USA > Virginia > Virginia and Virginians; eminent Virginians, executives of the colony of Virginia, Vol. II > Part 9
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Mr. Lee, in 1764, was one of the committee who prepared the remon- strance of Virginia presented to the king and parliament, and in 1765 he supported the famous resolutions of Patrick Henry. Both the remon sfrance and the resolutions are more fully spoken of elsewhere in the volume. [Sce sketch of Wythe and of Harrison. ]
Liberty-loving Virginia found a fit representative in Richard Henry Lee in the dark years which followed. Under his lead men of all parties and of all social grades united in opposition to the "Stamp Act," binding themselves to each other, to God, and to their country to resist its action. In Westmoreland county, a resolution was framed by Lee, and written in his hand as follows :
"As the stamp act does absolutely direct the property of the people to be taken from them without their consent, expressed by their representa- tives, and as in many cases it deprives the British-American subject of his right to be tried by jury, we do determine, at every hazard, and paying no regard to death, to exert every faculty to prevent the execution of the stamp act in every instance, within this colony."
The repeal of the "Stamp Act" did not for a moment blind Mr. Lee as to the future troubles awaiting the colonies, and for his clear understand- ing of the position and intention of Parliament at all steps of the struggle that ensued, he was largely indebted to his brother, Dr. Arthur Lee, who was then in London, and with whom he was in constant correspondence.
WASHINGTON
FRENCH- ENI'S
THE HOUDON STATUE OF WASHINGTON.
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These remarkable sons of Virginia must have been brothers in thought and mind, as well as of blood, so closely were their feelings allied. At one time Dr. Lee wrote: "Let me remind you that no confidence is to be reposed in the justice or mercy of Britain, and that American liberty must be entirely of American fabric."
Through all the intermediate steps between the resistance to the " Stamp Act" and the meeting of the first Continental Congress, in 1774, Richard Henry Lee was conspicuous for his talent, his energy, his courage and his patriotism. When the royal displeasure dissolved the House of Burgesses, the representative men of Virginia met in private houses and continued to formulate their defiance to oppression, and the sanction of the people was the only authority they had, or desired to have.
August 1, 1774, the first Assembly of Virginia was convened at the call of the people. By this Assembly Lee was deputed, with Washington and Henry, to represent Virginia in the Congress of Colonies at Philadel- phis.
This body met in that city, September 5, 1774, and when in its first session a sense of the responsibility of the situation fell upon the repre- sentatives so that "a silence, awful and protracted, prevailed," it was a voice from Virginia that broke the spell. Patrick Henry spoke first, followed by Lee. The sweetness of Lee's voice and the harmony of his language soothed, subdued and yet strengthened the souls of his associates, while with cloquence which none could rival or resist he showed that there was now but one hope for their country and that was in the vigor of her resistance.
Serving now on many important committees, and largely engaging in the spirited colonial correspondence which filled those years, Richard Henry Lce continued to represent Westmoreland county in the Assembly, and the Assembly in the Continental Congress until in the Congress of 1776, on the 7th of June, he offered the memorable resolution, from which the Declaration of Independence was formulated, that "These united colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States."
This motion Mr. Lee introduced in words of ringing eloquence. In concluding, he said: "Why, then, sir, do we longer delay ? Why still deliberate? Let this happy day give birth to an American republic. Let us arise not to devastate and to conquer, but to re-establish the reign of peace and of law. The eyes of Europe are fixed upon us. * * If we are not this day wanting in our duty, the names of the American legislators of 1776 will be placed by posterity at the side of Theseus, Lycurgus, and Romulus, of the three Williams of Nassau, and of all those whose memory has been, and will be, dear to virtuous men and good citizens."
Three days later, while Lee's motion was still under discussion, he received news of the serious illness of his wife, and hastened to her side, leaving others to carry out the work he had so well begun.
The absence of Mr. Lee from Congress continued until August, 1776,
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when he again took his seat, appended his signature to the Declaration, and resumed his arduous committee work. In this work he also continued through the session of 1777, taking a prominent part in preparing a plan of treaties with foreign nations.
During this time he was the mark of British malignity; his person constantly in danger if he returned to his home ; that home itself broken in upon by British troops ostensibly seeking to effect his capture, and his sons, then at school at St. Bedes, subjected to the insolence of the royalists, one of whom assured these boys that he hoped to live to see their father's head on Tower Hill. Yet the "ingratitude of republics," even at such a time, fell upon Lee, many friends of the new government loudly proclaiming him a "tory."
His first act on returning home was to demand of the Assembly an investigation of his conduct as its representative, and that body not only exonerated him from blame, but through the venerable George Wythe passed him a vote of thanks for his able services, freely rendered.
In 1778-79, Mr. Lee was again a representative in Congress, although his failing health forced him often to be absent from its sessions.
During the latter year the British troops were turning their attention more largely to the Southern States, and were harassing the const of Virginia with predatory incursions, and Mr. Lee, as lieutenant of the county, was appointed to the command of the Westmoreland militia. In the field his energy, activity and good judgment were as conspicuous as in the councils of the nation, and the protection he afforded Westmoreland county is conveyed in the complaint of the commander of the British troops in that vicinity : "We cannot set foot in Westmoreland without having the militia immediately upon us."
November 1, 1784, Mr. Lee again resumed his seat in Congress, and on the 30th of November was unanimously chosen to fill the presidential chair, then the highest office in the nation. When his term of service expired, he sought the repose of private life, which he enjoyed until, on the adoption of the Federal Constitution, be consented to serve his beloved Virginia once more in a public capacity, and took his seat as her first Senator under the new Constitution. This important position he filled until 1792, departing then to his home honored with a vote of thanks for his services, passed unanimously by the Senate and House of Delegates of Virginia, October 22, 1792.
In his home life Richard Henry Lee abounded in those courtesies and graces which mark the gentleman. His hospitable mansion was open to all ; the poor and the afflicted frequented it for help and consolation; the young for instruction, and all ages and classes for happiness. Ilis large family of children, the offspring of two marriages, were happy in his love and grew to noble womanhood and manhood under his instructions.
Ile died June 19, 1794, in his 64th year, at Chantilly, Westmoreland county, Virginia.
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[The life of THOMAS JEFFERSON, third President of the United States, and one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence in behalf of Virginia, will be found on another page.]
BENJAMIN HARRISON.
The name of Harrison has been prominent in the annals of American history, since in 1640, the first Harrison settled in the county of Surrey, province of Virginia. At the present day, one of that name and race occupies an honorable position among our legislators.
It seems fitting, therefore, that one of the name should be & Signer of the Declaration, and this honor was reserved for Benjamin Harrison, born in Berkeley, Charles City county, Virginia, about 1740. He was the oldest son of Benjamin Harrison, born also at the family mansion in Berkeley, and himself a son of a Benjamin Harrison, who was the oldest born in his father's family. It seems to have been the custom of the family that the first born male representative in each generation should have the name of Benjamin, as we trace it back through several genera- tions where the oldest son was always so named.
The representative of the name of whom we write, was the grandson, on his mother's side, of Mr. Carter, King's surveyor-general in his day; so that we see he was a fitting representative of the Virginian families in whose interest he voted for the independence of the colony.
He entered public life in 1764, becoming a member of the House of Burgesses of Virginia, where his abilities, family prominence and social gifts soon made him a leader. He had before this proved his executive ability by managing the family estates from the death of his father, while he was yet & student in William and Mary College, so that their value was greatly increased.
The representatives of the British ministry, pursuing their usual course toward & colonist who seemed of prominence and likely to lead the people, endeavored to purchase his influence in the interest of England, by solicit- ing him to become a member of the governor's executive council, the highest office open to one born in the colonies, the governor being always ø native of Great Britain. Benjamin Harrison, closely noting the course of events, and sympathizing with the position of the colonists, refused to bind himself to work against their interests, or even to remain neutral, and declined the honor.
November 14, 1764, he was one of the members of the House appointed to prepare an address to the King, a memorial to the House of Lords, and & remonstrance to the House of Commons against the Stamp Act.
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During the next ten years he was constantly a member of the House of Burgesses, and was one of those illustrious Virginians, among whom were Randolph, Wythe, Jefferson and Lee, who fought, step by step, in the interest of their colony, against the accumulating encroachments of the tyrannical representatives of the British crown.
In August, 1774, Benjamin Harrison was one of seven delegates appointed to represent Virginia in the Congress of Delegates, called to meet in Philadelphia, to discuss the mutual interests of the colonies, and on September 5, 1774, he took his seat in the First Continental Congress, convened in Carpenter's Hall in that city, where he had the pleasure of secing & Virginian occupy the first presidential chair in that body.
March 20, 1775, the second Virginia convention assembled in Rich mond, of which convention Benjamin Harrison was a member. Before the convention adjourned, they elected delegates to the second General Congress, and Mr. Harrison was among those returned, and in May, 1775, he again repaired to Philadelphia, to take his seat in the second Congress,
Here, in a house he had taken with his coadjutors, George Washington and Peyton Randolph, he entertained his friends with true Southern hospi- tality and prodigality, often exceeding his means.
During this Congress, Randolph, then presiding officer, was recalled to Virginia, by public duties there, and Hancock, of Massachusetts, was unanimously elected president in his stead. While he was hesitating as to his ability to fill the position as his predecessor had done, Harrison caught him in his athletic arms and forcibly seated him in the presidential chair, crying aloud : "We will show Mother Britian how little we care for her, by making a Massachusetts man our president, whom she has excluded from pardon by a public proclamation."
June 24, 1775, Mr. Harrison was made chairman of the board of war. August 1, Congress adjourned, and on the 11th of August, the Virginia convention a third time returned Mr. Harrison as their representative, and on September 13 he took his seat.
In that month he was one of a committee of three sent to consult with Washington, the commander-in-chief of the army, and with the governors of several colonies, regarding the interests of the Continental army. November 29 he was made chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and three days later was sent to help the people of Maryland to raise some naval force with which to meet Lord Dunmore who, driven from Virginia, had gathered a band of desperadoes and renegades, and was laying waste the coast of the Chesapeake.
During the troubled days for the Continental Congress with which the year 1776 opened, Benjamin Harrison was busy in the interests of the colonists. January 17, he brought in a report regulating the recruiting service; on the 24th he was placed on a committee to establish a general war department; on the 20th he was one of three sent to New York to arrange with Lee a plan for its defense ; and immediately upon his return
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he was named on a committee for arranging military departments in the Middle and Southern colonies. March 6, he became chairman of the Committee of Marines. In May he was chairman of the committee on the Canada expedition; May 25, was appointed chairman of a committee of fourteen whose arduous duty it was to arrange a plan for the coming cam- paign.
'Through the first days of that stormy year Benjamin Harrison was ever at his post, working indefatigably for the interests of the people, until August 11, when his term of service expired and he returned to Virginia, having first had the pleasure of affixing his signature, as one of Virginia's representatives, to the Declaration of Independence, and the honor of presiding over the Committee of the Whole who discussed the question through its most momentous days, June 8-12, 1776.
During the remainder of 1776, Benjamin Harrison was one of the eight counselors of State, whose duty it was to guide the political affairs of Virginia. In the fall of 1776, Thomas Jefferson resigned his seat in the senate, and Mr. Harrison, on the 10th of October, was chosen to fill out his term, and took his seat November 5, having been absent from Congress less than three months. By resolution of Congress he was immediately restored to his former place on all standing committees.
Through the dark days of the terrible winter of 1776-7, he was always active and hopeful in the interests of the colonies, and on May 22, 1777, by joint ballot of both houses, Virginia returned him first of her delegates to Congress, and for the fourth time he took his seat in that body, and, as before, was actively engaged on committees, and presiding over the delib- erations of the house.
Toward the close of 1777, Benjamin Harrison permanently retired from Congress, leaving behind him the character of one who was ardent, honorable, prudent and persevering in the interests of those who entrusted their rights in his keeping.
Again in Virginia, he was immediately returned by his county to the House of Burgesses, and elected speaker of that body, which office he held uninterruptedly until 1782. During this time he was chief magistrate in his county, and commander of the militia, bearing the title of " colonel," by which title he is generally spoken of in the records of his State.
In 1782, Benjamin Harrison was elected governor of Virginia, on the resignation of Thomas Nelson, and through the arduous duties of the try- ing times which accompanied the close of the Revolution, filled the exec- utive chair with wisdom and to the best interests of the people.
After being twice re-elected governor, Mr. Harrison became ineligible by the provisions of the constitution, and in 1785 returned to private life. In 1790, against his wishes, he was again brought forward as a candidate for the exceutive chair, and was defeated by two or three votes.
In the spring of 1791, Mr. Harrison was attacked by a severe fit of the
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gout, from which, however, he partially rallied. In April, 1791, he was unanimously elected to the legislature, and in the evening following the announcement of his success, he entertained his friends at a dinner party, receiving their congratulations, and assurances that he was to be the next governor of Virginia.
During the night following, a dangerous return of his illness seized him, and his death speedily followed.
The wife of Benjamin Harrison was Elizabeth, a daughter of Colonel William Bassett, of Eltham, New Kent county, Virginia, and a daughter of the sister of Martha Washington. She was a very beautiful woman, remembered as being as good as she was beautiful, and survived her hus- band only one year. They had many children, of whom three sons and four daughters lived to mature years. Their third son, William Henry Harrison, was ninth President of the United States.
THOMAS NELSON, JR.,
Was the eldest son of William Nelson, an English gentlemen who settled at York, province of Virginia, in the carly part of the eighteenth century, and engaged for a time in a mercantile business. Acquiring a fortune, he invested it in large landed estates, and gradually withdrew from commercial pursuits. In the interval between the administrations of Lord Botetourt and Lord Dunmore, William Nelson filled the office of governor of Vir- ginia. After retiring from this office he presided over the supreme court of the province, and was regarded as the ablest judge of his time. He died a few years before the Revolution, leaving five sons.
Thomas Nelson, jr., "the worthy son of such an honored sire," was born at York, December 26, 1738. In the summer of 1753 he was sent to Eng- land to receive a collegiate education, and after attending private school was entered at Trinity College. Here he distinguished himself by honora- ble conduct and good scholarship until his return to America, in the winter of 1761.
In August, 1762, he was joined in wedlock with Lucy, daughter of Philip Grymes, of Middlesex county, Virginia. They established them- selves at York in such a home as their abundant means justified, and lived in a style of great elegance and hospitality.
Thomas Nelson's public record begins in 1774, when we find him a mem- ber for York of that House of Burgesses which the wrath of Lord Dunmore dissolved, on account of their resolutions censuring the Boston port bill. Mr. Nelson was one of the eighty-nine delegates who assembled themselves the next day at a friendly tavern, and formed the celebrated association which resolved at all hazards to defend their rights and maintain their lib- erties.
Mr. Nelson was elected from his county a member of the first Virginia Convention, which met at Williamsburg, August 1, 1774. In March,
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1775, he was again a representative to the Virginia convention, and was prominent in the debate of that session on the advisibility of a military force, Mr. Nelson asserting that such a force was necessary to the interests of the colonists and so putting his vote upon record.
The third Virginia convention assembled at Richmond, Virginia, July 17, 1776, and again Thomas Nelson, jr., was the representative of York. The work of raising colonial troops was now being actively pursued, and Mr. Nelson was made colonel of the second regiment raised, the command of the first regiment having been given Patrick Henry.
August 11, 1775, Virginia appointed among her delegates to the Conti- mental Congress in Philadelphia Colonel Nelson, and he, believing the post of danger and of duty was there, resigned his military command, repaired to Philadelphia, and took his seat in Congress September 13, 1775. Here he was one of the first to advocate an absolute separation from Great Brit- ain. Writing to a friend February 13, 1776, Colonel Nelson said : "In- dependence, confederation, and foreign alliances are as formidable to some of the Congress (I fear a majority) as an apparition to a weak, enervated woman. Would you think we have still some among us who expect honor- able proposals from the administration ! By heavens, I am an infidel in pol- ities, for I do not believe, were you to bid a thousand pounds per scruple for honour at the court of Britain, that you would get as many as would amount to an ounce. If terms should be proposed, they will savour so much of despotism that America cannot accept them. * What think you of the right reverend fathers in God, the bishops? One of them re- fused to ordain a young gentleman who went from this country, because he was a rebellious American ; so that, unless we submit to parliamentary op- pression, we shall not have the gospel of Christ preached among us."
Through the opening of the session of 1776, Colonel Nelson maintained this advanced position on the question of independence, and in that spirit signed his name to the Declaration. During the remainder of that term, and the beginning of the term of 1777, he served on many important committees, and took part in all measures that advanced the general wel- farc of the new States.
A severe indisposition seized him while in his seat in Congress, May 2, 1777, and a recurring trouble of the head warned him for a time to cease his labors, and he returned home, leaving his term to be filled by another.
In August, 1777, the British fleet appeared off the coast of Virginia again, and again Colonel Nelson was called to the field. He was appointed by the governor brigadier-general and commander of the forces of the commonwealth of Virginia, and at once entered upon the discharge of all the important duties of that command, while refusing to take from the impoverished nation any remuneration therefor.
In the October following, Generat Nelson, as a member of the State leg. islature, had another opportunity to show his sense of the honorable in
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money matters. An act was introduced and passed by the assembly for the sequestration of British property. Such an act could, and would, of course, be construed so that all debts owed those who were known to be loyal to England would be considered outlawed. General Nelson vehe- mently opposed the passage of the bill, and in closing a speech supporting his position, said: "I hope the bill will be rejected; but whatever its fate, by God, I will pay my debts like an honest man." The breach of order into which his feelings had betrayed bim was overlooked, but the bill became a law.
General Nelson continued in active service with the army until his health was restored, when, on the 18th of February, 1779, he took his seat in the State Assembly. Again the same illness attacked him, and, yielding to the expostulations of his physician, and the entreatics of his friends, he returned to his home for rest. But in the following month he again took the field.
During the gloomy days of financial depression and disastrous defeats that followed, no man's influence in Virginia was more widely felt or more generously given to the American cause than that of General Nelson.
In the spring of 1781, he was elected governor of the Commonwealth, but after performing the arduous duties of that office until the November following, constant and increasing illness forced him to resign.
Retiring now permanently from public and political life, Mr. Nelson passed his time alternately between his two estates, one called Offfy, situ- ated on the left bank of South Anna river, in Hanover county, and the other in York county. Surrounded by friends and relatives, he now passed several years in comparative quict, though with always failing health.
Death ended his sufferings Sunday, January 4, 1789.
FRANCIS LIGHTFOOT LEE.
The fourth son of Thomas and Hannah (Ludwell) Lce, was born Octo- ber 14, 1734, in Westmoreland county, province of Virginia, and was named Francis Lightfoot Lee. He received his education at home under the tuition of a Scotch clergyman named Craig, and having at his com- mand a valuable library collected by his father, afterward the property of the oldest son of the family, Philip.
About the time he reached manhood his three older brothers, Philip, Thomas and Richard Henry, returned from abroad, where they had been educated, and in their society he attained that polish and refinement of manner which was in after life one of his distinguishing characteristics.
In 1765, Francis Lightfoot Lee took his seat in the House of Burgesses, as member from Loudoun county, in which county he was possessed of a considerable estate. Ile continued a member of the House for Loudoun county until 1772. In that year he married Rebecca, second daughter of
CARTER BRAXTON,
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