1From James Madison to Richard Henry Lee, ca. 14 November 1784 (Madison Papers)
Letter not found. ca. 14 November 1784. Lee acknowledged on 26 Nov. JM’s letter from Richmond, which had arrived at Trenton on 21 Nov. The letter appears to have reported on legislative business, including the proposed general assessment bill, a revised militia law, and the postponed tax measure.
2From James Madison to Richard Henry Lee, 20 March 1785 (Madison Papers)
Letter not found. 20 March 1785 . Concerns Virginia and Confederation affairs mentioned in Lee’s letter of 30 May 1785 .
3From Benjamin Franklin to Richard Henry Lee, 8 February 1785 (Franklin Papers)
Press copy of ALS : American Philosophical Society; transcript: National Archives I received by the Marquis de la Fayette the two Letters you did me the Honour of writing to me the 11th & 14th of December; the one enclosing a Letter from Congress to the King; the other a Resolve of Congress respecting the Convention for establishing Consuls. The Letter was immediately deliver’d, and well...
4The American Commissioners to Richard Henry Lee: Résumé, [9] February 1785 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: National Archives ⟨Paris, February [9], 1785: In our letter to Congress of December 15, we enclosed our letter to the Portuguese ambassador with our proposed draft treaty. Since then, he wrote to inform us that he had received it and forwarded it to his court (Enclosure No. 1). Baron Thulemeier wrote a similar letter (No. 2) and requested, as he had done in his letter of October 8, that...
5From George Washington to Richard Henry Lee, 12 June 1784 (Washington Papers)
Unsolicited by, and unknown to Mr Paine, I take the liberty of hinting the Services, and distressed (for so I think it may be called) situation of that Gentleman. That his Common Sense, and many of his Crisis[e]s were well timed and had a happy effect upon the public mind, none I believe, who will recur to the epocha’s at which they were published, will deny. That his Services hitherto have...
It appears to me important both to Congress and their officers, that the Duties & Rights of the latter, be ascertained with Precision. Until that be done, the greatest Circumspection cannot preserve their Conduct from Error, nor their Feelings from being sometimes unintentionally hurt.— I have some Reason Sir! to apprehend, that I have come into the office of Secretary for foreign Affairs,...
7From George Washington to Richard Henry Lee, 19 July 1787 (Washington Papers)
I have had the honor to receive your favor of the 15th Instt and thank you for the ordinance which was enclosed in it. My sentiments with respect to the Navigation of the Mississipi have been long fixed, and are not dissimilar to those which are expressed in your letter; I have ever been of opinion that the true policy of the Atlantic States would be, instead of contending, prematurely, for...
8From James Madison to Richard Henry Lee, 25 December 1784 (Madison Papers)
“In the course of the last week a proposition was made to empower Congress to collect the Impost within this State [Virginia] as soon as 12 States shd. unite in the Scheme. The argumts. which prevailed agst. it were the unfavorable aspect it wd. present to foreigners, the tendency of the example to inferior combinations—the field it wd. open for contraband trade—its probable affect on the...
On Friday last M r . DeMarbois called upon me to enquire whether Congress had as yet directed any Answers to be given to his Memorials under their Consideration. In the course of Conversation he mentioned the Affair of Longchamps and informed me that his Court would not persist in their Demand of him. He proposed that the Paper containing that Demand together with those that accompanied it...
10From George Washington to Richard Henry Lee, 20 February 1787 (Washington Papers)
Dear Sir—Your favour of the 15th, with the seed of the honey locust came safe to hand, and claims my particular thanks. I have but one doubt of its forming the best hedge in the world; and that is, whether it can be sufficiently dwarfed. If this cannot be effected, the other purpose mentioned in your letter, and a valuable one too, of subserving stock, is alone sufficient to induce the...