e to Arthur Lee: "Mr. Henry, whose opinions have their usual
influence, has been heard to say that he would rather part with the
Confederation than relinquish the navigation of the Mississippi."[358]
On the 18th of the same month, in a letter to Washington, Madison
poured out his solicitude respecting the course which Henry was going
to take: "I hear from Richmond, with much concern, that Mr. Henry has
positively declined his mission to Philadelphia. Besides the loss of
his services on that theatre, there is danger, I fear, that this step
has proceeded from a wish to leave his conduct unfettered on another
theatre, where the result of the convention will receive its destiny
from his omnipotence."[359] On the next day, Madison sent off to
Jefferson, who was then in Paris, an account of the situation: "But
although it appears that the intended sacrifice of the Mississippi
will not be made, the consequences of the intention and the attempt
are likely to be very serious. I have already made known to you the
light in which the subject was taken up by Virginia. Mr. Henry's
disgust exceeds all measure, and I am not singular in ascribing his
refusal to attend the convention, to the policy of keeping himself
free to combat or espouse the result of it according to the result of
the Mississippi business, among other circumstances."[360]

Finally, on the 25th of March Madison wrote to Randolph, evidently in
reply to the information given by the latter on the 1st of the month:
"The refusal of Mr. Henry to join in the task of revising the
Confederation is ominous; and the more so, I fear, if he means to be
governed by the event which you conjecture."[361]

That Patrick Henry did not attend the great convention, everybody
knows; but the whole meaning of his refusal to do so, everybody may
now understand somewhat more clearly, perhaps, than before.

FOOTNOTES:

[341] MS.

[342] MS.

[343] Hening, xi. 525-526.

[344] MS.

[345] Sparks, _Corr. Rev._ iv. 93-96. See, also, Washington's letter
to Henry, for Nov. 30, 1785, in _Writings of W._ xii. 277-278.

[346] _Jour. Va. House Del._ for Nov. 25, 1786.

[347] For example, Curtis, _Hist. Const._ ii. 553-554.

[348] Rives, _Life of Madison_, i. 536-537.

[349] Madison, _Letters_, etc. i. 80.

[350] Bancroft, _Hist. Const._ i. 162.

[351] Madison, _Letters_, etc. i. 264.

[352] _Secret Jour. Cong._ iv. 44-63.

[353] Rives, _Life of Madison_, ii. 122.

[354] Rives, _Li