The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1822-12-27


the execrabie proserb, that Republics are
ungrateful. To this proverb | subscribe
only so far as this, Republics may be, but
are not necessarily ungratefuI.. Be this,
however, as il may, Justice and truth unite
IN awarding 10 the people of these states
the highest credit for their devotion 10 any
event, incident or circumstance which IS
calculated To illustrate the history of their
eminent patriots. Alive To real greatness
without reference 10 the mere external in
! sigma IT may assume, possessing minds to
comprehend, and souls To admire such hui
man actions as have for their object the
good of the whole worid-they certainly
must be capable of descending as ii were
from The lofty ground of universal philan-
thIopy, and duly approaching the merits
of Their own national brnefactOrs.
knowing, likewise as they we'll do, that
the conductors of their Own revolution We're
superior TO any other body Of men that ever
lived, with their degree of civi cpride, intel
llgence and gratitude, they cannot in the
nature of things, be otherwise than dispos-
ed TO treasure up as sacred every reIick as
il appears in the chronicles of the (which
relates to their immortal lberators.
scarcely know, Messrs. Editors, how to
reconcile my lengthy and perhaps obscure
preface with the object of the present COM
inmication. That object is TO introduce
into your useful journal, the enclosed let
tel from Richard Henry Lee to Patrick
Henry, for the purpose at once of honorlng
the name of Mr.. Lee, and of showing what
magnaniinons ethereal sentiments actuated
the public men of America, " in The times
| which tried mems souls" This letter,
hnmbly think, contains matter enough with
in Itself, 10 render il interesting. But con
sdered in relation with certain ominous
Vaccinations, then going on in America
the letter becomes doubly important
Your knowledge, gentlemen, of our revo-
lutonary annals, will bring TO mind that
the famous conspiracy To hurl Gen. Wash
iDgton from the command in chief of the
| American armies, aud place the hero of
Saratoga IN his station, was agtated during
the year 1878, the era of the enclosed let
ter. This horrible project bore marks Of
extensive qualifications, and was supposed
to implicate many Of the first men both in
| the civil and military employment of the
country. The intelligence which mainly
developed the plans, and, perhaps, occa-
stoned its abortion, was contained in an "a
nonymous letter to Patrick Henry, then
Governor of Virginia, bearing date the 9TH
January, 1878. The adherence to this
dark uniathercd letter evlnccd by Mr.. Hen
| ry, and the promptltnde with WHICH he
transmitted it TO Gen ashington, are not
probably more notorious than the current
belief, that the instrumentaliy Of the for
mer, saved the General, if not the country,
from impending destruction. Very shortly
after the Illustration of Gates's conspiracy,
by the means ust mentioned, We find the
celebrated Il. II. Lee writing TO his old
friend aud rival L. II. in terms 80 emphati-
cally aGlectonate and revcrcniial towards
Washington, as to preclude the remotest
suspicion Of his being concerned in the re-
cent conspiracy against that exalted chief
tain. TYRO.
Letter from Richard Henry Lee TO Patrick
Henry.
York, in Pennsylvania, Odd Mny, l718.
Accept nay thanks, dear Sir, for your o.
| bliglng letter by the return of express--The
very friendly sentiments contained are such
as have ever experienced from you.
have certainly deserved better treatment
than have met with from many wicked
ipeople-but there is no guarding against
falsehcod, malice and nh Observation-Disclosures.
For myself, do most heartily dcspise my
calumnlators, but it grieyes me 10 STE so
many good but unthnking people contnu-
ally suffering themselves To be imposed up
on, and yielding to the arts of tories and
their abettors, who know they cannot serve
their detcstabIe cause more cllrctualy, than
by fomcnting iealousies among the wings,
and thus producing quarlels and divisions.
The tale they have been some time industri-
ously propagating about my enmiy and
opposition to General Washington, is the
most groundless and improbable lie that
they have ever yet fabricated, and vet lone
would think it impossible am informed
that some people do believe, or have be
icved II cannot say how the Generals
mind may be affected by these arts, but
Will answer for myself, that so long as en-
terrain the same good opinion of him that
| have ever, and shall continue to possess,
neither the father of liars, nor all his aban-
doncd children, shall ALLEVIATE my affections,
or prevail with me to think or To do any
thing injurious to him.
The Marquis fayette went lately over
schuylkill, down upon the euemy's lines
with 2,J0e picked men, 80 observe their
motions, aud act ss occasion might direct,
but deserlr from his corps gave the enc
my notice OF his station and numbers, which
brought them out by night with almost
Their whole y,dcslgning to surround him
4 However, they failed, and the MARQUIS
made good his retreat without any loss, sa-
wing few packs. They still continue to
say the eneny arc going to abandoa Phi
adelphla-but | am sure this depends
upon the event Of French war, which, on
the part of England, do not believe will
he declared first. The abandoned Minister
and King Of that country will submit 10