to prepare an ordinance "for enabling the present
magistrates to continue the administration of justice, and for
settling the general mode of proceedings in criminal and other cases."
The journal also mentions his frequent activity in the House in the
presentation of reports from some of these committees: for example,
from the committee on propositions and grievances, on the 16th of May,
on the 22d of May, and on the 15th of June. On the latter occasion, he
made to the House three detailed reports on as many different
topics.[232]

Of course, the question overshadowing all others in that convention
was the question of independence. General Charles Lee, whose military
duties just then detained him at Williamsburg, and who was intently
watching the currents of political thought in all the colonies,
assured Washington, in a letter written on the 10th of May, that "a
noble spirit" possessed the convention; and that the members were
"almost unanimous for independence," the only disagreement being "in
their sentiments about the mode."[233] That Patrick Henry was in favor
of independence hardly needs to be mentioned; yet it does need to be
mentioned that he was among those who disagreed with some of his
associates "about the mode." While he was as eager and as resolute
for independence as any man, he doubted whether the time had then
fully come for declaring independence. He thought that the declaration
should be so timed as to secure, beyond all doubt, two great
conditions of success,--first, the firm union of the colonies
themselves, and secondly, the friendship of foreign powers,
particularly of France and Spain. For these reasons, he would have had
independence delayed until a confederation of the colonies could be
established by written articles, which, he probably supposed, would
take but a few weeks; and also until American agents could have time
to negotiate with the French and Spanish courts.

On the first day of the session, General Charles Lee, who was hot for
an immediate declaration of independence, seems to have had a
conversation upon the subject with Patrick Henry, during which the
latter stated his reasons for some postponement of the measure. This
led General Lee, on the following day, to write to Henry a letter
which is really remarkable, some passages from which will help us the
better to understand the public situation, as well as Patrick Henry's
attitude towards it:--