1To 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...
2To 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...
3Joint Commission to Negotiate a Treaty of Amity and Commerce with Morocco, 11 March 1785 (Adams Papers)
Duplicate. The United States in Congress Assembled. [ 11 March 1785 ] To all to whom these Presents shall come or be made known send Greeting: Whereas We, reposing special Trust and Confidence in the Integrity, Prudence and Ability of our trusty and well beloved The Honorable John Adams, late one of our Ministers Plenipotentiary for negotiating a Peace, and heretofore a Delegate in Congress...
4To 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...
The United States of America in Congress assembled. To our trusty and well beloved John Adams Esquire Send Greeting We reposing special trust and confidence in your Integrity Prudence and Ability have nominated constituted and appointed and by these Presents do nominate constitute and appoint you the said John Adams our Minister Plenipotentiary to reside at the Court of His britannic Majesty...
6To 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...
7To John Adams from Richard Henry Lee, 23 October 1785 (Adams Papers)
I received the letter that you did me the honor to write me on the 15 th. of July with the pleasure that always accompanies the receipt of letters from my old and much esteemed friend. I see with pleasure that your reception at the Court of London has been such as to promise you an agreeable residence there; which may be somewhat pleasant altho you should unfortunately fail in the principal...
8To John Adams from Richard Henry Lee, 24 October 1785 (Adams Papers)
Having yesterday written a long letter to you, I have now only to request your attention to the following business, which is of very great importance to those whom it concens; and who form a considerable portion of the Citizens of these States. The Representatives of those professing the Church of England system of religion, having been lately assembled at Philadelphia, where Lay & Clerical...
9To John Adams from Richard Henry Lee, 3 September 1787 (Adams Papers)
Since my letter to you of december 1785 from Chantilly in Virginia in answer to the letters that you were pleased to write me on the 26 th. of August, 6 th. & 7 th. of September 1785; I have not been honored with any letter from you. On my arrival here I met with, and read with great pleasure your book on the American governments— The judicious collection that you have made, with your just...
10To 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...
11To 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...
12To 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:...
13To 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...
14To 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...
15To 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...
16To 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...
17To 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...
18To 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...
19To 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...
20The American Commissioners’ Letter of Credence to the Emperor of Morocco, 11 March 1785 (Adams Papers)
To the Great, Noble and Imperial Sovereign, the Emperor of Morocco.— We the United States of America in Congress Assembled, being desirous of cultivating and establishing Peace and Harmony between your Majesty and our Nation, have appointed the Honorable John Adams late one of our Ministers Plenipotentiary for negotiating a Peace, and heretofore a Delegate in Congress from the State of...
21To 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...
22To 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...
23To 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,...
24To 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...
25To 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.”
26To 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...
27To 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...
28Richard 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.”
29To 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...
30To 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...