Patrick Henry to Martha Fontaine

Part of an original letter written by Patrick Henry to his daughter, "Patsy" Martha Fontaine (1755–1818).

It mentions the affairs from the British Debts Case, a case which saw Patrick Henry defending a Virginian physician who was in suit by a British merchant over unpaid prewar debts. Within the Treaty of Paris (1783)—which ended the Revolutionary War between the United States and Great Britain—was an agreement that both parties could collect debts without lawful impediment from the other. In response to this, the state of Virginia passed a law that allowed a debtor to absolve themselves from the British creditors, citing them as an alien enemy. However, this was struck down by the Supreme Court, citing the Supremacy Clause of the United States Constitution, which established all federal treaties as the supreme law of the land. Patrick Henry argued on the losing side of this case, alongside John Marshall, fellow founding father and lawyer.

The letter also acknowledges the death of her sister, Anne Roane's, second son.