Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 06.djvu/411

 LEE

LEE

and resolutions of the British Parliament, " but that private correspondence sliould be conducted between lovers of liberty in every province." In 1773 the Virginia assembly (Massachusetts took similar action about the same date) appointed a " Committee of Correspondence '' of which Mr. Lee was a member, and in that capacity opened a correspondence witii Samuel Adan)s, which re- sulted in their lasting friendship. Mr. Lee was elected a delegate to the first Continental con- gress which met in Carpenters' Hall, Philadel- phia, Pa., Sept. 4, 1774. He prepared the memo- rial of congress to the people of British America, urging them to join in the struggle for freedom, and in the next congress he wrote their address to the people of Great Britain. As chairman of the committee he drew up the instructions of congress to General "Washington upon his assuming command of the army. On June 7, 1776, in accordance with the instructions of the Virginia convention, and at the request of his colleagues, he proposed the resolution for the in- dependence of the colonies: " Resolved, that these United Colonies are. and of right ought to be, free and independent States, that they are absolved from all allegiance to the Britisli Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved," and the motion was seconded by John Adams of Massachusetts and the discus- sion upon its adoption continued until June 10. He received word of the serious illness of his wife, and left Philadelphia the same day to visit her. Owing to his absence Mr. Jefferson was appointed the same day chairman of the com- mittee and the task of defending the motion fell upon Mr. Adams, Mr. Jefferson not being a ready speaker, Lee did not return until the Declara- tion had been passed and signed and he then added his signature to the instrument. He served in the Continental congress, 1774-80 and 1784-87, and was one of the signers of the Articles of Con- federation in 1778. During the sessions of 1784 he was president of congress, being, it is said, the unanimous choice of the delegates present. He is said to have served upon nearly one hundred committees during the .sessions of 1770-77. Mr. Lee opposed the adoption of the constitution of 1787; in this opposition he was in agreement with George 3Iason, Patrick Henry, Benjamin Harrison, Thomas Jefferson and others in Vir- ginia and many of the ablest patriots of the time in other states. After the ratification of the con- stitution he consented to serve as one of the senators from Virginia, mainly for the purpose of urging some amendments which he believed to be needed and many of these he was instru- mental in securing. After serving as U.S. sen- ator in the 1st and 2d congresses, 1789-92, he re-

signed in 1792 and was succeeded by John Taylor. During the first and second sessions of the 2d congress he was president pro tempore of the senate, April to November, 1782. Both branches of the Virginia assembly gave him a vote of thanks for liis patriotic services. He was twice married, first to Anne Aylett by whom he had two sons and two daughters, and secondly to Mrs. Anne (Gaskins) Pinckard, by whom he had two sons and three daughters. In the selection of names for a place in the Hall of Fame for Great Americans, New York university, made in October, 1900, his was one of the thirty-seven names in " Class M, Rulers and Statesmen," and received three votes, his votes in the class ex- ceeding those for Van Buren, Charles Carroll, John J, Crittenden and Henrj- Wilson, and equal- ling tliose for Robert R. Livingston and Stepiien A. Douglass, He is the author of numeious political pamphlets and his correspondence, with memoirs by his grandson. Richard Henr}^ Lee, was published in 1825, He died at Chantilly, "Westmoreland county, Va,, June 19, 1794,

LEE, Richard Henry, educator, was born in "Westmoreland county, Va., June 23, 1794; eldest son of Ludwell and Flora (Lee) Lee; and grand- son of Richard Henry and Anne (A}-lett) Lee, and of Philip Ludwell and Elizabeth (Steptoe) Lee. He was graduated with the honors of his class at Dickinson college. Pa., in 1812, studied law and practised in Leesburg, Va. He was twice married, first to Mary Duncan Mahon, and secondly to Anna Eden Jordan of St. Mary's, Md, He was professor of languages in "Washing- ton college. Pa., 1833-37; and of belles-lettres, 1837-54, resigning April 25, 1854. In 1858 he took orders in the Protestant Episcopal church and was rector of Trinity church, "Washington, Pa., 1858-65. He is the author of: Memoirs of the Life of Richard Henry Lee (2 vols., 1825): Life of Arthur Lee (2 vols. , 1829); Life of Harriet Preble (1856) . He died in "Washington, Pa., Jan. 3. 1805.

LEE, Robert Edward, soldier, was born at Stratford, "Westmoreland county, Va., Jan. 19, 1807; son of Gen. Henry (q. v.) and Anne Hill (Carter) Lee; grandson of Henry and Lucy (Grymes) Lee, and of Charles and Anne Butler (Moore) Carter, In 1811 Gen. Henry Lee re- moved his family from Stratford to Alexandria, Va,, and in that town Robert received his pre- paratory education, first at the academy under W. B. Leary, and subsequently at the high school of which Benjamin Hallowell, a Quaker, was head-master. He was graduated from the U.S. Military academy, "West Point, second in his class in 1829, was commissioned 2d lieutenant of engineers and was assigned to duty in the engi- neer bureau, "Washington, which enabled him frequently to visit his mother in Alexandria. On