Richard Henry Lee

Gracie Smith
MSMU Class of 2027

(7/2024) "To say that a bad government must be established for fear of anarchy is really saying that we should kill ourselves for fear of dying."

This was said by a man named Richard Henry Lee, a forgotten signer of the Declaration of Independence. Best known as a planter, merchant, and politician, Lee was a prominent member of the Lee family of Virginia. Perhaps you’ve heard of another prominent member of the Lee family - Robert E Lee.

Richard, continuing his father Thomas’ legacy, had desires for westward expansion and was a key political figure during the American Revolution. For instance, it was Richard Lee who made the motion to declare independence from Britain at the Second Continental Congress in 1776; this became known as the Lee Resolution. While Lee is viewed as a very controversial historical figure, his influence on the state of Virginia and how it is today cannot be ignored. For this, it places him high on the list of America’s forgotten signers.

The Lee Resolution was quite possibly the one thing that made America the way that it is today. That is to say, a free nation. Without Lee’s proposal of this idea to the Continental Congress, Johns Adams, Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, and many others would not have had a basis for even writing our world-renowned Declaration of Independence.

On June 7, 1776, Richard Henry Lee introduced the resolution "that these united colonies are and of right ought to be free and independent states," acting under the instruction of the Virginia Convention. The Lee Resolution contained three parts: a declaration of independence, a call to form foreign alliances, and "a plan for confederation". All of this coming from the National Archives.

A few days after Lee’s proposal, Congress appointed three concurrent committees in response to the Lee Resolution: one to draft a declaration of independence, a second to draw up a plan "for forming foreign alliances," and a third to "prepare and digest the form of a confederation."

Since many members of Congress believed the actions that Lee proposed to be premature or wanted instructions from their colonies before voting, approval was deferred until July 2. On that day, Congress adopted the first part (the declaration). The words of the Lee Resolution are echoed in the Declaration of Independence.

Not only was Lee a huge part of the creation of the declaration, but his brother Francis Lightfoot Lee was also one of the signers. Richard and Francis are the only siblings to have been in attendance during the establishment of our declaration, and the only siblings to be documented signers.

All of this said, what did Richard Lee do? Yes, he is responsible for the Lee Resolution… but who was he? Born to an aristocratic family in Stratford, VA, Lee set sail on a very academically oriented path. He attended a private in England, later returning to his home in Virginia in 1751. After forming a militia troop of young men from his town, Lee was appointed Justice of the Peace in 1757. During this time, Justices of the Peace were commissioned to handle minor civil and criminal cases. Shortly thereafter, Lee was elected to the Virginia House of Burgesses. Years following, in 1774, he was elected to attend the first Continental Congress. Noted for his oratory skills, this was where he offered the Resolutions for Independence to the committee of the whole in 1776. He served in Congress through the course of the Revolutionary War while also serving in the House of Burgesses. In 1783 he was selected as president of Congress.

Lee opposed the federal constitution, as he favored strong state rights. This was not an uncommon point of view for someone from the South to have, especially Virginia. He was, however, elected the first State Senator from Virginia under the new federal government. He retired from that office to his home in Chantilly due to illness, and soon after died at the age of 62.

It is safe to say that Richard Lee was a very well-rounded character when it came to politics. That is to say, he had experience on top of the courage to voice his desires and ideas. This was something that made Richard Lee different from the other forgotten signers. Not only did Lee have the courage to speak his mind, he had the courage to suggest independence from Britain. If Lee had not done this, there is no guarantee that our declaration would be the way it is today, or if there would even be a declaration.

As a History Major, this idea is very jarring to entertain. I can’t help but contemplate our nation under British rule, or perhaps a free nation without a declaration. Is it possible that our founding fathers and the forgotten signers would have chosen a different government structure? Perhaps the New Jersey Plan and the Virginia Plan would have had more of a profound effect on our nation. If the Virginia Plan was chosen wouldn’t it be reasonable to assume that the Civil War wouldn’t have occurred? That is to say, if everything is left to the states, the idea of the "Union" wouldn’t exist. Now the New Jersey Plan is the opposite. Wouldn’t it be reasonable to assume that our nation would be dangerously close to a socialist or communist nation as time went on and we continued to grow? The idea of equal representation would continue to become more and more impossible, leaving a rather significant amount of power to each state representative.

I suppose this brings me back to Richard Lee, who is responsible for proposing the idea of our freedom. After analyzing the significance of the Lee Resolution we, Americans, can better appreciate Lee’s courage and desires for our nation. This Fourth of July let us remember the sacrifices people have made for our prosperous nation. This Fourth of July let us celebrate those responsible for what we have today.