ns. For this reason I have taken
the liberty to trouble you with this and a few others of the
same tendency. The public good which you, sir, have so
eminently promoted, is my only motive. That you may enjoy
the protection of Heaven and live long and happy is the
ardent wish of,

Sir,
Yr. mo. obt. hbl. serv.,
P. HENRY, JR.[206]

His Excellency, GENL. WASHINGTON.

On the following day Congress adjourned. As soon as possible after its
adjournment, the Virginia delegates seem to have departed for home, to
take their places in the convention then in session at Richmond; for
the journal of that convention mentions that on Wednesday, August the
9th, "Patrick Henry, Edmund Pendleton, Benjamin Harrison, and Thomas
Jefferson, Esquires, appeared in convention, and took their
seats."[207] On the next day an incident occurred in the convention
implying that Patrick Henry, during his absence in Congress, had been
able to serve his colony by other gifts as well as by those of "bold
and splendid eloquence:" it was resolved that "the powder purchased by
Patrick Henry, Esquire, for the use of this colony, be immediately
sent for."[208] On the day following that, the convention resolved
unanimously that "the thanks of this convention are justly due to his
excellency, George Washington, Esquire, Patrick Henry, and Edmund
Pendleton, Esquires, three of the worthy delegates who represented
this colony in the late Continental Congress, for their faithful
discharge of that important trust; and this body are only induced to
dispense with their future services of the like kind, by the
appointment of the two former to other offices in the public service,
incompatible with their attendance on this, and the infirm state of
health of the latter."[209]

Of course, the two appointments here referred to are of Washington as
commander-in-chief of the forces of the United Colonies, and of
Patrick Henry as commander-in-chief of the forces of Virginia,--the
latter appointment having been made by the Virginia convention on the
5th of August. The commission, which passed the convention on the 28th
of that month, constituted Patrick Henry "colonel of the first
regiment of regulars, and commander-in-chief of all the forces to be
raised for the protection and defence of this colony;" and while it
required "all off