Editing Patrick Henry (section)

== Second period as governor (1784–1786) ==
Henry's second time as governor was for two years, as the legislature re-elected him in 1785.{{sfn|Campbell|p=320}} It was, generally, more placid than his first. During this time, Henry and his family lived at "[[Salisbury (Chesterfield County, Virginia)|Salisbury]]", in [[Chesterfield County, Virginia|Chesterfield County]], about {{convert|13|mi}} from Richmond{{sfn|Campbell|pp=320–321}} in open country that he rented, though he had an official residence close to the [[Virginia State Capitol|Virginia Capitol]], which was then under construction. The General Assembly had passed legislation for new arms for the militia, and Henry worked with [[Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette|Lafayette]] to have them sent from France.{{sfn|Mayer|pp=364–365}}

Each county's militia was under firm local control, a state of affairs that had resulted in problems during the war as local militia refused orders from Henry and other governors when asked to serve out of state or conscript recruits into the Continental Army. In 1784, seeking to bring the militias under central control, the General Assembly passed an act terminating all militia officer commissions and allowing Henry, with the consent of the Governor's Council, to appoint replacements. The Virginia Constitution required that there be a recommendation from the county court. Instead of asking the county court, Henry solicited recommendations from prominent citizens in each county whom he or his council members knew. The result was near revolt in the counties, as citizens protested the act as unconstitutional, and counties refused to obey. The law went widely unenforced, and in October 1785, Henry requested the legislators to repeal it; they complied the following year.{{sfn|McDonnell|pp=506–513}}

Residents of western North Carolina, what is today the state of Tennessee, sought to separate and become the [[State of Franklin]]. A former delegate, [[Arthur Campbell (Virginia soldier)|Arthur Campbell]], wanted to join Virginia's adjacent [[Washington County, Virginia|Washington County]] as part of the scheme in 1785. Henry had Campbell removed as a militia officer and from his other county offices, as well as ousting Campbell's supporters, replacing them with residents of known loyalty.{{sfn|Kukla|pp=286–287}} Although Henry urged leniency in his report to the General Assembly that October, stating that the Washington County separatists had been led astray by anxiety because of the poor economy,{{sfn|Mayer|p=366}} he had the legislature pass a Treason Act forbidding the setting-up of a rival government within Virginia territory.{{sfn|Kukla|p=287}}

Henry also sought to advance Virginia's development, both as governor and through his personal investments. He backed schemes to open navigation on the upper Potomac and James rivers, envisioning canals to connect them to the [[Ohio River Valley]]. He also supported a scheme to develop a canal across the [[Great Dismal Swamp]], believing that with it, the trade of eastern North Carolina would flow through [[Norfolk, Virginia|Norfolk]]. He owned land along the proposed route and sought to interest General Washington in the scheme but was not successful. Despite Henry's support for internal improvements, he failed to notify Virginia's representatives of their appointment to meet with Maryland over navigation on the Potomac, and only two, including George Mason, attended what became known as the [[Mount Vernon Conference]] in 1785. Randolph, unable to attend because of lack of timely notification, hinted that the reason for Henry's neglect was not forgetfulness but a growing hostility towards things federal. In 1786, Henry was more assiduous in notifying delegates to the [[Annapolis Conference]] called with the support of Madison, who was appointed a delegate.{{sfn|Mayer|pp=366–367}} Henry stepped down at the end of his fifth term, stating he needed to devote time to his family and earn money to support it.{{sfn|Kidd|p=181}} Randolph succeeded him as governor.