51To George Washington from Richard Henry Lee, 29 April 1777 (Washington Papers)
Being often obliged to write in great haste, is the reason that I sometimes omit to date my letters. But I am now to acknowledge the favor of yours of the 24th, and I readily acquiesce with your reasons concerning the Iron works—I was indeed not apprized of so great a number of these being in Jersey. I shall certainly exert myself to have your views for Gen. Arnold and Colo. Huntington carried...
52To 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...
53To Benjamin Franklin from Richard Henry Lee, 14 December 1784 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: National Archives I have the honor to enclose to your Excellency a resolve of Congress passed this Day, the arrival of which in due season to prevent the signing of the convention alluded to, until an Opportunity of reconsidering it in full Congress may be had, will be very agreeable to that Body— I have the honor to be with the highest esteem and regard, Sir, Your Excellency’s Most...
54To 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,...
55To Benjamin Franklin from Richard Henry Lee, 11 December 1784 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society; ALS (draft): Yale University Library; copy: National Archives I have the honor to enclose to your Excellency a packet for his most Christian Majesty containing a letter from Congress to that Monarch recommending our able and active friend the Marquis la Fayette to his royal favor. The Marquis’s former and recent services to America deserve, and have...
56To George Washington from Richard Henry Lee, 10 April 1777 (Washington Papers)
The resolves of Congress, that you will receive by this Messenger, you may be assured, are not intended, by any means, to obstruct your views a single moment. If your judgement should incline you to think that the Troops had better march on to Head Quarters quick as possible, you have only so to order it, and it will give pleasure to every good man here. The business of speedily reenforcing...
57To John Adams from Richard Henry Lee, 14 April 1785 (Adams Papers)
The desire of paying my respects to an old and excellent friend compels me under all the pressures of ill health and much business, to avail myself of Col o. Smiths secure conveyance to take up my pen. It is long since I have written to you, but much longer since I have had the honor of hearing from you, and I am perfectly satisfied that both these effects have been produced by causes not...
58To 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...
59To Thomas Jefferson from Richard Henry Lee, 3 May 1778 (Jefferson Papers)
Having detained the Express that he might carry you the news that we heard was on its way from France, I am furnished with an opportunity of congratulating you on the important event of a Treaty of Commerce, and one of Alliance and Amity, having been signed at Paris on the 6th of February last, between France and these United States. Having been as particular as we could on this subject in the...
60To 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...
61To 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...
62To Thomas Jefferson from Richard Henry Lee, 21 July 1776 (Jefferson Papers)
I thank you much for your favor and its inclosures by this post, and I wish sincerely, as well for the honor of Congress, as for that of the States, that the Manuscript had not been mangled as it is. It is wonderful, and passing pitiful, that the rage of change should be so unhappily applied. However the Thing is in its nature so good, that no Cookery can spoil the Dish for the palates of...
63To George Washington from Richard Henry Lee, 27 October 1776 (Washington Papers)
I congratulate you sincerely on the several advantages your Troops have lately gained over the enemy, for ’tho each has been but small, yet in the whole they are considerable, and will certainly have the effect of inspiriting our army, whilst it wastes and discourages the other. May the great Dispenser of justice to Mankind put it in your power, before this campaign ⟨e⟩nds, to give these foes...
64Memorandum 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...
65To George Washington from Richard Henry Lee, 13 November 1775 (Washington Papers)
I must beg leave at the beginning of this letter to apologise for any incorrectness as I write in great haste—Indeed the hurry of business is such here with many of us, that we have little time for the ordinary offices of life. You may be assured that I will do Colo. Read all the service that I can in the way you desire. We have a Ship here in 6 weeks from London, that brought the original...
66To Thomas Jefferson from Richard Henry Lee, 3 May 1779 (Jefferson Papers)
Always attentive to your commands, I have obtained here, and now inclose you the song and the receipt you desired. I once had both of them at home, but they are mislaid among a mass of papers, so that I could find neither previous to my leaving Chantilly, or your request would then have been complied with. I hope you have received the pamphlet I sent you some weeks ago entitled “Observations...
67To 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...
68To 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...
69To George Washington from Richard Henry Lee, 6 December 1775 (Washington Papers)
The inclosed letter from Colo. Pendleton came to hand two days ago, and as it will save a good deal of unnecessary writing, I send it to you. The proclamation there alluded to, we have seen. It proclaims martial law thro Virginia and offers freedom to all the Slaves, calling their Masters rebels &c.—It seems this unlucky triumph over Hutchings with his less than half armed Militia, so...
70To Thomas Jefferson from Richard Henry Lee, 16 June 1778 (Jefferson Papers)
I thank you for your favor of the 5th which I received yesterday. It is the only satisfactory account I have received of the proceedings of our Assembly. The enemy have made many insidious attempts upon us lately, not in the military way, they seem tired of that, but in the way of negotiation. Their first, was by industriously circulating the bills of pacification as they call them, before...
71To John Adams from Richard Henry Lee, 12 December 1785 (Adams Papers)
My Presedential year being ended I had left New York for this place (from which and from my family I had been thirteen months absent) before the Letters which you did me the honor to write me on the twenty six of August, the six and seventh of September came to hand; which has preventd me from shewing the Civilities to M r Storer and M r Wingrove that I should otherwise have taken pleasure in...
72To Thomas Jefferson from Richard Henry Lee, 16 May 1785 (Jefferson Papers)
I thank you for your obliging congratulation on my appointment to the Chair of Congress, and I do with particular pleasure return my congratulation on your sole appointment as Minister of the United States to so eminently respectable a Court as that of his most Christian Majesty. My ill state of health, added to the business and the ceremonies of my Office, has hitherto prevented me from...
73To Thomas Jefferson from Richard Henry Lee, 3 November 1776 (Jefferson Papers)
As I have received no answer to the letter I wrote you by the Express from Congress I conclude it has miscarried. I heared with much regret that you had declined both the voyage, and your seat in Congress. No Man feels more deeply than I do, the love of, and the loss of, private enjoyments; but let attention to these be universal, and we are gone, beyond redemption lost in the deep perdition...
74To 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....
75To 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...
76To John Adams from Richard Henry Lee, 7 May 1780 (Adams Papers)
I should have paid my respects to you before now had I known where to have directed my letters, for at this time I have no other method than to inclose the present to our friend Mr. Lovell at Philadelphia, who I trust will know the best manner of conveying it. The enemy appear to have abated very little of their pride, however much their power may be lessened. It may be expected nevertheless...
77To 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...
78To Thomas Jefferson from Richard Henry Lee, 5 October 1778 (Jefferson Papers)
A few days past, since the last post left us, Mr. Harvey presented me your favor of August the 30th, to which this is an answer; and which I shall direct to Williamsburg upon a supposition that the Assembly has called you there by the time the letter can reach that place. The hand bill you have seen was certainly written by Mauduit, and circulated under the auspices of administration. It was...
79To 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...
80To 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...
81To John Adams from Richard Henry Lee, 1 August 1785 (Adams Papers)
I received your letter by your Son with the pleasure that will always attend such communications from an old and much esteemed friend— But on this occasion I have been the more happy as it furnished me with an opportunity of shewing civilities to the Son of my friend— I have had as much of his company as our mutual affairs would permit because I have had the satisfaction to lodge him in my...
82To Thomas Jefferson from Richard Henry Lee, 29 April 1777 (Jefferson Papers)
If I were to consider punctilio more than the suggestions of friendship, I should expect an answer to some of the letters I have written you, before I dispatched another. But I ever hated ceremonies, and shall not commence ceremony with you. I wish it were in my power to give you any very interesting news, but alas, the slow assembling of an Army prevents any attempt from us upon the enemy,...
83To 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...
84To John Adams from Richard Henry Lee, 20 June 1778 (Adams Papers)
Our enemies at N. York had contrived to distress us a good deal by a publication that the Boston was taken and carried into England. We were at first greatly concerned for our Friend, until we reflected on the lying genius of our enemies, and the improbability that Heaven would permit such a triumph of Vice over Virtue. Now we are made happy by an account from Boston that you are safely...
85To 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...
86To George Washington from Richard Henry Lee, 29 June 1775 (Washington Papers)
Nothing material has occurred since you left this place, except the imperfect accounts we have of the Charlestown battle, which upon the whole seems to have nothing unfavorable to our great cause, but the loss of Dr Warren—To an infant Country, it is loss indeed, to be deprived of wise, virtuous, and brave Citizens. I hope however, still to hear, that our Enemies have lost Characters very...
87To Thomas Jefferson from Richard Henry Lee, 13 April 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
Since I had the honor of writing to you by the Express that brot the acts of assembly , one ship and a brig additional to the enemies force on the day of our rencontre with them, have joined and all proceeded together up to Alexandria. We have heared of their passing by the mouth of Occaquon. Being thus reinforced, it is not improbable, that in resentment for what happened here on the 9th....
88To George Washington from Richard Henry Lee, 26 September 1775 (Washington Papers)
Two days ago I arrived here from Virginia, which the late short adjournment just allowed me time to visit and return from. I brought two letters from thence for you which come with this. Having some business with Colo. Mason, I travelled that road and having sent to your Lady to know if she had any commands this way, had the pleasure to learn that all were well at Mount Vernon. As I suppose it...
89To 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...
90To John Adams from Richard Henry Lee, 28 May 1785 (Adams Papers)
I had the honor of writing to you by Col o. Smith, which letter I doubt not but that you have, or will in due time, safely receive. My hopes are great, that your wisdom, and the good sense of the British Administration; will extinguish the mischievous discord that has been so artfully and industriously fomented by the enemies of both countries to the essential injury of both, and in violation...
91Richard 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...
92To Thomas Jefferson from Richard Henry Lee, 13 October 1779 (Jefferson Papers)
I am very much obliged to you for your favor of the 28 of September and for the trouble you took in writing a copy of the letter I wrote to you by Mr. Ford . I was well apprized that nothing in it which is mine could be made an ill use of, but to remedy this, something not mine, and not in the letter, is substituted for the purpose of misrepresentation. As thus—that “R. H. Lee had written to...
93To Thomas Jefferson from Richard Henry Lee, 10 May 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
A letter from Gen. Weedon of the 10th. instant giving us reason to expect the enemies army presently in this quarter, has been the subject of consideration in a council of our Militia Officers, and it has called our attention closely to the singularity of our situation, which exposes us an easy prey to such a force as lately visited James river. This has produced the inclosed determination,...
94To Thomas Jefferson from Richard Henry Lee, 20 July 1778 (Jefferson Papers)
The condition of our affairs is much changed since last I had the pleasure of writing to you, as by the favor of his Most Christian Majesty we now are become Masters of the Sea, on our own Coast at least. Ten days ago arrived in the Delaware a french Squadron commanded by Count D’Esteing consisting of 12 sail of the Line and 4 frigates, having of Seamen and land Troops 11,000 Men on board....
95To 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...
96To George Washington from Richard Henry Lee, 27 February 1777 (Washington Papers)
My brother Delegates are of opinion that the inclosed papers may avail you something in settling some disputes about rank that may come before you, and therefore it is sent. Congress never did any thing in this matter, as the business was put into other hands. I realy think that when the history of this winters Campaign comes to be understood, the world will wonder at its success on our part....
97To Thomas Jefferson from Richard Henry Lee, 29 October 1785 (Jefferson Papers)
My ill state of health having compelled me to look for benefit from the medical springs lately discovered in the vicinity of Philadelphia, I there received the letter that you did me the honor to write me on the 12th. of July. But tho Mr. Houdon arrived there with Dr. Franklin when I was in the city, the former of these gentlemen did not deliver your letter to me but it found me thro the...
98To 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...
99To 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...
100To 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...