that state in the year 1784, and continued a number of years. In June 1788, he was a member of the Virginia convention which was called for the purpose of considering the present constitution of the United States. In this assembly, rendered illustrious by men of the first talents, he was very conspicuous. His genius united with the eloquence of Henry, in opposing the adoption of the constitution. While he acknowledged the evils of the old government, he was afraid that the proposed government would destroy the liberty of the states. His principal objections to it were, that it took from the states the sole right of direct taxation, which was the highest act of sovereignty; that the limits between the national and state authorities were not sufficiently defined, that they might clash, in which case the general government would prevail; that there was no provision against raising such a navy, as was more than sufficient to protect our trade, and thus would excite the jealousy of European powers, and lead to war; and that there were no adequate checks against the abuse of power, especially by the president, who was responsible only to his counsellors and partners in crime, the members of the senate. After the constitution was adopted, Mr. Grayson was appointed one of the senators from Virginia, in the year 1789; his colleague was Richard Henry Lee. He died at Dumfries, whither he had come on his way to the congress, March 12th, 1790, and his remains were deposited in the family vault at the reverend Mr. Spence Grayson's. His great abilities were united with unim. peached integrity. American Biography. No. XX. RICHARD HENRY LEE, president of congress, was a native of Virginia, and from his earliest youth devoted his talents to the service of his country. His public life was distinguished by some remarkable circumstances, He had the honour of originating the first resistance to British oppression in the time of the stamp act in 1765. He proposed in the Virginia ། house of burgesses, in 1773, the formation of a committee of correspondence, whose object was to disseminate information, and to kindle the flame of liberty throughout the continent. He was a member of the first congress, and it was he who proposed and ably supported the motion for declaring the colonies free and independent, on the 7th of June, 1776. After the adoption of the articles of the confederation, he was under the necessity of withdrawing from congress, as no representative was allowed to continue in congress more than three years, in any term of six years; but he was re-elected in the year 1784, and continued till 1787. It was in November 1784, that he was chosen president of congress. When the constitution of the United States was submitted to the consideration of the public, he contended for the necessity of amendments, previously to its adoption. After the government was organised, he and Mr. Grayson were chosen the first senators from Virginia, in the year 1789. This station he held till his resignation in 1792, when John Taylor was appointed in his place. Mr. Lee died at his seat at Chantilly, in Westmoreland county, Virginia, June 22d, 1794, in the sixtythird year of his age. He supported through life the character of a philosopher, a patriot, and a sage; and he died as he had lived, blessing his country. The petition to the king, which was adopted by the congress in the year 1774, and was admirably well drawn up, has been generally attributed to his pen. A letter, which he wrote against Deane, is published in the Virginia Gazette of January 1st, and the Independent Chronicle of February 11th, 1779. He is supposed to have been the author of "Observations leading to a fair examination of the system of government proposed by the late convention, in letters from the federal farmer: to the republican." $ American Biography 2 A No. XXI. ARTHUR LEE, M. D., minister of the United States to the court of Versailles, was a native of Virginia, and the brother of Richard Henry Lee. He was educated at the university of Edinburg, where he also pursued, for some time, the study of medicine. On his return to this country, he practised physic four or five years in Williamsburg. He then went to London, and commenced the study of the law in the Temple. During his residence in England he kept his eye on the measures of government, and rendered the most important services to his country, by sending to America the earliest intelligence of the plans of the ministry. When the instructions to governor Bernard were sent over, he at the same time communicated information to the town of Boston respecting the nature of them. He returned, it is believed, before 1769, for in that year he published the Monitor's Letters, in vindication of the colonial rights. In 1775 he was in London, as the agent of Virginia; and he presented, in August, the second petition of congress to the king. All his exertions were now |
