William R. Roberts

| death_place = New York City | resting_place = Calvary Cemetery, Queens, New York City | state = New York | district = | term_start = March 4, 1871 | term_end = March 3, 1875 | predecessor = John Morrissey | successor = Edwin R. Meade |office6 = United States Ambassador to Chile |president6 = Grover Cleveland |term_start6 = July 4, 1885 |term_end6 = August 9, 1889 |predecessor6 = Cornelius Ambrose Logan |successor6 = Patrick Egan }} William Randall Roberts (February 6, 1830 – August 9, 1897) was a Fenian Brotherhood member, United States Representative from New York (1871–1875), and a United States Ambassador to Chile. Roberts, an Irish immigrant who became a wealthy businessman, rose quickly to a position of major influence amongst the Fenian Brotherhood before eventually taking leadership. Under his direction, the Fenians in America moved to use Irish-American veterans of the American Civil War to invade Canada in the hopes that they could leverage this against the British Empire to negotiate for an Independent Irish Republic. After the first attempt to invade Canada was not successful, Roberts resigned from the leadership of the Fenians and began to transition into American politics. He served as a United States Representative from New York and Ambassador to Chile until a stroke ended his career. Provided by Wikipedia