LEE, WILLIAM (1737-95). One of the repre sentatives of the United States in Europe during the American Revolution; the fifth son of Thomas Lee and the brother of Richard Henry Lee. Fran cis Lightfoot Lee, and Arthur Lee, lie was horn in Stratford. Va., but some time before the Revo lutionary War took up his residence as a mer chant in London, where he acted as the agent of the Colony of Virginia for a time. and in 1773 was elected sheriff of Middlesex. He was an ar dent partisan of Wilkes. and in 1775 was elected on the Wilkes ticket alderman of London. which position he held, nominally. until January. 1780. In June. 1777. lie joined Thomas 'Morris in super intending, the mercantile affairs of the United States at Nantes. and for a time hail virtually entire of the commercial interests of the United States in France. On 9. 1778, he was appointed by Congress a to the courts of Vienna and Berlin. hnt remained in Paris for neatly a year after receiving his com mission. and subsequently lived at Frankfort, Cermany. but accomplished nothing. In Septem ber. 1778, lie drew up. with Tan Neufville, an Amsterdam merchant, a commercial treaty which indorsed by the burgomaster of Amster dam, and which later served a. a pretext for
Lnghuiars declaration of war against Holland. In June, 1779. Lee was recalled from his mi., of which hail been unsuccessful. Ile ied at Grn :spring, Va. Lee's diplomatic cor esp.mdence, together with a biographical sketch, may be found in Wharton (ed.), 7'he kerolutiocary Diplomatic Cor,eapommdmet of the United )lutes (Washington, ISs9).
LEE, WILLIAlt 1.1-rrLE (1521-57). An Ameri can lawyer. Ile was horn at Sandy Hill, N. V.; studied at Norwich Uniler-ity, Vt.. and, after tieing supertutendcut of a military :leadenly at Portsmouth, Va., also at the Harvard Law School. Iii. practice in 'Troy. N. V., was interrupted by consumption. and in 1846 lie started for Oregon by sea, but was delayed at Honolulu: undertook several suits for the Government and was made Ilawaiian Chief Justice and Chaneellor. He drew up a new vonstitutiim and civil and criminal codes, and was appointed president, of the commission 'Sy h jell was to have charge of the land given tip to the common people by the King and chiefs, a measure proposed by him. In I555 be went to the United States, and negotiated a reciprocity treaty between that country and Hawaii.