New
York March 22. 1866
Dear
Sir
I find the following in the proceedings of Congress of yesterday:
The Arlington Heights Property
Mr. Ward, (rep) of N. Y., made a statement to the
House that he had received numerous letters from friends
and relatives of deceased soldiers buried in the cemetery
of Arlington Heights as to the title the government had
to the property, fearing that the bones of the soldiers
there might revert to the heirs of the arch-traitors.
He
had addressed a communication to the Secretary of War
on the subject, and had received an answer which he
deemed of sufficient public importance to read.
The letter from the Secretary of War was read, stating
that at a sale of lands for unpaid taxes on the 11th of Jan-
uary, 1864, the Arlington estate, including the grounds
referred to, had been bidden for the United States for
$26,860 and afterwards and turned over to the military au-
thorities. The certificate of sale was in the hands of the
of the United Sates Tax Commissioner at Alexandria, but
would soon be placed on file in the Treasury department.
Probably it is unnecessary for me to inform you that according to the
laws of your State any property sold for taxes can be redeemed by the owner upon
the payment of the taxes and cost of sale any time within three years from the
day on which it was sold.
There is yet time to redeem the noble estate of Arlington, and save it
from the disgrace of becoming a grave yard and asylum for lazy negroes.
Can your friends here assist you in any way?
Respy.
Wm. H. Hope
11 Broad Street Room 14
Notation
on envelope in General Lee’s handwriting:
Wm
H. Hope
In
relation to Arlington
Ansd:
5 Apl