Literary cadet, and Saturday evening bulletin. [volume] (Providence, R.I.) 1826-1827, 1826-04-22

SETS lann ms Dy Il vote passed the seventeenth OF
June, MA, as if in prophetic anticipation OF a still
more eventful futurity) was adopted by Virginia
in the month of August. Peyton Randolph, Rich
ard Henry Lee, George Washington, Patrick Henry.
Richard Bland, Benjamin Harrison, and Edmund
Pendleton were designated AS deputies. Mr.. Lee
was one Of the sblest and most energetic members
of this body. The most important individual mcas-
ure- adopted at the Congress was perhaps the pre-
paration of the Petition to the King, the Address to
the People Of England, aud the Memorial 10 the
People Of British America. These were those
: papers from Philadelphia which Lord Chatham
compared to Demosthenes and Thucydides. They
were drafted by a committee, consisting Of Mr.. Lee,
Mr.. L.iyingstop, and MIR. Jay. 1t is rendered
highly probable that the Petition to the King and
the Memorial to the People of British America
| were written by Mr.. Lee, and the Address to the
People Of England il admitted TO have been the
composition of Mr.. Jny. This last document may
perhaps be regarded as the very ablest Of the kind,
which the Revolution produced.
On his return from Philadelphia, Mr.. Lee took
his seat in the House Of Bursesses, as the member
Of Westmoreland, and seconded the proposal of his
friend Henry for arming the militia of the State, Il
measure which he also had recommended at the
general Congress. lie was again designated as a
member OF that which was to assemble in MAY, ITS.
Before that time arrived, the blow had been struck
nj Lexington, and the contest had assumed a deci-
sive aspect.
In the councils and labors of the Congress at this
! e~yentful period, Mr.. Lee was conspicuous. When
General Washington had been unanimously chosen
commander in chief of the armies raised or to be
raised for the defence: Of American liberty, Il com.
mittce was appointed 10 draft his commission and
instructions of which Mr.. Lee was chairman. The
original draft of the commission, by which General
Washington was constituted general and command
er III chief OF the American armies OF the Reyolu-
ton with an indorsment of his name on the back OF
it, was long in the possession Of Mir. Lees family.
On the seventeenth OF May, l776, The Virginia
Convention unanimously resolved, that the dele
gates appointed to represent this Colony in the
general Congress, be instructed to propose to that
respectable body to declare the United Colonies
free and independent States, absolved from all allie
glance to our dependence upon the crown of Great
Britain is and ought to be totally dissolved This
motion was made on Friday, June the seventh.
The delicacy OF the subject, aud responsibility
supposed to be incurred by the movers OF such a
resolution ate, no doubt, the cause of its being en-
tered in the Journal, without the name Of the
mover or seconder. The entry is in the following
words Certain resolutions respecting independ-
encc being moved and seconded, resolved, that the
consideration Of them be deferred till tomorrow
morning ; and that the members be enioined TO at.
tend punctuslly at ten o'clock, in order to take tho
same into consideration The resolution was sec.
onded by John Adams.
Tue eiShtn, the congress rssoived Itsslf into a
c~opluittee Of tho whole, 10 take into consideration
the resolutions, Mr.. Harrison of Virginia in tn,
chair. On Monday, the tenth, the debate was re.
newed and the resolutions were reported to thu
Congress. The following resolve was then passed
That the consideration of the first resolution bs
postponed to the first Monday in July next, and il
the meanwhile, that no time be lost, in case the
Congress agree thereto, a committee be appointed
to prepare a declaration to the effect of the words
That these United Colonies &c.
On the evening of the tenth, the day on which
this resolve was adopted, MIR. Lee received infor.
nation from Virginia, that Mrs. Lee was danger
ously i'll. This circumstance requiring his presence
at home, he was obliged to ask leav We Of absence for
a short time; and he accordingly left Philadelphia
on the eleventh. 1t was nc doubt owing to this
circumstance, that he was not a member of the
appointed to draw up the Declaration OF
Independence.