Lee, Richard Henry, Signer of the Declaration of Independence from Virginia

Autograph letter signed ("Richard Henry Lee"), 3 pages (9 x 7 1/2 in.; 228 x 190 mm) on a bifolium (watermarked fb), Chantilly, Virginia, 20 January 1782, to an unnamed Continental officer in South Carolina (possibly Nathanael Greene), reception docket on verso of second leaf; folds reinforced with a few bits of loss (touching a couple of letters in Lee's signature), small seal tear and repair, adhesive stains on verso of second leaf. Half green morocco folding-case, black morocco labels.

Paul Francis Webster (Sotheby's, 24 April 1985, lot 150)

The South after Yorktown: "the fall of Cornwallis, your successes in the south, and the progress of France in the west Indies must produce a speedy peace."

Lee responds with delight to a letter from a military officer to his south, suggesting that they open a correspondence: "I am too much honored by the friendship you offer me, and shall be too much benefitted by your correspondence not to accept of both with great thankfulness—to withhold my esteem is impossible, where it is so evidently and eminently due. I perceive that our great obligations to you are not likely to cease so long as the enemy continue their hostility against us. The change in our southern affairs has been wonderful indeed since the beginning of the year 1781. Now, the enemy seem by their 'very respectful' conduct, to have left you little more to do until we can be assisted by a marine force; for I suppose that, whatever may be the case with Savannah, Charles Town cannot be recovered by us, unaided by a fleet. It would appear, if it is not decreed above that Great Britain shall no longer be counted among the nations of the earth, that the fall of Cornwallis, your successes in the south, and the progress of France in the west Indies must produce a speedy peace."

George III comes in for some harsh censure from Lee, while French policies in the West Indies inspire him to quote from Henry V. "The man, who for punishment of British outrages, has been called to rule over that country, although deaf to the voice of reason, of justice, of public good, and of his own honor, is yet very assailable by his fears, which wrought upon by great successes against him, may produce a departure from that obstinacy in wickedness which the Tyrant mistakes for fortitude. I admire the policy of France in the treatment of the conquered islands—their actual and their probable success verify the sentiment of Shakespear 'When lenity and cruelty play for kingdoms, the gentler gamester is the soonest winner.' The restoration of Statia [St. Eustatius] to the Dutch is a chef d'oeuvre of politics—I think it will fast bind that republic to the interest of the Alliance." Lee, as much as any of his contemporaries, recognized the vital role played by the naval skirmishes in the Carribbean on the ground war in North America.

Lee assures his correspondent that Virginia is not slackening its support of the Army, despite the looming prospect of peace: "Our Assembly have done every thing in their power to give content to the army and they have not omitted a plan for recruiting our line of the Continental forces—how far the latter will succeed, time may shew—its success will depend very much upon the wisdom and vigor of the executive with the activity of the recruiting officers. It were indeed devoutly to be wished that all the states would make a point of completing their quotas, because it would be the surest means of giving full and final efficacy to the successes of last campaign." In closing, Lee mentions the recent elections to Congress of his brother, Arthur Lee, and Ralph Izard of South Carolina.