1From James Madison to Henry Lee, 21 June 1789 (Madison Papers)
It was fortunate that a duplicate of your letter to Mr. Jefferson went so soon from Alexandria. The copy in My hands did not find a conveyance fit to be trusted for a very long time—it cannot have reached him yet. I was determined to await a secure opportunity, and the intermission of the French Packet left such an one extremely rare. I was compelled at last to put it into the hands of a...
2From Thomas Jefferson to Henry Lee, 11 September 1789 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of March 6 . came duly to hand with the papers it inclosed, as also duplicates of the same by a later occasion . I entered on the business you were pleased to confide to me with all the zeal which a desire to be useful to you could inspire. My hopes however neither were nor are equal to my wishes for success. I had before had occasion to try the dispositions of this country towards...
3From James Madison to Henry Lee, 4 October 1789 (Madison Papers)
I Meant to have acknowledged your favor of the 8th Ult. by your brother, but in the hurry of the occasion missed even the pleasure of seeing him after the adjournment. He will give you the details of our proceedings, particularly on the subject of the seat of Government. I am extremely afraid that the hopes of the Potomac do not rest on so good a foundation as we wish. Every circumstance which...
4From Alexander Hamilton to Henry Lee, [1 December 1789] (Hamilton Papers)
I have just received your letter of the 16th instant. I am sure you are sincere when you say, you would not subject me to an impropriety. Nor do I know that there would be any in my answering your queries. But you remember the saying with regard to Caesar’s Wife. I think the spirit of it applicable to every man concerned in the administration of the finances of a Country. With respect to the...
5From James Madison to Henry Lee, 1 March 1790 (Madison Papers)
Letter not found. 1 March 1790. Acknowledged in Lee to JM, 13 Mar. 1790 . Probably relates to the defeat of JM’s discrimination amendment, the assumption debate, and Lee’s Potomac land speculation.
6From James Madison to Henry Lee, 13 April 1790 (Madison Papers)
Your favor of the 4th ult. by Col. Lee was received from his hands on Sunday last. I have since recd. that of the 3d Instant. The anticedent one from Alexandria, though long on the way was recd. some time before. In all these, I discover strong marks of the dissatisfaction with which you behold our public prospects. Though in several respects they do not comport with my wishes—yet I cannot...
7From Thomas Jefferson to Henry Lee, 26 April 1790 (Jefferson Papers)
I am honored with your favor of the 3d. instant, and would have been happy to be useful to Mr. Lee had there been any opening, as I should be hereafter were any to occur. There are no offices in my gift but of meer scribes in the office room at 800. and 500. Dollars a year. These I found all filled and of long possession in the hands of those who held them, and I thought it would not be just...
8From George Washington to Henry Lee, 27 August 1790 (Washington Papers)
I have been duly favoured with the receipt of your obliging letter dated the 12th of June last—I am also indebted to you for a long letter written to me in the course of last year —and should have had the pleasure sooner to express my acknowledgments for the te⟨n⟩der interest you take on account of my health & administration, but such is the multiplicity of my avocations—and so great the...
9From George Washington to Henry Lee, 7 December 1791 (Washington Papers)
I have received your letter of Nov. 18. covering a resolution of the legislature of Virginia of Nov. 14. and a Memorial of sundry citizens of that commonwealth on the subject of their property carried away by the British, contrary, as they suppose, to the stipulations of the treaty of peace. a regular channel of communication with that government being now open, I shall not fail to pay due...
10From George Washington to Henry Lee, 7 December 1791 (Washington Papers)
At the sametime that I address the letter which accompanies this to you, officially, permit me to offer my sincere congratulations on your Appointment to the Government of Virginia, and to add my best wishes for the prosperous Administration of the important Office which you now fill, as well as for your personal happiness. An anxiety to do well, which is inseperable from high Offices,...
11From George Washington to Henry Lee, 14 December 1791 (Washington Papers)
Unfortunate and melancholy as the event is, which has given rise to your communication of the instant, I sincerely thank you for it. Since the receipt of your letter official account of the defeat is come to hand, and is herewith enclosed. As the whole of it went to Congress, it was thought best to expunge no part of that which should be given to the public; otherwise the throwing away of...
12From James Madison to Henry Lee, 18 December 1791 (Madison Papers)
I have received your favor of the 8th & handed to Freneau the subscriptions inclosed for him. His paper in the opinion here justifies the expectations of his freinds and Merits the diffusive circulation they have endeavoured to procure it. I regret that I can administer no balm to the wound given by the first report of our western disaster. You will have seen the official account which has...
13From James Madison to Henry Lee, 1 January 1792 (Madison Papers)
I have received your’s of the 22d Dec, and am sincerely sorry that I cannot be as instrumental on the occasion stated in it as My respect for the wishes of the Mr. Marshall’s and particularly for your’s, by which they are seconded, would make me anxious to be. The truth is I am not on any footing of personal acquaintance with Mr. Hammond which would justify me in asking the favor of him in his...
14From James Madison to Henry Lee, 8 January 1792 (Madison Papers)
Letter not found. 8 January 1792. Acknowledged in Lee to JM, 17 Jan. 1792 . Discusses pending legislation in Congress related to the debt funding system.
15From James Madison to Henry Lee, 21 January 1792 (Madison Papers)
On the receipt of your favour of the 9th. I communicated to Mr. Freneau the complaint of his subscribers. He answers me that the papers have been punctually sent under the best precautions allowed by the present mode of conveyance. The post Office bill now depending aims at an admission of newspapers into the mail, which will increase the expense somewhat of the subscribers, but will alone...
16From James Madison to Henry Lee, 29 January 1792 (Madison Papers)
Mr. Marshall called last evening with your favor of the 17th. but not being at home, I have not yet seen him. Our weather here corresponds with that you describe, except perhaps we have less snow and more cold. The snow is 7 or 8 Inches only. Farther North, as well as South, it is said to be much deeper. The Subject of Western defence is not yet over. In relation to it, I have nothing to add...
17From James Madison to Henry Lee, 12 February 1792 (Madison Papers)
I have your favor of the 29th Ultmo. The Senate have disagreed to that part of the Military Bill which augmented the regular establishment to about 5000 Men—and will probably send it back with that alteration. They prefer a completion only of the old Regiments & a liberal provision for temporary forces. Nothing has passed from which I can conjecture in the most remote degree whether you may...
18From Thomas Jefferson to Henry Lee, 14 March 1792 (Jefferson Papers)
The President having referred to me your letter of Feb. 16. covering information from Dr. Taylor as president of the Commrs. of the Marine hospital at Norfolk, informing you that a wing of that hospital is in readiness to be delivered to Congress I am obliged to ask your further information on the subject. Is it a new proposition ? If it is, we can find no provision made by any law for such a...
19From James Madison to Henry Lee, 28 March 1792 (Madison Papers)
No nomination has yet been made of a new commander for the military establishment, nor of any of the Brigadiers authorised by the supplemental act lately passed. I refer to the News papers for the inferior appointments which have taken place. It is understood that St. Clair is not to remain in service. A proposition was yesterday made in the H. of Reps. desiring the President to institute an...
20From James Madison to Henry Lee, 11 April 1792 (Madison Papers)
Letter not found. 11 April 1792. Acknowledged in Lee to JM, 18 Apr. 1792 . Reports Washington’s decision to appoint General Wayne as commander of the frontier army.
21From James Madison to Henry Lee, 15 April 1792 (Madison Papers)
I have already acquainted you with the nominations of the President for General Officers. They have all been confirmed by the Senate except Wilkinson who I am told will be tomorrow. The Commander in chief it is said went through the Senate rather against the bristles. The appointment is well relished of course by some, but does not escape already considerable criticism. I am glad to find by...
22From George Washington to Henry Lee, 30 June 1792 (Washington Papers)
(Private) Dear Sir, Philadelphia 30th June 1792. Your favor of the 15th came duly to hand, but at a time when I was much engaged with the Secretary of State in dispatching Mr Pinckney to the Court of London—and in considering other business of importance. I shall repeat in this letter what I have declared to you on a former occasion—vizt—that wishing to promote the public weal, & to make...
23From George Washington to Henry Lee, 3 July 1792 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 20th Ulto was presented to me yesterday by Mr Williams—who as a professional man—may, or may not be for ought I know, a luminary of the first magnitude. But to be frank, and I hope you will not be displeased with me for being so—I am so heartily tired of the attendance which from one cause or another has been given ⟨to⟩ these kind of people, that it is now more than two...
24From James Madison to the Governor of Virginia, 22 July 1792 (Madison Papers)
The Report of which the inclosed is an authentic copy having been made to the House of Representatives, it is possible that the Executive may not have been furnished with it by the Senators of this State. I take the liberty therefore of forwarding it and am with the highest respect & esteem Your most Obedt. hble servant RC and enclosures ( Vi : Executive Papers). The enclosures are clerks’...
25From James Madison to Henry Lee, 22 July 1792 (Madison Papers)
Letter not found. 22 July 1792. Acknowledged in Lee to JM, 10 Sept. 1792 . A private letter in which JM suggests a meeting with Lee. Requests information on navigation in Virginia, probably in response to Jedidiah Morse’s inquiries (see JM to Morse, 15 Aug. 1792 ).
26From Thomas Jefferson to Henry Lee, 13 August 1792 (Jefferson Papers)
It was not till yesterday that I was honored with the receipt of yours of July 23. or it should have been sooner answered.—I am of opinion that all communications between nations should pass through the channels of their Executives. However in the instance of condolance on the death of Doctr. Franklin , the letter from our General government was addressed to the President of the National...
27From Alexander Hamilton to Henry Lee, [22 August 1792] (Hamilton Papers)
[ Philadelphia, August 22, 1792. On September 10, 1792, Lee wrote to Hamilton : “I found on my return from a visit … your letter of the 22d. Ult.” Letter not found. ] From 1792 to 1794 Lee was governor of Virginia.
28From George Washington to Henry Lee, 30 September 1792 (Washington Papers)
I was favored with your letter of the 26th instt enclosing one from Arthur Campbell Esqr—For the perusal of which I thank you. The information contained in it is extremely agreeable for it has brought the supposed dead to life, and a valuable man back to his Country again. I congratulate you on your return to Richmond in good health. In a few days I shall commence my journey for Philadelphia....
29From George Washington to Henry Lee, 20 January 1793 (Washington Papers)
I have been favored with your letter of the 6th instant, congratulatory on my re-election to the Chair of Government. A mind must be insensible indeed, not to be gratefully impressed by so distinguished, & honorable a testimony of public approbation & confidence: and, as I suffered my name to be contemplated on this occasion, it is more than probable that I should, for a moment, have...
30Memorandum for Henry Lee, 18 February 1793 (Washington Papers)
Memorandum for Govr Lee. G. Washington is one of a Company who took up, in or about the year 1762, all the ungranted land lying in the Great dismal Swamp; in the vicinity of Norfolk, Portsmouth & Suffolk; and holds two twenty one parts of the Interest therein. Forty thousand Acres of the interior and richest part of this Swamp has been (as the Subscriber is informed) patented in the names of...