11From George Washington to Richard Henry Lee, 18 May 1776 (Washington Papers)
In great haste I write you a few lines to cover the Inclosed—they came in the manner you see them, and as explaind in Captn Langdens Letter to me—I hesitated sometime in determining whether I could, with propriety, select them from the rest considering in what manner they came to my hands, but as there are somethings in each which may serve to irritate I concluded it best to send not only the...
12From 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...
13The 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...
14From 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,...
16From 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...
17From 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...
18From John Adams to Richard Henry Lee, 24 February 1821 (Adams Papers)
You have confered an obligation upon me by your kind letter of February the 6th. In former years of my Life I reckoned among my friends 4 gentlemen of your name Richard Henry Lee Francis Lightfoot Lee William Ludlow Lee and Arthur Lee, all Gentlemen of respectable characters for capacity information and integrity, with your Grandfather Richard Henry Lee I served in congress from 1774 to 1778...
19From Thomas Jefferson to Richard Henry Lee, 16 July 1776 (Jefferson Papers)
We received your letter by post and are much obliged for the enclosures. The queries to the officers shall be answered by this post if we can; otherwise certainly by the next. I suppose it will be best to send the answer to Brigadr. Lewis. Leich’s affair shall also be taken care of.—Admiral Howe is arrived at New York, and two or three vessels, supposed to be of his fleet, were in sight. 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...