But in spite of this change in his attitude toward the federal cause, perhaps he would still go to the great convention. On that subject he appears to have kept his own counsel for several weeks; but by the 1st of March, 1787, Edmund Randolph, at Richmond, was able to send this word to Madison, who was back in his place in Congress: "Mr. Henry peremptorily refuses to go;" and Randolph mentions as Henry's reasons for this refusal, not only his urgent professional duties, but his repugnance to the proceedings of Congress in the matter of the Mississippi.[357] Five days later, from the same city, John Marshall wrote 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.