Chap. 151.—An ACT consenting to the purchase of the Arlington
Estate by the United States, ceding jurisdiction and remitting tuxa-
tion thereon.

In force February 23, 1884.

Whereas Robert T. Lincoln, secretary of war of the United
States, has made application to this general assembly for its
consent to the purchase, by the authorities of the United
States, ofa tract of land described as follows: All that cer-
tain tract or body of land situate in Alexandria county, for-
merly in Fairfax county, in the state of Virginia, com-
monly known as the Arlington house estate, containing
eleven hundred acres, be the same ever so much more or less,
being the identical tract or body of land which was convey ed
by Gerald Alexander and wife to John Park Custis, hy deed
bearing date December twenty-fitth, Anno Domini one thou-
sand seven hundred and seventy-cight, and of him the
said John Park Custis, inherited by George W. P. Custis,
who devised the same to George W. C. Lee, and by him the
said George W. C. Lee conveyed to the United States, by deed
bearing date the thirty-first day of March, eighteen hundred
and cighty-three, recorded in liber F, number four, folio two
hundred and fifty. seven, one of the land records of Alexan-
dria county, Virginia ; and whereas the United States author-
ities held possession of said real estate, claiming absolute
ownership thereof from January eleventh, eighteen hundred
and sixty-four, until March thirty-first, eighteen hundred and
eighty-three, and used the same as a national cemetery tor
the burial of deceased soldiers and sailors, and for other pub-
lic purposes, during which period no taxes, or county or town-
ship levies were cither demanded or paid thereon, and for
which a claim has been recently asserted; therefore,

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That
the consent of this state is hereby given to the purchase of
said tract of land by the government of the United States of
America; but this consent is given subject to the following
terms and conditions, to-wit: that this state retains concur-
rent jurisdiction with the United States over the said tract
of land, so that courts, magistrates. and officers of this state
may take such cognizance, execute such process, and dis-
charge such other legal functions within the same, as may
nut be incompatible with the consent hereby given.

2. The said tract of land and the buildings now, or that
may hereafter be erected thereon, and any property of the
United States on said tract, are hereby exempted from all
taxes imposed by this state, or by the constituted authorities
of Alexandria county, and this exemption shall be in force
from the date of said purchase by the United States, March
thirty-first, ciyhteen hundred and eighty-three, and shall con-
tinue only 80 long as the United States shall be and remain the
owner of said tract of land; and all taxes and county, town-
ship. and district levies, due or claimed to be due for, ayvainst
or upon said real estate, since the same went into possession
of. and has been held and used by the United States authori-
ties. as aforesaid, are hereby released and discharged.

3. This act shall be in force trom its passage.