294 FRANCIS LIGHTFOOT LEE ARTHUR LEE ships. His "Life and Correspondence" was published by his great-grandson, R. II. Lee (2 vols. 8vo, Philadelphia, 1825). II. Francis Lightfoot, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, born at Stratford, Westmore- land co., Va., Oct. 14, 1734, died in Richmond in 1797. Owing to the death of his father, he was not, like his brothers, sent abroad to com- plete his education ; but under the direction of the Rev. Mr. Craig, a Scottish clergyman, who acted as private tutor at Stratford, he acquired a competent knowledge of the classics, and a great taste for reading and study. His father had left him an independent estate ; and he en- tered with zest into those social occupations and enjoyments which were then a marked feature in the country life of Virginia. He had engaging manners, and is said to have been a favorite with ladies. From this round of en- joyments he was aroused by the struggle in the house of burgesses against parliament, and in 1765 took his seat there as a member from Loudon county, where his estate was situated. He proved a useful member, but did not dis- tinguish himself as a speaker. He continued to sit till 1772, when, his term having expired, he left- the house, was married to Rebecca, daughter of Col. John Tayloe of Richmond, and settled at Monocan in that county. In August, 1775, upon the resignation of Col. Bland, he was chosen by the house of bur- gesses a delegate to the general congress ; and he was successively reflected in 1776, 1777, and 1778. During this whole period he seldom if ever appeared in debate, but acted upon many important committees, and frequently sat as chairman of the committee of the whole. His chief services in congress were the assis- tance he rendered in framing the old articles of confederation, and the stand which he took in favor of making the right to the northern fish- eries and to the navigation of the Mississippi indispensable grounds in the conclusion of the treaty with England. These rights were finally guaranteed, and proved to be of primary im- portance. The gratitude of the New England- ers to the Lees appears in the correspondence of the period. Aspersions have been cast upon the " Lees of Virginia," the family being rep- resented as hostile to Gen. Washington. The journals of congress sufficiently refute these charges. Richard Henry Lee advocated the scheme of investing Washington with larger powers, and Francis Lightfoot, the only one of the family at that time in congress, voted for a confirmation of the sentence of the court mar- tial against Gen. Charles Lee after the .battle of Monmouth, for which reason the latter would never afterward speak to him. He subsequent- ly approved of and supported the federal con- stitution, on the avowed ground that " Gen. Washington was for it." In the spring of 1779 he retired from congress, and returned to plantation life. He was again called to repre- sent his county in the senate of Virginia, but soon afterward finally abandoned the public service. His love of ease and fondness for social enjoyment rendered a life in the coun- try more agreeable to him than any other, and he resolutely adhered to his determina- tion not again to engage in politics. His wife had borne him no children, but he was the centre of a large circle of friends. His " gay good humor and pleasing wit" made him a favorite with all, and his plain and easy man- ners rendered him approachable by persons of every class. He died within a few days of the death of his wife. III. Arthur, an American statesman, born in Westmoreland co., Va., Dec. 20, 1740, died in Middlesex co., Dec. 12, 1792. He was the youngest of the five brothers. After a brief course of tuition under a private teacher in Westmoreland, he was sent to Eton in England, where he formed intimate friend- ships with many youths who afterward became famous in public affairs. His father had de- signed him for the medical profession, and from Eton he passed to the university of Ed- inburgh, where he went through the course of general science and polite learning, studied medicine, receiving from the university the degree of M. D. and a diploma approving him a "general scholar," at that time esteemed a great honor. He also gained a gold medal for the best treatise "on some botanical subject," the subject of his paper being the character and uses of Peruvian bark. Leaving the uni- versity, he travelled through Germany and Holland, and finally returned to Williamsburg, the capital of Virginia, where he commenced the practice of his profession. He soon ac- quired reputation, but the threatening aspect of affairs drew him strongly toward political subjects. His brothers were already prominent in politics, and he determined to abandon his profession, return to England, and there em- bark in the struggle. Accordingly, about 1766 he proceeded to London, where he began the study of the law, which presented far greater allurements to his active mind than the prac- tice of physic. He plunged with ardor into the angry current of newspaper debate. With a young student like himself he formed an in- timate connection ; this was William (afterward Sir William) Jones, and the correspondence between the friends was long and confiden- tial. He was admitted to the bar in 1770, and began a successful and lucrative practice. He exerted himself in the cause of his native coun- try with extraordinary vigor. His letters, un- der the signatures of " Junius Americanus" and "Monitor," became widely popular, and pro- cured him the acquaintance and friendship of many of the most distinguished friends of Amer- ican liberty. His opposition to the act declar- atory of the right of parliament to tax the colonies, and to the subsequent stamp act, was warm and persevering ; and such was the elo- quence of one of his pamphlets, entitled "An Appeal to the English Nation," that it was long regarded as the work of Lord Chatham. As a member of a society of gentlemen of the oppo-
