The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-12
THE NATIONAL NAME OF LEE.
From the Portland Telegram.

From the Portland Telegram.
 Upon the recent death of Gen. Stephen Dill Lee commander-in-chef of the the latest three surviving lieutenant gen. erals of the Confederacy, public attention is once more directed to the illustrious fame of the family name of Lee. The late Gen. Stephen Lee was a member of the South Carolina family, of probable remote connection with the Lee family Of Virginia, but. like those of his name in the Old Dominion, he bore an illus trious character as a soldier, a citizen and a scholar.
 It has been given to few families in the history of this nation-or, indeed, of any other-to furnish so remarkable rec ord of honorable purpose and worthy achievement in the public service, as tho family of Lee has done. The record is one that makes the family a national name; it denotes the sort of American aristocracy of which any man may be proud
 From the later colonial period until now, the Virginia Lees have ever been in the forefront of national respect. Even in the years of bitter fratricidal strife, the most eminent representative of that family in the national government never failed to command the esteem of honest and reasonable men, as one whose integrity of purpose was not to be questioned Marvellous indeedl had 1t been otherwise. If we group the Lee ancestry into con- prehensive review, we are convinced 1t could not be otherwise.
 There was Robert Henry Lee, born in the year of Washngton's nativity, re- puted to be the foremost orator of his time; the author of the famous petition Of remonstrance to the English King; long serving statesman, who was president of the Continental Congress and one of the first senators elected from his state. There was Arthur Lee diplomatist, born eight years later, who served his country with distinction as the London agent of the Massachusetts colony, and as joint commissioner with Franklin and Dean to secure a treaty of alliance with France, when the struggling, newborn nation must have friends perish. There was Francis Lightfoot Lee, born in 1734, whose name is among the fifty-four signed to the Declaration of Independence. There was Charles Lee, brother of the famous ''Lght-Horse Harry Lee, born in 175S, who served in the legislative councils of his state of the nation during that trying formative period, and who ended his of ficial career at attorney general under the Washington and Adams administra- tions. There was Henry Lee-''Light- Horse Harry''-solder, scholar, states man, whose record is familiar to every schoolboy; whose soldierly achievements and luster on Americans arms; the de- voted friend admirer and eulogist of Washington; who delivered in the course of his funeral oration, before Congress, on the father of the republic, that senti- nent which has becoem the household property of every American: First in war first in peace and firse Tn the hearts of his countrymen." Such were the Lees who comprised the colonial and revolu- tionary group.
 The later generations, in which Robert E. Lee, the son of "Light-Horse Harry" and Fitzhugh Lee, the nephew of Robert, were the notable figures showed no de- cadence in honor or American manliness. Their mistakes were those of honorable devotion; their characters were held ai- ways in the highest esteem. They per- petuated the honor of the name; and enhanced the pride of nation that can boast of such family.