Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1832-11-05
LITER AIRY.
THE VIRGl MA HISTORICAL AND Pill
IOSOPHICAL SOCIETY.

riot and philanihropist, and especially 10 all who
love Virginia and her Institutions 10 see the Old
Dominion awaking tiom her le,hargy, and some Of
her enerpri2ng citizens engaging with efficiency III
Internal Improvements and also TO see he's Ltera-
ry Institutions holding very respectable stand
ing, and eycrtnS powerful influence on the great
subject Of Education But still there arc many
subjects connected with the highest interest OF the
State which have as yc, received but little attention.
While other states have folmeJ, and daily
forming various associations, by which the encr-
sies .their citizens are called forth and combined
for tho laullblc purpose OF collecting and preserv
ing every thing relating to their history, aud Gcvel-
opng and applying IN every way practicable, their
various natural resources; Virginia, although very
rich in materials, has hitherto been too na,entlye
10 these most important subjects. With The exccp'
ton of few agricultural and other local assocIa-
tons, there has been no so,sety Established III the
State which has had tendency TO concentrate the
intellectual aud moral energies of CIR enlightened
citizens, and inspire them with that nrdor and
visor in The cause Of Improvement, which are most
eiecuallg produceil by free interchange Of opln-
ioUs, when the sparks oftfuh are frequently elicit
ed by the collision o, genus
Iu order to supply in part this deficiency, num-
Der Of gentlemen N, dtercn, parts OF the State
mct a, the Capitol in Richmond, in January lust,
and laid the foundation Of society which IS called
" the Virginia Historical and Philosophical Soc'e-
tyn ahc leading objects of this society, are,to PRO
cure aud preserve whatever relates To the natural
civil and literary history this State. aud to pat
ronize far practicable, oil thae sctsnees and
arts bch have direct tendency to promote the
best interests Of our citizens. These Objects al
dress themselves with peculiar force, " all who
wish Virginia to hold that elevated standing GmopS
her sister States 10 whieb her natural resources,
moral worth, aud past achievements IL securing
and maintaining car c:ylI and religious Freedom
cntllle her
twill be observed, thai the first obs Of the so
cic,y 10 which r,uednte und particular affection
is solicited is 10 colec, the nu,erals FOR complete
and authentic history Of the State. There are sew
c,al histories of the State extap but il n'isi be ad
United by all comrs,cn, Judges. tha, none of them
contain a complete computation of,hase facts, and Il
correct deneation of those characters for which
Virginia is Justly celebrated, and which oogh, to
form by far HE richest portions Of her history II
is in vnin thar we look TO the published records
for iu. and correct Wow Of the elevated senaent
the noble sacrifices, the bold daring. and the UNI
yielding purpose, tor which very many ofour pat
riots and philantropsts were distinguished during
our Revolutionary struggle for liberty. Hence, I'm
der existing circumstances, our postefity VIII be
deprived OF II cotrec. knowledge ofthe deeds their
ancestors, and of course Of the moral Influence o.
their noble example Virginia will be ina,tenl've
to her highest interests II she neglect to supply the
deficiency Bat IN order To accomplish thus object
eCec,ualv i, IS necessary that all who have the
means should lend their aid the operations otthe
solicty II is hoped that this will De done not only
ctecrtully. but immediately Delay in this matter
| will be highly injurious. In all probability ouch
valuable matter relating to pas, events, Is already
irreceverably lost Both by neglect, and by the &c
noval by death Of nearly all those worthless, who
having borne distinguished part III the public and
private transactions OF their tines, could have cnm
nunicatcd much important end interesting Inicrma
ton concerning them which has not been lei, Oh
record This circumstance should adtnonlsh all
who feel the least interest on this subject that IN
mediate and vigorous oxertons ought TO be made
10 secure that which now remains, but which III d
very few years, viii. be beyond the reach OF recov
ery. But, doubtless there are now IN the posses
i sion OF the descendants ofthosc patriots many highly
important manuscripts and other papers relating &c
Il our past history which from tho operation OF nat
ural causes are very liable to be scattered and lost
Many ofthem insulated as they now are, Will II
mos, instances be considered by those who posses;
them TO he of little Importance; and therefor
no, worth preserving When viewed separately
some OF them may appear to be OF no value, out com
pared with others relating to the same events, they
, NAV be of immense value IN elucldaing ooseur'
facts and confirming statements which tend TO ex
bb, the real causes or effects of g.ea, public pans
actions. or 10 deveope the operating motives o
those individuals, whose public enterprises or pr
yate cxertons and sacrifices had an important bear
ing on the great interests Of our country. Whhon
the aid of such documents, all must admit, that TN
, history of Virginia must necessarily I've lncorec
and defective 1t confidently believed, therefore
that those persons possessing original documents
any species of Information relating to the past ms
tory Of this State, although there may be an unwll
lingness 10 en,rust them TO private individuals WI
cheerfully coniide them to the OF public nsti
= tuition. in whose custody they would be preserves
ri for the general benefit Of posterty and society Il
: large It il also believed, that those Patriots o
the Revolution whose lives, by the blessing of
kind Providence, have heen prolonged TO the pres
n en-, time g. all other persons, who by their pecua
. situation in life, have obtained minute knowleog
of important public CT private TRANSACTIONS connect
~ ed with the State, will most willingly commit I
: writing and forward to tho Society, narration G
r. such facts AS they may think ought TO DC preserve
!, for the information OF mankind
q By these means many highly interesting tact
c will be obtained which. in all probability IN yer
!, few years, will be beyond the reach of recovery;
!. very large number of valuable papers VIII b
rescued from the obscurty of private repositories
where they are liable to be destroyed or lost by Tn
operation Of incidental circumstances. II appear
that this is the only practicable mode by WINCH
the present time, much can be effected IN co''ec''
y toecther the scattered fragments, and per'shin
. memorials of our past history All such matte
when collected and deposited IN the State library
w; he a rich treasure to the State and our legsls
tors as we'll as to the antquary the historian, or IN
scholar
!, Another object, which the Society has par'icu'a
! ~ in view. is to obtain and preserve every specie