Sender: Richard Henry Lee, for the Virginia Delegates in Congress Recipient: George Wythe
Philadelphia May 20th. 1777
Sir,
We are favored with yours covering a resolve of Assembly to which we shall pay due attention. The first Volume of the last edition of the Journal of Congress, is now published, and shall be forwarded to Williamsburg by the first opportunity. This Volume reaches no further than the 30th. of december 1775. As our duty directs, so our inclinations lead to an immediate compliance with the desires of the House of Delegates, but we apprehend insurmountable difficulty in getting the manuscript journal, because the many secret articles cannot be exposed to a Copier; and neither the Secretary or ourselves have time to do it. The Printer has hitherto been delayed for want of paper, but now that is obtained, we shall urge the publication of the remaining Journal, and send it to you Sir, with all the dispatch in our power. We have the honor to be with esteem and respect Sir
Your most obedient servants.
<Richard Henry Lee
Fr. Lightfoot Lee
Mann Page, Jr.>
UNKNOWNLibrary of Virginia
Printed in James Curtis Ballagh, The Letters of Richard Henry Lee, Volume 1, 1762 - 1778, pp. 291 - 92. Addressed to Wythe at Williamsburg. The signatures have been clipped and supplied in the margin of the manuscript.