51To George Washington from Richard Henry Lee, 5 October 1777 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from Richard Henry Lee, 5 Oct. 1777. GW wrote Lee on 16 Oct. : “Your favour of the 5th Inst. as also that of the 11th by Baron Kalb, are both to hand.”
52To George Washington from Richard Henry Lee, 11 October 1777 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from Richard Henry Lee, 11 Oct. 1777. GW wrote Lee on 16 Oct. : “Your favour of the 5th Inst. as also that of the 11th by Baron Kalb, are both to hand.”
53To George Washington from Richard Henry Lee, 20 October 1777 (Washington Papers)
Your favor of the 16th I received yesterday, and was a good deal surprised to find you had been told that Congress had appointed Gen. Conway a Major General. No such appointment has been made, nor do I believe it will, whilst it is likely to produce the evil consequences you suggest. It is very true, that both within and without doors, their have been Advocates for the measure, and it has been...
54To George Washington from Richard Henry Lee, 7 November 1777 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from Richard Henry Lee, 7 Nov. 1777. On 18 Nov. GW wrote Lee : “Your favour of the 7th Instant should not have remained so long unanswered.”
55To George Washington from Richard Henry Lee, 20–22 November 1777 (Washington Papers)
I have no doubt of being excused by you for not sooner answering your favor of the 24th last, when you are informed that my ill state of health has prevented me from attending as I ought, to the important matter it contains. I gave Mr Jones the letter, that he might inform Congress of such parts as it imported the public they should be acquainted with. As it appeared by the letters of Gen....
56To George Washington from Richard Henry Lee, 2 January 1778 (Washington Papers)
The inclosed came to my hand only a few days past altho from its date it appears to have been written long since. There are some useful suggestions in it, and therefore I send it to you—I do not know the Writers reason for dating it in April 1776 when from some parts in the body of the writing, it must have been written in the cours of the year 1777. The arts of the enemies of America are...
57To George Washington from Richard Henry Lee, 6 May 1778 (Washington Papers)
The unfortunate cause which hath prevented me from attending to your last favor sooner, will, I hope, be my excuse. The long sickness and death of my much loved brother of Belleview, has for some time past confined me in Virginia, and removed every other consideration from my mind. I now embrace the first good opportunity of sending you the pamphlet of forgeries that I formerly mentioned. Tis...
58To George Washington from Richard Henry Lee, 24 June 1778 (Washington Papers)
I should long since have answered your favor of the 25th of May had it been worth while for any thing I had to communicate, to interrupt your attention from the important affairs with which you are surrounded. It is indeed more from motives of complaisance than any thing else that I now write—But I cannot help congratulating you Sir on the enemies abandoning Philadelphia, because, let their...
59To George Washington from Richard Henry Lee, 26 July 1778 (Washington Papers)
Letter not found : from Richard Henry Lee, 26 July 1778. On 10 Aug., GW wrote Lee : “A few days ago I received your favor of the 26th Ulto.”
60To George Washington from Richard Henry Lee, 6 September 1778 (Washington Papers)
Letter not found : from Richard Henry Lee, 6 Sept. 1778. On 23 Sept., GW wrote Lee : “Your favor of the 6th Instt did not get to my hands till the 18th.”
61To George Washington from Richard Henry Lee, 5 October 1778 (Washington Papers)
I hope the measures you have taken will be effectual to the purpose of reenlisting the Army, because it is an object of great importance; and I readily admit the propriety of first trying those methods which promise fewest ill consequences. Danger will only arise from pressing such too far, and urging the experiment too long. I very much fear Sir, that the knowledge of depreciation has reached...
62To George Washington from Richard Henry Lee, 28 April 1779 (Washington Papers)
The inclosed letter from the Lieutenant Governor of South Carolina, committed by Congress to the consideration of a committee of three, and which, in the name of the committee I have now the honor to inclose your Excellency, will shew you the extremity to which our affairs in that quarter are driving. The Committee find a choice of difficulties in this business, because the reliance on Militia...
63To George Washington from Richard Henry Lee, 22 July 1784 (Washington Papers)
The letter that you did me the honor to write to me on the 12th of June last, I did not receive until two days ago. I impute this to my having been obliged to leave the Assembly, by the ill state of my health, a fortnight before it was adjourned. The very great respect that I shall ever pay to your recommendations, would have been very sufficient to have procured my exertions in favor of Mr...
64To George Washington from Richard Henry Lee, 20 November 1784 (Washington Papers)
I should sooner have done myself the honor of writing to you, if it had been in my power to have communicated any thing agreeable—But I could only have informed you that we had not, have not, nor can we say when, Members enough will be assembled to make a Congress. As yet we have but four States convened. This lassitude in our public councils must afflict our friends, and encourage the hopes...
65To George Washington from Richard Henry Lee, 26 December 1784 (Washington Papers)
I had the honor to receive your obliging letter, of the 14th instant, seven days after its date and I thank you Sir for its friendly contents and sensible communications. Your ideas concerning the western country are wise and just. They will certainly have great weight when that business shall be discussed in Congress: and that will probably be the case soon after we know the success of our...
66To George Washington from Richard Henry Lee, 16 January 1785 (Washington Papers)
I had the honor of writing to you last by the post that left Trenton just before I quitted that place, and I should not so soon have troubled you again, if it were not to furnish you with the very excellent pamphlet that accompanies this letter—Doctor Price has lately sent over a few of those pamphlets to the President of Congress and left the disposal of them to him—I am very sure that I...
67To George Washington from Richard Henry Lee, 14 February 1785 (Washington Papers)
In reply to your favor of december the 14th I had the honor to write to you from Trenton, and I mentioned an enclosed letter from you for the Marquis Fayette, which coming to hand after the Marquis had sailed, I wished to know your pleasure, whether I should forward it to France or return it to you—I have not been honored with your commands upon that point. Soon after my arrival in this city,...
68To George Washington from Richard Henry Lee, 27 February 1785 (Washington Papers)
I am now to thank you for the letter that you did me the honor to write to me on the 8th of this month, and which I received on the 17th with the enclosures. Sir James Jay had mentioned the plan of Lady Huntingdon to me, previous to the receipt of your letter, and at the same time that your packet reached me, there came one to Congress from Governor Henry with her Ladyships letter and plan...
69To George Washington from Richard Henry Lee, 3 May 1785 (Washington Papers)
I have long had a letter prepared for you in answer to your last favor which I have kept for the honorable Mr Sitgreaves to be the bearer of, as he proposed to visit you on his return to North Carolina; and the more especially as his stay has been occasioned by the necessity of seeing the very important ordinance passed for selling the western lands, which I wished you to have in its perfected...
70To George Washington from Richard Henry Lee, 7 May 1785 (Washington Papers)
This will be delivered to you by the honorable Mr Sitgreaves a very worthy delegate to Congress from N. Carolina; who has been long detained by his desire to see the Land Ordinance passed, but he is obliged at last to quit us before it is finally so—The reasons he can give you. I had some time ago written a letter for you in answer to your last faver & kept it to go by this Gentleman, whose...
71To George Washington from Richard Henry Lee, 29 May 1785 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from Richard Henry Lee, 29 May 1785. On 22 June GW wrote Lee : “I stand indebted to you for your favors of the . . . 29th of last month.”
72To George Washington from Richard Henry Lee, 23–31 July 1785 (Washington Papers)
I lately had the honor of forwarding a packet for you by Post that came enclosed to me from France, by the author of a Dramatic piece on the former situation of Capt. Asgil. The subject is not a bad one, but the Author of this work seems not to have made the most of it. On the 1st of May Mr Du Mas writes us, that the parties still continue to negotiate the peace in a very threatening manner...
73To George Washington from Richard Henry Lee, 11 October 1785 (Washington Papers)
I make no doubt but that you have seen in the public papers that my ill state of health had compelled me to quit this City and Congress to seek relief from leisure and the Chalybiate springs near Philadelphia —It is that circumstance that has prevented me from the pleasure of replying sooner to your favor of August the 22d, which I now do with many thanks for its obliging contents. The...
74Richard Henry Lee to GW, 15 February 1787 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: Richard Henry Lee to GW, 15 Feb. 1787. GW wrote Lee on 20 Feb. : “Your favour of the 15th . . . came safe to hand.”
75To George Washington from Richard Henry Lee, 16 April 1787 (Washington Papers)
I have the honor to send you by this opportunity the Act of Assembly passed in 1772, by which yourself, with me and others, were appointed Trustees to manage the sale of the Land held in Tail by Mr Wm Booth and his Lady, and to purchase and settle other lands to descend as those in Tail would have done. Mr Booth did long since sell the Intailed Land to Squire Lee of Maryland, and purchased...
76To George Washington from Richard Henry Lee, 15 July 1787 (Washington Papers)
I have the honor to enclose to you an Ordinance that we have just passed in Congress for establishing a temporary government beyond the Ohio, as a measure preparatory to the sale of the Lands. It seemed necessary, for the security of property among uninformed, and perhaps licentious people, as the greater part of those who go there are, that a strong toned government should exist, and the...
77To George Washington from Richard Henry Lee, 11 October 1787 (Washington Papers)
I was unwilling to interrupt your attention to more important affairs at Phila. by sending there an acknowledgement of the letter that you were pleased to honor me with from that City; especially as this place afforded nothing worthy of your notice. We have the pleasure to see the first Act of Congress for selling federal lands N.W. of Ohio becoming productive very fast—A large sum of public...
78To George Washington from Richard Henry Lee, 8 July 1788 (Washington Papers)
I have the honor to enclose for your consideration and signature papers relative to our execution of the trust reposed on us for selling Mr Booths land and purchasing the lands in lieu. The partys are very desirous to have this business finished, and I have no doubt but that the saving clause, and the provision at the end of the deed, renders this conveyance perfectly safe for us. You will...
79To George Washington from Richard Henry Lee, 18 April 1785 (Washington Papers)
I should before this have thanked you for your favour of March 15th, if I had not been in daily expectation that the arrival of the packets would bring us some intelligence from Europe worth communicating to you; the February packet has but just come in after a passage of eight weeks, and neither she or other vessels in short passages, bring us any thing interesting. War or peace in Europe,...
80To George Washington from Richard Henry Lee, 6 April 1789 (Washington Papers)
On the Sunday sennight after leaving Mount Vernon I arrived here, where to my surprise I found that a quorum of the Senate was not assembled, and but a small majority of Representatives. On this day we went to business, and to my very great satisfaction I heard an unanimous vote of the electing States in favor of calling you to the honorable office of President of the United States. Before...
81To George Washington from Richard Henry Lee, 27 July 1789 (Washington Papers)
I intended this morning to have personally delivered you the letters that I now enclose and had hopes of being indulged with a private conversation on the contents of them; but I was hindered by the company then present. Your ill state of health as well as my own, and the business that surrounds us both, may perhaps under this mode of conveyance the most convenient—The letter that I have now...
82To George Washington from Richard Henry Lee, 29 September 1790 (Washington Papers)
A long and severe visitation of intermitting fever since I returned from Congress, has placed me in a very low and reduced situation. But unfit as I now am for writing, I cannot withhold my testimony when it is requested, in favor of a very deserving young Man who wishes an appointment to the command of one of the Cutters to be equipped under the late Act of Congress “providing more...
83To George Washington from Richard Henry Lee, 23 October 1793 (Washington Papers)
Having been informed that you designed to go northward in a few days, and finding Mrs Lees recovery to be too slow for the purpose of seeing you at Mount Vernon as we travelled homewards; I had fixed on this day, with my Son Ludwell to pay our respects to you. But, to my very great mortification and disappointment, I was attacked with a fever last Night, the consequence of the influenza that...
84To George Washington from Richard Henry Lee, 8 March 1794 (Washington Papers)
Not having enjoyed one days health since I had the honor of seeing you at Shuters hill, and closely confined at home, I knew not until yesterday that Mr H: Muse the Collector of Rappahanock had put his place in jeopardy by a conduct certainly very full of danger to the public affairs. A young man of the same name and family has requested me to lay before you the reputation for fitness rightly...
85To George Washington from Richard Henry Lee, 12 June 1781 (Washington Papers)
Altho our correspondence has been long interrupted I hope that our friendship never will notwithstanding the arts of wicked men who have endeavored to create discord and dissention among the friends of America: For myself, having little but my good wishes to send you, it was not worth while to take up your attention a moment with them. The contents of this letter will I am sure require no...
86To George Washington from Richard Henry Lee, 26 August 1781 (Washington Papers)
I have just been favored with your polite and friendly letter of July the 15th last, for which I beg leave to return you my thanks—You may be assured Sir, that as I do not take up friendships upon trivial grounds, so I never lay them down for slight causes. I have been happy to find that the principles which attached me to you have increased, not diminished. If I have been silent some time,...
87To George Washington from Richard Henry Lee, 17 September 1781 (Washington Papers)
I had the honor of replying to your polite and agreeable letter of July the 15th by my son Ludwell who expected either to wait on you with it in Virginia or to get the letter forwarded by the Marquis de la Fayette. Altho I am at this time laboring under a severe fit of the gout, it is impossible to refrain from congratulating you, and rejoicing with our country, on the present happy and...
88To George Washington from Richard Henry Lee, 12 October 1781 (Washington Papers)
I had the honor of addressing you last by my eldest son who went to camp about four weeks ago. Since that we have had the pleasure of hearing that your advances against York go successfully on. by this time I hope his Lordship begins seriously to repent the Quixote part that he has been acting in America. Surely the rage of despotism must be cooled by the total defeat of those great hopes...
89To John Jay from Richard Henry Lee, [c. 12 December 1784] (Jay Papers)
R. H. Lee presents his compliments to the honorable M r . Jay and sends him a paper of such smoking tobacco as some of our old smokers much approve— It is old, but badly cut and rather too dry—the latter quality may, however, be easily remedied by moistening the tobacco with a little weak toddy & placing it before the fire. AD , NNC ( EJ : 6779 ). Addressed: “Honorable M r . Jay”. Endorsed:...
90Richard Henry Lee to Virginia Delegates, 12 June 1781 (Madison Papers)
RC ( LC : Rives Collection of Madison Papers). Endorsed by Joseph Jones, “June 12. 1781 R H. Lee.” The postscript, except for its signature, is not in Lee’s hand. I am not informed who of our Delegates remain at Congress and therefore this letter is addressed to you whom I have good reason to suppose are yet there. The unhappy crisis of our countrys fate demands the closest attention of all...
91To James Madison from Richard Henry Lee, 20 November 1784 (Madison Papers)
I wish it were in my power to give you the satisfaction that I know it would afford you to be informed that Congress was assembled and proceeding well with the public business. Unfortunately, we have not yet a Congress, & altho twenty days are elapsed since the time appointed for its meeting, but 4 States have been convened. No doubt Colo. Monroe has informed his Correspondents of the...
92To James Madison from Richard Henry Lee, 26 November 1784 (Madison Papers)
I received your agreeable letter the day after mine of the 28th. instant had been dispatched. I thank you Sir for the very particular and satisfactory information that you have favord me with. It is certainly comfortable to know that the Legislature of our country is engaged in beneficial pursuits—for I conceive that the Gen. Assessment, and a wise digest of our militia laws are very important...
93To James Madison from Richard Henry Lee, 27 December 1784 (Madison Papers)
Your favor of the 11th. reached me ten days after its date and after the post had gone out for that week, so that I fear this letter will not get to Richmd. before the adjournment. The proceedings of last Assembly respecting B. debts have not yet been before Congress, because they have not arrived at this place. It seems that they were deposited in Mr. Hardys Trunk which a variety of accidents...
94To James Madison from Richard Henry Lee, 30 May 1785 (Madison Papers)
Two days ago, and not sooner, your favor of March the 20th was deliverd to me, so that you find it has been more than two months travelling thus far. It seems to me that our Assembly were influenced more by the letter than the spirit of the Confederation. The consequence will certainly be, if our meetings are slow as usual, that Virginia will be unrepresented for some time after the federal...
95To James Madison from Richard Henry Lee, 11 August 1785 (Madison Papers)
Your favor of July the 7th was long coming to hand as I find my letter of the 20th May was in getting to you. This joined to the uncertainty of letters ever arriving safe is a very discouraging circumstance to full & free correspondence. I have the honor of according most perfectly and entirely with your ideas for regulating our severance from Kentucky. It is unquestionably just that this...
96Memorandum from Richard Henry Lee, 14 May 1789 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
14 May 1789. “The Committee of the Senate appointed to confer with a Committee of the House of representatives upon the Subject of Title have agreed to give it as their opinion to the Senate—That for preserving harmony with the H. of Representatives it will be proper for the present to follow the practise of that House in presenting their Address to the President of the United States without...
97To James Madison from Richard Henry Lee, 24 January 1824 (Madison Papers)
The enclosed letter furnishes me with an apology for this unlicensed intrusion upon your attention. Could I have been favored with the acquaintance and kindness of Mr. Monroe at an earlier day, it would have afforded no ordinary pleasure to me to have delivered his letter in person. At present it is for many reasons out my power to enjoy the gratification of a personal interview with you. I...
98To James Madison from Richard Henry Lee, 6 March 1824 (Madison Papers)
Since my arrival, in this City, where I am engaged in the publication of my Memoir, I have been honoured by the receipt of your very kind & friendly letter. I am gratified by the terms, in which, you speake of Richard Henry Lee; but regret, that you were not possessed of sufficient personal knowledge of him, to enable you, to give me a sketch, which would have graced the memoir of his Life. It...
99From Thomas Jefferson to the President of the Virginia Convention, 11 July 1775 (Jefferson Papers)
The continued sitting of Congress prevents us from attending our colony Convention: but, directed by a sense of duty, we transmit to the Convention such determinations of the Congress as they have directed to be made public. The papers speak for themselves, and require no comment from us. A petition to the king is already sent away, earnestly entreating the royal interposition to prevent the...
100Virginia and Pennsylvania Delegates in Congress to the Inhabitants West of Laurel Hill, 25 July 1775 (Jefferson Papers)
It gives us much concern to find that disturbances have arisen and still continue among you concerning the boundaries of our colonies. In the character in which we now address you, it is unnecessary to enquire into the origin of those unhappy disputes, and it would be improper for us to express our approbation or censure on either side: But as representatives of two of the colonies united,...