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Arthur Lee of Virginia Was He a Paranoid Political Infighter Or an Unheralded Press Agent for the American Revolution?

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Arthur Lee of Virginia Was He a Paranoid Political Infighter Or an Unheralded Press Agent for the American Revolution? Spring 2002 Arthur Lee of Virginia Was He a Paranoid Political Infighter or An Unheralded Press Agent for the American Revolution? By William F. Rhatican Arthur Lee Arthur Lee was one of eight children born to Arthur used the written word to spread his Thomas Lee, the builder of Stratford Hall. ideas. His pamphlets were distributed Most of his adult life was spent in London and throughout Europe and America and served to Paris while working to secure European support rally sympathizers in support of the American during the Revolution. He was a diplomat, a cause. A 1775 editorial in the Virginia Gazette secret agent for the Continental Congress, and praised “the amiable Dr. Lee, admired by all for a Commissioner (along with Benjamin Franklin his literary abilities and excellent pieces in and Silas Deane) to the Court of Versailles. Vindication of the colonies, shines conspic- This issue sponsored by Mr. Oscar Ryder 1 uously as one of the first patriots of his age.” only unhappy or single person of the family, Historian, Alvin Riggs, calls Arthur Lee nor have I any prospect of being otherwise…I "probably the most influential publicist often feel so homesick that I cannot bear the anywhere for the cause of the colonies."1 thought of living forever from you."5 While Burton Hendrick, acknowledges Lee's some historians credit (or blame) Arthur's contribution to the pre-Revolutionary fervor of childhood experiences for his later "paranoia" the colonies when he writes, "Arthur's greatest or "neuroticism," Arthur did manage to find and service to the cause…(was) his correspondence, make friends on both sides of the Atlantic. He for the six years preceding hostilities, with apparently fascinated the Londoners as a many of the leaders in America."2 Despite his "colonial" who claimed that Americans had the influence at the time, other historians dismissed same rights and liberties as Englishmen and him as a "neurotic…always a centre (sic) of… desired to awaken Great Britain to the injustice disturbance."3 Thus, they often overlook his heaped upon Englishmen who lived in the writings, focusing more on his personality than colonies rather than the mother country. On the on the principles of his writings and the American side of the Atlantic, he was equally intellectual capacity he brought to the colonists' persuasive, having traveled extensively side of the debate with the mother country. throughout the colonies, making a favorable impression on Samuel Adams and other early The writings of Lee show he was an early and leaders of the colonial resistance.6 powerful exponent of colonial independence from the British Parliament but not necessarily His early, classical education and his extensive independence from the British monarch. His readings of Greek and Roman literature writings, under numerous pseudonyms, were so apparently prepared him well for his self- powerful that they pushed the debate on the appointed role as "press agent" for the political spectrum so far toward confrontation colonials. with Great Britain that he moved the fulcrum of the debate away from conciliation and Using a Pseudonym inexorably toward a break. Arthur Lee honed his ability to write political tracts while in England as a correspondent with The Formative Years "influential colonial leaders."7 In 1768, he Arthur Lee was born in 1740, the sixth son of wrote a series of pieces known as the Monitor Thomas Lee and his wife, Hannah Ludwell. At letters, which called on the colonials to demand the age of eleven, he was sent to Scotland to be a Bill of Rights similar to the freedoms the educated. After receiving a medical degree British had achieved for themselves. When he from Edinburgh University, he returned to later retraced his steps and returned to London Williamsburg to practice medicine only to in 1768, he eagerly began a series of essays discover that medicine interested him little. He under the pseudonym, "Junius Americanus." went to London to study law, but soon knew he Although written in London, they were meant craved the attention and verbal combat of to be read in both Great Britain and in the politics and "public service."4 During his colonies and were intended to inflame passions formative years, both in Virginia and later, in and provide direction for the colonists and their Scotland and England, Arthur demonstrated a supporters on both sides of the Atlantic. restlessness and confusion of sentiments. Unmarried throughout his life, Arthur confessed to his brother Frank in 1769, "I am now the 2 According to Riggs, Lee used numerous "abridgment of what are called British rights" pseudonyms to author more than 170 political for the colonists and on the importance of a essays, which appeared in 36 English and stern hand, including British troops, in dealing American newspapers and periodicals. Riggs with the Boston colonials. Ben Franklin, as identifies three of the pseudonyms Lee used as agent in London for the Massachusetts Bay "Monitor," "Junius Americanus," and "Raleigh" Colony, received the letters under suspicious but hints at the use of many others. It is circumstances and, considering the letters as possible to explore the possibility that at least "public property" written by public officials, one of them was "The British American," a sent them to Boston to be distributed discretely. name that appears prominently in the Virginia When they were made public, however, Gazette in 1774 and makes arguments Franklin was brought before the Privy Council, strikingly like those Lee made while using other which had before it the General Court's demand pen names. The use of a pseudonym did not that Hutchinson and Andrew Oliver be removed necessarily mean an author wished to maintain from office. Franklin, at the venerable age of his anonymity, however. A literary device often sixty eight, appeared before the Council on used in both Britain and the colonies at the January 29, 1774, where he was attacked time, it provided the author with the flexibility "acrimoniously"8 by the Solicitor General, to acknowledge or disavow certain published Alexander Wedderburne, as the personification works as the occasion arose. For Lee's part, he of the people of Boston, who were, "…not only did not seem to mind; to the contrary, he the worst Subjects, but the most immoral Men appeared to relish the attention his political of any he has had to deal with…(as bad as) agitation created. Sodom itself was for a Vice which ought not to be named."9 Writing later about the mood in Defending Franklin London at the time, Franklin characterized the By all accounts a superbly educated and "clamour…is high and general."10 Lee leapt to crusading patriot, Arthur Lee honed his Franklin's defense, even though they had been - columnist's skills by attacking his political and would continue to be - ideological, political enemies in print, defending his friends and and personal foes. Lee wrote, in London, "Is it sources and, when the occasion arose, the act of a coward to insult an old man? Is it assuming the reasonable tact of a diplomatic the act of a villain to accuse falsely, and stab the businessman. His attacks in print on the British character of an innocent man? Mr. governors of Massachusetts Bay and Virginia, Wedderburne is the man who insults age. Mr. for example, might make the likes of Walter Wedderburne is the man who stabs Winchell blanche while his defense of his innocence."11 political foe Ben Franklin when he was attacked by the greater enemy, Britain, is still As adept as any of his colleagues at personal cited today as "eloquent." In January 1774, for attack and insult, Lee could shift his rhetoric to example, the British Privy Council was satisfy his audience. If he were defending a investigating the matter of certain letters from fellow-colonist such as Franklin, he could Massachusetts Royal Governor, Thomas viciously launch ad hominum attacks on Hutchinson, written between 1768 and 1769 Franklin's detractors. On the other hand, he before he became governor of the was equally capable of writing a reasonable Commonwealth. In those letters, Hutchinson appeal for restraint on the part of the British and Andrew Oliver, who would become with their American colonies and of the great Lieutenant Governor, opined on the value of deeds the two had already accomplished as 3 precursors for what lie ahead. In his Appeal to 31, 1770, Lee struck a nerve with colonists the Justice and Interests of the People of Great apparently becoming increasingly troubled with Britain, he eloquently intertwined the earlier the issue of economic slavery when he coupled fortunes of the two countries and predicted that issue with the question of independence glorious accomplishments for both if they from London. Making the point that remained united and resolved their differences democracy and slavery cannot live side by side, amicably.12 Lee wrote that recent British actions against the colonies would certainly lead to slavery for the Solving the Problems Between Britain and colonists themselves since the diminishment of the Colonials liberty through the application of such Directing his message to British merchants and economic restraints would surely lead to others trading with, or related to, the colonists, slavery.14 It is likely Lee was referring to the Lee understated the problems between the two Townshend Acts, a series of indirect duties on countries, describing them as solvable. Using imports of lead, glass, paper and paint from the pseudonym "An Old Member of Great Britain. In the same article, Lee foresaw Parliament" he wrote, "A state of contention the possibility of economic conflict among the between Great Britain and America is not only colonies based on individual colonial economic disagreeable but dangerous.
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