e's death, 189;
reelected to Virginia convention, 190;
his followers oppose Pendleton for president, 191;
serves on all important committees, 192, 193;
presents numerous reports, 193;
eager for independence, 193;
but wishes first a colonial union and a foreign alliance, 194;
letter of Charles Lee to, on the subject, 194-196;
influences convention to instruct delegates to advocate all three
things, 197;
advocates colonial union and French alliance in letters to Lee and
Adams, 198;
willing to offer free trade, 199;
on committee to draft declaration of rights and plan of government,
200;
leads party advocating a democratic constitution, 201;
complains of lack of assistance, 203;
fears aristocratic tendencies of committee, 203, 204-206;
thanks John Adams for his pamphlet, 205;
hearty letter of Adams in reply, 206, 207;
writes fifteenth and sixteenth articles of Virginia bill of rights,
208;
elected governor of State, 211;
his letter of acceptance, 212-213;
takes oath of office and occupies Dunmore's palace, 214;
congratulated by his old troops, 214, 215;
by Charles Lee, 215;
by the Baptists of Virginia, 216, 217;
his reply to the latter, 217;
suffers from illness, 218;
moves family from Hanover to Williamsburg, 219;
seeks to maintain dignity of office, 219, 220;
continues in ill-health but resumes duties of office, 220;
receives letter from Washington advising preparations for defense,
221;
his activity in military preparations, 222;
sneered at by his enemies, 222, 223;
alleged by Jefferson to have planned a "dictatorship," 223-225;
doubted by Wirt, 226;
real meaning of the term at that time only extraordinary power,
227-229;
authorized by legislature in 1776 to exercise military powers in
emergency, 231, 232;
utter baselessness of Jefferson's charges against, 233;
has continued confidence of Assembly, 234;
reelected governor, 234;
issues proclamation urging Virginians to volunteer, 235;
labors to keep Virginia troops in field, 236;
sends a secret messenger to Washington for exact information, 236;
explains to Washington the difficulties of raising troops in
Virginia, 237, 238;
second letter accepting governor