which he said had never been
printed, and the Raleigh. friends who
heard 1t were deeply interested in it,
for it threw light upon what had
always before been an unexplained
chapter in the history Of Virginia.
After the war. every Southern State
struction, but Virginia escaped this
! blight, and DIR. McKelway told his
Raleigh friends the secret OF it was
that General Grant acceded to a re-
quest by General Lee, which saved
Virginia. 1t was the only one Gen
eral Lee ever made OF General Grant.
A few days ago DR.. Mckelway gave
that interesting reminiscent III the
columns Of his paper, the Brooklyn
Eagle. Hc says that the event de-
scribed ne did not report in his dis
patches, for he was at that time the
Washington correspondent Of the New
York World, and it has not gotten into
history books or biographies, and re
feels sure hat ii will be news to DR..
Thomas Nelson Page, Lees latest BIZ
~ographer. The story as told by DR..
Mckelway IN the Eagle is the same he
told his friends in Raleigh. and con
dens.d. is about as follows:
Virginia was about to elect 2 Gov
eInor under the Reconstruction Act.
The conservative candidate was Col.
Gilbert c. Walker, a Union soldier:
the Republican candidate WAS the
States military Governor. n. II. Wells.
he conservatives feared that Wells
would use the troops "In 8 way to
/ assure his own election" It occurred
TO Mrs Myra Gaines, widow OF the
distinguished ma jor general. that il
: might be q great thing for Virginia to
2 have he situation explained across a
t table by Robert F.. Lee to Ulysses s
! Grant. She gave McKelwaY a letter
To General Lee and h set ont for
= georgetown tWhere the general WAS
then s~ojourningl on his erranl II
was = Sunday. he remembers. and an
g uncoTmoniy stormy on... re savs j.
. his Eagle story:
> The general had ,he eortecnand-
t ehts morse and carriage taken Ia the
stapie and himself spent the whole
:, Cay Win the correspondent QUESTION.
: ing him closely about NorthorD on;n
ION and answering the corresDondan+,x
t inquiries with fuIlness and cando,
3 EVER d PERIOD OF time so lone as thu,
when mas elapsed since the CONVEX.
" sauoh W. the general and tn.
sotohoen' inc memory Of the lat.
VI concerning impressions ia nor.
clear than concerning da,aija ~
can say that he reva,
= GO" q man more ConTnandinr an.
Impressive N appearance or more dig.
q n4,eu YET natural in manner tha,
iooerS r.. Lee Nor did he ever g.
d man whose bodily and inra,loc,.
/ resemblance TO General Waehina
" - the latter has been suggested :,
r historians and artists, was more s+r;L
iils. no notes, Of course, were 800.
o. what General Lee said a, tn. 49,
ths e ne erect OF the personality o
lost, and is made ONLY ]stron~ oeel
night Of years" w
on his return McKelway wac a,,o.
report that General 70. 49,,
. 10 go 70. the White Honsa IN =,
go" suggested. President Grant sal,