The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1809-12-26
The PLAN
HE NO r K.

:, ne carly history O virginia inuSt, from
Its novelty. have been very attractive. The
state, IN which man WAS found here, was
unknown IN Europe, except from speculate
ons. exercised on facts, too few and too i'm
perfectly understood, to become the ground
work Of philosophy a soil, fresh from the
hanos oil mature animals, peculiar ia kind,
species and variety-vegctables, with qua
lities Observation-Disclosures, exhibiting
forms and considerations, not before observ-
ed and a climate, coinciding with none of
the calculations, fitted to that of the old
world in the came latitudes-produced pho-
nomena. which went hey ond the then exist
ing theories.
But at this. CAV, many of those subjects
have beer discussed with SO much precisi-
on, As to exclude every. hope of favor to an
attempt, which should resuit in nothing
more than mere change of attitude. This
work. therefore, will be divided into epochs !;
each presenting some prominent feature in
the affairs of Virginia, and the whole of
them compromising our entire history. 1t
will be detailed, however. only where it
may excite a degree of interest ~
The public archives, in their present con
dition, afford scarcely any light, until the
revolution, which gave birth to indepen-
dence, and even until the year 1872, until
it was finally acknowledged. To the printed
narratives, prior to those periods, and to
some scattered documents, which have es-
capped the ravages OF time and OF war, the
appeal must now be made. =,
Difficult as thetask may be, to transplant
into this history the events of the American
Union, yet they will be incorporated in such
a manner as not to incumber it with the re-
cital of any, TO which Virginia may not have
borne marked relation, or attached a par
ticuisr feeling. twill be attempted by mar
rating the influential measures, and in
describing the important actors, SO as to
correspond With the expectation of him, who
reads IN quest of useful Information. 1t
would, indeed, have been omitted altogether,
after the appearance of General Washing
toms life by Chief Justice Marshal, were it
not impossible to view Virginia in an insulat-
ed situation, from the assembling of the
first Congress in September, 1714. to the
close OF the war. A naked abridgment
would be piracy on that work while the
pursuit of a PLAZA equally extensive would
be a repetition, mt vcEiaL
The FIRST epoch commences with the char
ter OF discovery, granted to Sir Humphrey
Gilbert by Queen Elizabeth, of England, on
the 11th day OF June, 1878, and embracing
the disse,ussos-sS the proprietary government
in the year 1ssA.
The second te-nrinates with Bacon's re-
bellion, as it ~~s called, in the year 1876.
lhs third, vacfides the opposition of the
house Of burgssses to the exsction OF Co
werner Onwit,die, in the year 1852, Of a
pistdle, as fee on every new patent for
Lard.
The fourth, reaches to the stamp act in
the year 1865, with which will be Connected
the declaration of Independence and the
war winch followed it.
The fifth, ends with the adoption of the
Constitution of the United States.
A.d the sixth, contains an illustration of
the influence of that Constitution upon Vir
gjnia, and her general history from the time
OF its operation IN the year 1882 Here too,
the federal tran actions of the United States
rAay properly hold place, upon the forego-
ing plan for recording their revolutionary
ones
Some topics, which regard to chronoo.
sy may not suffer to be interviewer at full
length, upon the first mention of them but
which leave not their due impression, whan
occurring in fragments only, will be exa
mined in separate essays
TIE hriacilsai If these are:
L. Religion.
2. Literature, arts and sciences.
3. Government.
q. The Laws.
S. Natural History under many of its prin-
cipal heads.
6. Manufactures.
z Commerce, Coin, &c.
Population.
g Military Force.
10 Manners and National Character.
Ii. 1he Aborigines, as far as facts will
justify.
1t is impossible to avoid biographical
sketch of man in legislative, executive and
judicial departments, and in various profes
sions But this will be done with temper
(. -
and adapted 10 display examples for the CD
scrvance of the Statesman, the Judge, the
LAWYER, &c.
Important public papers will be collscted
in an appendix.