Evening star., 1941-08-24

Building that Gen. Robert e. Lee paid
his last visit to Gen. Scott, just previous
to taking up the cause of the Confed-
crate States, and it was here that the
last interview took place between him
and that great general before he ten
dered his resignation.
Historic Incident.
OF this historic incident Gen. Perley
Poore tells us in his "reminiscences:
Among the officers of the Army to
resign their commissions was Col. Robert
E. Lee, who was sent for by Gen. Scott
and asked point-blank whether he in
tended to resign with those Officers who
proposed to take part with their re-
spective States or to remain in the serv-
ice OF the Union. Col Lee made no
reply. whereupon old Chapultepec' came
directly to the point, saying. I suppose
you will 60 with the rest. II you pro-
pose to resign, 1t is proper you should
do so at once. Your present attitude
is an equivocal one General, Col.
Lee then answered, the property belong
ing to my children all that they pos
sess, lies in Virginia. They will be ruined
if they do not go with their State. l
cannot raise my hand against my chill
dren. Gen. Scott then signifed that
he had nothing further to say. Col Lee,
with a respectful bow, withdrew, and the
next morning rendered his resignation.
which was accepted five days afterward. L.
News Important.
According to Hay and Nicolay: From
SCOTS presence Lee seems to have retired
to his home and family at Arlington
to wrestle with the haunting shadows
of duty. Pregnant news came to him,
thick and fast. The secession OF Vr-
einia was verified in Washington that
same evening. The next evening the
9Th Massachusetts, marched IN mingled
pride and sorrow to the Capitol, having
made an immortal record OF service 70
their country. Here were new ana I'M
portaf,t elements to influence his oe-
cision. Virginia seeded, Maryland IN
revolt. Washington threatened, sumter
lost. the border States defiant. the Con-
federate States arming and utterins
half-oficial threat that the rebel nag
should float over the Capitol by the lst
of May.
"If the walls of Arlington heard secret
or open conferences with consplrators
from Washington or conspratois from
Richmond no record of them has come
to light. But Saturday. April 20, Lee
wrote to his old commander: General
Since nv interview with you on the l8tn
instant I have felt that I ought not
longer to retain my commission IN the
ARMY. I therefore tender my reslgna-
ton. which I request you Will recon-
mend for acceptance. 1t would nave
been presented at once but for the strug-
gle it has cost me to separate mysel1
from a service to which I have devoted
all the best years of my life and all the
ability possess. Save IN oelehse
of nv native State, never desire again
to draw my sword"
MANY great men occupied the office
of Secretary of War during the existence
of the old War Department Buliding.
These included, in order: John G. CAL
houn. James Barbour, P. B. Porter, John
n. Eaton, the second husband OF Peggy
O'Neil, who disrupted Jacksons caol-
net: Lewis Cass, B. F. Butler, Joel Pom
sett. John Bell, James M. Porter. john
C. Spencer William Wilkins. william L.
Marcy. George w. Crawford, Charles M
Conrad. Jefferson Davis, John B. Floyd,
Joseph Holt. Simon Cameron, Edwin M.
Stanton. Ulysses S. Grant, Lorenzo
Thomas, John M. Schofield, John A.
Rawlins. William w. Belknap, Aphonso
Taft. father of the late Chief Justice
william Howard Taft; j. Donald Cam
eron. George N. McCrary and Alexander
Ramsey.
During the administration OF Presi-
dent Tyler. Secretary of War Spencer
was transferred to the position OF
Secretary of the Treasury, and 1t was
during this time that the alleged mutiny
on the brig somers occurred. in which
Midshipman Philip Spencer, son OF the
Secretary, and two Of his alleged ac-
complices were executed IN foreign
waters.
Oficial Report.
Regarding this deplorable incident
"An Old Stager," has this to say:
"On the arrival of the vessel at New
York, 1t. Gansevoort, her executive
officer, was dispatched to washington,
bearing a sealed report to the Secretary
of the Navy. He reached there on Sum
day. and his awful intelligence was not
made public until the following day. The
city was filed with startling rumors, and
President Tyler, without mentioning the
nature of the affair. intimated that
something terrible would soon be re-
vealed. Gansevoort disclosed no particu-
lars. but his obscure givings out created
general and profound CONSERVATION.
"On Monday the oficial paper OF the
Government published the onhcial &C
count of the mutiny, and the execution
of Midshipman Spencer and two OF his
alleged accomplices. Mr.. Spencer, the
father. of the young man, then Secretary
of the Treasury, was overwhelmed with
grief and horror. The news came upon
him suddenly, without premonition. He
was a tender and devoted father. His
son, a peculiar and perhaps wayward
lad, was his favorite child. He was full
of genius, not unamiable IN disposition,