Lambert Tree was a United States state court judge, ambassador, and patron of the arts.
Background
He was born on November 29, 1832 in Washington, D. C.
Lambert was the second son of Lambert and Laura Matilda (Burrows) Tree, of Washington, D. C. Two of his great-grandfathers were Revolutionary officers, and both his grandfathers fought in the War of 1812; his father was a postal official in the capital for sixty years. With a background of brilliant social and official life, Lambert Tree grew to manhood.
Education
Early schooling under private tutors was followed by two years of law study in the office of James Mandeville Carlisle and a year in the law department of the University of Virginia. Tree went to the University of Virginia. He studied law.
Career
In 1855 he was admitted to the Washington bar, and the same year moved to Chicago, Ill. , where he soon became junior member of the firm of Clarkson & Tree. He met and formed a lasting friendship with Abraham Lincoln, then a practising lawyer.
In 1864 he was elected president of the Chicago Law Institute, and in 1870, judge of the circuit court of Cook County. One of his first duties was to conduct an investigation into charges of corruption of Chicago city officials, which he pressed with such vigor, sincerity, and effectiveness that a dangerous political ring was broken up. Reëlected without opposition, he resigned in 1875 because of ill health and traveled for three years in Europe.
Before his return Illinois Democrats nominated him for Congress, but the overwhelming Republican majority in his district made his race hopeless, and four years later he was again defeated.
He was delegate-at-large from Illinois to the National Democratic Convention in 1884. In an exciting contest for a seat in the United States Senate in 1885 he lost to John A. Logan by one vote. In July 1885 President Cleveland appointed him minister resident of the United States in Belgium, where one of his first official duties was to present notes announcing United States recognition of the new Congo Free State government.
On March 15, 1886, he signed the conventions for the international exchange of official documents, parliamentary, scientific, and literary publications. The rank of the United States representatives in Belgium was raised in 1888, and Tree was made envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary. Late in the same year Tree was appointed envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary to Russia, but resigned after a few weeks at St. Petersburg.
He was an incorporator of the American Red Cross Society and one of the organizers of its Illinois branch, president of the Illinois Historical Library Board, and life trustee of the Newberry Library.
Lambert Tree died in New York City, a few days after his 122nd transatlantic voyage.
Achievements
Politics
As Democratic member of the United States delegation to the International American Monetary Commission (Washington, 1891), he succeeded in preventing a resolution favoring a common double monetary standard for the Americas.
His loyalty to the principle of monometalism led to his breaking with the Democratic party in the free silver campaign of 1896.
Membership
He was a vice-president of the Chicago Historical Society.
Personality
Quotes from others about the person
To King Leopold's expression of gratification the Belgium foreign minister added, "Mr. Lambert Tree during his residence here has won universal good will".
Interests
He was a patron of the arts. Judge Tree and his wife had an artists studio constructed in 1894 at 603-621 N. State St. , to provide low cost housing and space for artists.
Connections
On November 24, 1859, he married Anna Josephine Magie, only daughter of Haines H. Magie, pioneer Chicago merchant. Two sons were born to them, one of whom died in infancy.