The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1896-04-14
A new CONSUL GENERAL .
Yirginia'S Ex-Governor viii Represent
Us at Havana.
SUCCEEDING RAMON 0. WILLIAMS
The Latter Has Held the Position for over
Twenty Years Past, But Recently
Placed His Resignation in the
Hands of President Cleveland.

WASHINGTON, April 14.-Fitzhugh Lee,
f Virginia has been nominated to be
consul general of the United States at Ha-
vana, Cuba vice r. o. Williams resigned.
The resignation of Ramon o. Williams
from his office as consul general Of the
United States at Havana, which was made
public through the nomination of General
Fitzhugh Lee as his successor, caused no
surprise here For months past rumor has
been busy with Mr.. Williams name, and
it has repeatedly been stated during that
time that he had resigned. The denials
that were obtained from official sources
were always so phrased as to carry only
the statement that Mr.. Williams was at
the time of denial still in office, and the
conviction obtained, based not only on
these denials, but on certain expressions
let fall by Mr.. Williams during his visit
to Washington last year, that his resigna-
tion has been at the disposal Of the presi-
dent for some time past
President Cleveland has long been de-
sirous of appointing General Fitzhugh Lee
TO place in the diplomatic or consular
service. Last year he appointed him in
ternal revenue collector of the western dis
trict of Virginia, and his friends were a
little surprised that he accepted the place,
but it is now known that he did so at the
urgent request of many of the leading cit
liens of the district.
General Lee is u lineal descendant of the
celebrated Light Horse Harry Lee, of
the revolution, and is nephew of Gen
eral Robert Il. Lee He was born at Cler-
mont, Fairfax county, Va, Nov. 10, 1898,
and was graduated at West Point in 1856.
| He was severely wounded in fight with
Indians and in May, 1860, he was ordered
to report at West Point as instructor of
cavalry. At the beginning of the civil
war, in 1861, he resigned his commission
in the United States army and entered the
| Confederate service, quickly rising to the
rank of major general.
After the war closed he retired to his
home in Stafford county. In 1874 he made
a speech at Bunker Hill, which attracted
wide attention. In the winter and spring
of 1SS2-3 he made n tour through the south
ern states in the interest of the Southern
Historical society. In 1885, after a spirited
campaign, he defeated John A. Wise, re
adjusUer, for governor of Virginia. II,
was subsequently an aspirant for the
! United States senate to succeed Mr.. Hun
ton, but was defeated in the Democratic
legislative caucus by Thomas S. Martin by
a very close vote
Ramon o. Williams who has been oui
consul at Havana for over twenty year
past, was in Washington some time age
to explain why General Campos desired
his recall. Matters were arranged, and h'
returned to his post He was born a
Washington fifty years ago, and wa
taken to Cuba when child, and resided
there for several years. Later he returned
to Washington and became a newspape
reporter, but not succeeding in journal
ism as he hoped he went back to thu
"Queen Of the Antilles" became mer
chant, and made money so rapidly that hi
was able to retire on a competence in 1871
Three years later he was appointed consu
general.
The salary of the office is $4,000 year
the largest sum paid any consul genera
in the service of the United States, anC
the fees swell the income to even more ac
ceptable proportions.