▁sons ▁becoming ▁involved ▁in ▁politics : ▁ ▁Perry ▁Bel mont ▁( 1 8 5 1 – 1 9 4 7 ), ▁served ▁as ▁a ▁Dem ocrat ▁to ▁the ▁ 4 7 th ▁Congress , ▁followed ▁by ▁a ▁career ▁in ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Represent ative ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁district ▁of ▁New ▁York ▁from ▁March ▁ 4 , ▁ 1 8 8 1 ▁until ▁his ▁res ignation ▁on ▁December ▁ 1 , ▁ 1 8 8 8 . ▁During ▁his ▁first ▁term , ▁he ▁was ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁committee ▁on ▁foreign ▁affairs ; ▁noted ▁for ▁his ▁cross - ex am ination ▁of ▁James ▁G . ▁Bla ine , ▁the ▁former ▁secretary ▁of ▁state . ▁Bel mont ▁also ▁served ▁from ▁ 1 8 8 5 ▁to ▁ 1 8 8 7 ▁as ▁chairman ▁of ▁the ▁committee ▁on ▁foreign ▁affairs , ▁and ▁on ▁October ▁ 6 , ▁ 1 8 9 0 ▁was ▁inv ested ▁as ▁a ▁Commander ▁of ▁the ▁French ▁Leg ion ▁of ▁Honor . ▁In ▁ 1 8 9 8 , ▁during ▁the ▁Spanish – American ▁War , ▁Perry ▁served ▁for ▁six ▁weeks ▁in ▁the ▁Army ▁as ▁an ▁Ins pect or ▁General ▁of ▁the ▁First ▁Division , ▁Second ▁Army ▁Corps , ▁United ▁States ▁Vol unte ers , ▁with ▁the ▁rank ▁of ▁major . ▁He ▁was ▁appointed ▁United ▁States ▁Minister ▁to ▁Spain ▁that ▁same ▁year . ▁During ▁the ▁First ▁World ▁War , ▁despite ▁being ▁ 6 5 ▁years ▁old , ▁Bel mont ▁was ▁commission ed ▁as ▁a ▁captain ▁in ▁the ▁U . S