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Richard Henry Lee (1732-1794) was an American Founding Father from Virginia, best known for introducing the motion in the Second Continental Congress that led to the United States Declaration of Independence. Lee was an influential member of the First and Second Continental Congresses and served as the president of the Continental Congress in 1784. Despite his experience in the Continental Congress, Lee was wary of a strong national government, fearing that the individual states would lose rights and power. He opposed the ratification of the US Constitution, believing that it gave too much power to the federal government and lacked a bill of rights. Lee wrote several Antifederalist essays, including Letters from the Federal Farmer, voicing his concerns about a consolidated government and the concentration of power in the executive branch. Ultimately, Lee accepted the Constitution and served as one of Virginia's first senators, advocating for constitutional amendments to limit the government's power.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Views on the Constitution | Distrusted a strong national government, believing it would lead to individual states losing rights and power |
| Actions Against the Constitution | Attempted to add amendments to the Constitution before sending it to the states |
| Actions Against the Constitution | Worked to derail the ratification process and force a second convention |
| Views on the Government | Believed the government was given too much power and was against a consolidated government |
| Views on the Government | Believed the government should relinquish claims in the Northwest Territory |
| Views on the Government | Believed in limited government |
| Views on the Government | Opposed federal taxes |
| Views on the Government | Opposed borrowing foreign money |
| Views on the Constitution | Accepted the Constitution because it was "this or nothing" |
| Actions for the Constitution | Worked towards amending the Constitution |
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What You'll Learn
Richard Henry Lee's political beliefs
Richard Henry Lee (1732-1794) was an American Founding Father and statesman from Virginia. He was an influential member of the First and Second Continental Congresses and is best known for introducing the motion that led to the United States Declaration of Independence, which he signed. Lee also served as the president of the Continental Congress, was a signatory to the Continental Association, and signed the Articles of Confederation.
Lee's political beliefs were shaped by his aristocratic background and his experience in the Revolutionary War. He was an outspoken opponent of arbitrary British policies, such as the Stamp Act and the Townshend Acts, and played an active role in the movement for American independence. Lee also advocated for the abolition of slavery and worked to stop the importation of slaves into the American states.
Despite his participation in the Continental Congress, Lee distrusted a strong national government and feared that the individual states would lose rights and power under a consolidated government. He opposed the ratification of the federal Constitution, believing that it gave too much power to the general government and lacked a bill of rights. Lee preferred a limited government with a clear separation of powers and a strong system of checks and balances.
Lee wrote a series of Antifederalist essays, including "Letters from the Federal Farmer," in which he expressed his fears of a consolidated government and the concentration of power in the executive and legislative branches. He also proposed amendments to the Constitution, including the protection of freedom of religion, a free press, jury trials, and protections against unreasonable searches and seizures.
Lee ultimately accepted the Constitution and served as one of Virginia's first senators in the new government. However, he remained unreconciled to the document, even with the addition of the Bill of Rights, which he had helped to add. In the Senate, Lee gained a reputation as a moderate and clear-headed lawmaker, advocating for limited government and the protection of individual liberties.
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Lee's views on the federal government
Richard Henry Lee was an American Founding Father and statesman from Virginia. He was a delegate to the Continental Congress and is best known for introducing the motion that led to the Declaration of Independence. Lee also served as the president of the Continental Congress for a one-year term and was a signatory to the Continental Association and the Articles of Confederation. He later became a United States Senator from Virginia, serving from 1789 to 1792, and was the second president pro tempore of the Senate.
Lee's antifederalist leanings were identified in a document he wrote to Governor Edmund Randolph, expressing his views on the proposed US Constitution. This led to the mistaken belief that he authored a series of anonymously penned antifederalist essays titled "Letters from the Federal Farmer to the Republican". Lee's critics quickly branded him an opponent of the new plan of government, and he became a target during the bitter public debate over the proposed constitution.
Despite his experience in the Continental Congress, Lee distrusted a strong national government. He worked against the ratification of the Constitution, attempting to add amendments to protect certain rights, such as freedom of religion, a free press, jury trials, and protections against unreasonable searches and seizures. Lee's manoeuvre was ultimately defeated, and Virginia ratified the Constitution in 1788, after which he withdrew from the public debate, offering advice behind the scenes.
In the Senate, Lee continued to advocate for the constitutional amendments he had initially proposed. However, his insistence on limited government drove a wedge between him and his old political ally, President of the Senate John Adams. Despite this, Lee gained a reputation as a moderate and clear-headed lawmaker.
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Lee's stance on the US Constitution
Richard Henry Lee (1732-1794) was an American Founding Father and statesman from Virginia. He was an influential member of the First and Second Continental Congresses and is best known for introducing the motion that led to the Declaration of Independence.
Lee was a delegate to the Second Continental Congress, where he introduced three resolutions: declaring independence, forming foreign alliances, and preparing a plan of confederation. He also helped draft the commercial interdict against Britain known as The Association. Lee was an active participant in many key events in the Revolutionary War, including protesting the Stamp Act in Virginia and sitting on the committee that named George Washington Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army.
Despite his experience in the Continental Congress, Lee distrusted a strong national government and feared that the individual states would lose rights and power under the new Constitution. He opposed the ratification of the Constitution because he believed it created a consolidated government and lacked a bill of rights. He also believed that the new Constitution broke with the revolutionary ethos that had sparked the drive for independence and was alien to republicanism.
Lee wrote the antifederalist polemic "Letters from the Federal Farmer" (1787), in which he voiced his fears of a consolidated government and the concentration of power in the executive and Senate. He also protested the inadequate representation of all interests in the House. Despite his initial opposition, Lee ultimately accepted the Constitution, serving as one of Virginia's first senators in the new government. He worked towards amending the Constitution, and his principal propositions were included in the Bill of Rights, the first ten amendments.
In summary, Richard Henry Lee was initially against the ratification of the US Constitution due to his concerns about centralised power and the lack of a bill of rights. However, he eventually accepted it and worked to amend it, leaving a legacy of moderate and clear-headed lawmaking.
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Lee's role in the Continental Congress
Richard Henry Lee was a delegate to the First Continental Congress in Philadelphia in 1774. He was also a delegate to the Second Continental Congress in 1776, during which he introduced a motion to declare American independence from Britain. The resolution read:
> Resolved: That these united colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States, that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British crown, and that all political connection between them and the state of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved.
The Second Continental Congress debated and passed Lee's motion, issuing the Declaration of Independence, which labelled King George III a tyrant and called him "unfit to be the ruler of a free people". Lee, along with his brother Francis Lightfoot Lee, signed the Declaration of Independence.
Lee was elected the sixth president of Congress under the Articles of Confederation in 1784. During his time in the Continental Congress, he also worked to stop the importation of slaves into the American states. He was also responsible for Congress's belated adoption of the Land Ordinance of 1787, also known as the Northwest Ordinance.
Despite his experience in the Continental Congress, Lee distrusted a strong national government, fearing that individual states would lose rights and power. He was unconvinced that the Constitution was the answer to the country's problems and worked against its ratification. He attempted to have Congress add amendments to the Constitution before sending it to the states, submitting proposals on the free exercise of religion, a free press, jury trials, searches and seizures, and frequent elections. However, his clever manoeuvre was defeated.
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Lee's impact on the US Senate
Richard Henry Lee was a key political figure during the American Revolution, and his impact on the US Senate was significant. Lee was a delegate to the First Continental Congress in Philadelphia in 1774 and an early advocate for independence. He introduced a motion to declare independence from Britain at the Second Continental Congress in 1776, which was passed, and he signed the Declaration of Independence.
Lee was also a member of the House of Burgesses (1758-1775) and the House of Delegates (1777, 1780, 1785). He represented Virginia at the two Continental Congresses (1774-1779, 1784-1787) and served as president of Congress in 1784. During this time, he worked to stop the importation of slaves into the American states.
Lee was appointed to the US Senate in 1789, serving until 1792. He advocated for constitutional amendments, favouring limited government, and gained a reputation as a moderate and clear-headed lawmaker. However, his stance drove him apart from his former political ally, John Adams, who was then the president of the Senate.
Lee's health declined during his time in the Senate, and he often missed legislative sessions. In 1792, he retired from public service, citing poor health, and passed away two years later at his estate in Virginia.
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Frequently asked questions
Richard Henry Lee was initially against the US Constitution, believing that it gave too much power to the federal government and lacked a bill of rights.
Lee attempted to have Congress add amendments to the Constitution before sending it to the states. He submitted proposals on free exercise of religion, a free press, jury trials, searches and seizures, and frequent elections.
No, Lee's proposal was defeated. He withdrew from the public debate in January 1788 and Virginia ratified the Constitution in June 1788.
Yes, Lee ultimately accepted the Constitution and served as one of Virginia's first senators in the new government. However, he died in 1794, still never quite reconciled to the Constitution.
Lee distrusted a strong national government, fearing that individual states would lose rights and power. He also believed that the Constitution was a break with the revolutionary ethos that had sparked the drive to independence.
