To George Washington from Henry Lee, 4 December 1795
From Henry Lee
Richmond—Decr 4th 1795
My dear President
When I reached this place which was as soon as my necessary call at home would permit I gave your letr to Mr Lee who replied to it by the succeeding post affirmatively as I understand.1
You will have heard of the curious resolutions which had passed the house of delegates—the object of which is too plain to doubt—with all proper dispatch they have been attended to by those who considered them as unjust in principle, ungrateful in effect & wicked in their political influence.2
To my very great satisfaction they have issued rightly—this whole day has been spent on one in which the effects of previous proceedings have been done away & virtue has gained a complete victory3—I am painfully aflicted in my head from a severe wetting on my last days ride & the extreme mental agitation I have undergone—I can therefore say no more now: by the next mail the resolutions will be officially I expect transmitted to you & will explain themselves. with unalterable & affec: respect I am always yours
H. Lee
ALS, DLC:GW.
2. The Virginia House had passed resolutions commending Virginia’s senators for their opposition to the Jay Treaty (see Edward Carrington to GW, 20 Nov., and n.1 to that document). On 21 Nov., another resolution was introduced to approve “the motives which influenced” GW to ratify the treaty and assert that he possessed “the undiminished confidence of his country.” This was amended to state instead that the House “entertain the highest sence of the integrity and patriotism” of GW and, despite their approval of opposition to the treaty, “in no wise mean to censure the motives which influenced him in his conduct thereupon.” After an effort to reinsert a statement of “undiminished confidence” in GW failed, the resolution denying any desire to censure him passed ( 28–29).
3. On 4 Dec. the House approved a Senate amendment to the above resolution to state that “The General Assembly entertain the highest sense of the integrity, patriotism and wisdom of the President,” but made no other meaningful changes ( 71–72).