Lee, Richard Henry, 1732–94, political leader in the American Revolution, b. Westmoreland co., Va.; brother of Arthur Lee, Francis L. Lee, and William Lee. He served in the house of burgesses (1758–75), where he favored ending the slave trade. An opponent of the Stamp Act (1765), he was the leader in the formation of a nonimportation organization. To help unite colonial resistance further, he advocated, and helped to form, the intercolonial committees of correspondence. As a member (1774–79) of the Continental Congress, he was most active in promoting a nonimportation agreement. Lee was a member (with John Adams and Edward Rutledge) of the committee that placed George Washington in command of the Continental Army. He was also vigorous in arguing for independence and introduced the motion that led to the Declaration of Independence, which he later signed. Lee served again in the Continental Congress (1784–87). He opposed the U.S. Constitution because he feared that it would destroy states' rights. As U.S. Senator from Virginia (1789–92) Lee was largely responsible for adoption of the first 10 amendments (the Bill of Rights) to the Constitution.

Bibliography

See his letters, ed. by J. C. Ballagh (2 vol., 1911–14, repr. 1970); biography by O. P. Chitwood (1967).

Lee, Richard Henry

(born Jan. 20, 1732, Stratford, Va.—died June 19, 1794, Chantilly, Va., U.S.) U.S. statesman. As a member of the Virginia House of Burgesses (1758–75), he opposed the Stamp Act and the Townshend Acts. He helped initiate the Committees of Correspondence and was active in the First and Second Continental Congress. On June 7, 1776, he introduced a resolution calling for independence from Britain. Its adoption led to the Declaration of Independence, which he signed, as he did the Articles of Confederation. He again served in Congress from 1784 to 1787, acting as its president in 1784. He opposed ratification of the Constitution of the United States because it lacked a bill of rights. He later served in the first U.S. Senate (1789–92).

Lee, Richard Henry (1732–94) legislator, Revolutionary statesman; born in Westmoreland County, Va. He strenuously opposed the Stamp Act and the Townshend Acts. He became a leader of the radical wing of the Virginia House of Burgesses, where he was associated with Thomas Jefferson and Patrick Henry. In June 1776, he introduced the resolution in Congress which led directly to the drafting of the Declaration of Independence. Later, he continued to serve in Congress, but he refused to attend the Constitutional Convention (1787) and vigorously opposed the new Constitution. As a United States senator (1789–92) he worked for the ideas that were embodied in the Bill of Rights (1791).