The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-03-14
TFITZHUCH EE,AMERTCAN CONSUL GENERAL

l .+-
"Therc's a man down there looking
after the interests OF this country
| who cnn not be blinded. lie hns
| more sand than anybody 1 know Of,
and " there's anything trcnchcrous
In this explosion wen. know OF It
| without delay. The man ! mean II
General Fitxhugh Lee"
This is what l.. p. sigsbee. brother Of
tia Names commander, said in comments
Ing on the disaster In Havana harbor. fbs
came thought occurred to every American
who has watched the career of our consul
general at Havana. From first TO last
everybody has had confidence in hi, Amer
lcanism, his bravery and his ccol-headed-
NESS
Famous as a cavalry leader during tho
war and with laurels won as governor Of
Virginia, yet although untried in diplomacy
when detailed for duty by President Glove
land, 1t Is as consul general to Havana that
General Lee won his greatest fame. He
holds his office through merit alone. ALI
tough 1t is one Of the best paying in tho
gift of the president, 10 politician mas been
able to win 1t from him, aud he Is likely 10
remain there as long as Mckinley Is presi-
dent or there Is any danger OF strained re-
lations with Spain. No diplomat has moro
envable record. He has been an ideal con-
sui general. Jealous OF American honor aud
firm in Insisting upon the rights OF .
courtrymen, he has always kept COOL Cour-
teous and polite as we'll as courageous he
has never clustered, and he has won the
respect and admiration Of the Spaniards rs
well as their fear.
His Havana record has been no surprise
to those who knew of his exploits during
the war or OF his family. Blood VIII tell,
and ii has told in the case OF General Lee.
His family has always been famous IN
American history. How could the grandson
of Lighthouse Harry. the revolutionary
hero" or the nephew Of Robert II. Lee be
anything else but courageous and possessed
of tact and common sense.
BLOOD HAS TOLD.
The son OF naval officer. he preferred
tho army rs career. Graduating from
West Point. he fought on the frontier for
six wears before the opening of tho rebel
lion. and was engaged ir several desperate
encounters with the Comanche Indians in
Texas. On one of these occasions he was
pierced through the lungs by an arrow,
but he lived TO tell the story. On another
occasion he grappled with IA big Indian
in hand to hand encounter. threw his an
tasonst on the ground and killed him.
Though only 2, wears of age. Lee was an
instructor in cavalry tactics at West Point
when the war broke out. He followed his
St;Itc" into the secession movement. His
VAR record is a matter of pride to every
Virginian The dashing Young officer was
an ideal TROOPER fearing nothing and loved
~ his men. He was modest. too. After
some brilliant movement of personal vnlor
his brigade formed in BODY and determih-
nd to serenade him at his Headquarters.
OF course. speech. But Lee
got an nklng of the matter. and when he
saw them coming he slipped out of his
ent and hid in the bushes. After the
disappointed troopers had called for him
n vain and dispersed he pseped furtiveIy
from his hiding place and in subdued
one asked, Have they gomez"
CoMPoSURE IN BATTLE
General Lee possessed remarkable COM
'osure in battle. He never got the least
attlsd under the most irving conditions.
Except at saylor's Creek on the retreat