St. Charles Republican intelligencer. (St. Charles [Charles City], Iowa) 1856-1857, 1857-06-04

preparations made for the accommoda
tion of ladies' and others.
"The Grafton of Ex-President Tyler
which occupied about two hours and
a half, is spoken of as an effort cmi
nently worthy the occasion and its
distinguished author.
"The Poem, from James Barron
Hope, Esq, Of Hampton, was received
with universal favor, and all accorC
to it more than ordinary merit.
"Gov. Fl. A. Wise was present, and
being called upon, spoke for about
thirty minutes in eloquent and thrill
ling terms. ...... -.... ...
"The festivities of the dinner table
the fireworks and grand ball of last
evening, and other interesting partic
ulars will be furnished by special
reporter we sent to the ground. The
late hour at which we write prevents
our saying more in the present issue
FROM THE Estates" OF NAY l3.
This day exactly two centuries and
half ago little fleet of three vessels,
which, after being flung about on the
ocean like sea-weed on the margin of
the Gulf Stream, succeeded in breast.
ing the wintry troubles of the Allan
tic, made the coast of Virginia, sailed
up Powhatan (now James, river, and
anchored towards the North side oI
the stream. From the 10th of the
December previous, for five months
the gallant spirits of the hardy voy
ayers bore up against wind and wave
From both they took lessons not amiss
to those who follow in the path of EN-.
pire or adventure. The waves spoke
to them in tones of restles and resist.
less energy {; the wind from a hundred
tongues, told them that to be power.
full they must be light-hearted and free
of action and SO, for five months, bat.
Ting with the untamed elements, they
learned how to battle with and subdue
untamed man. Other expeditions had
sought and found the shores of Vir-
ginia. They came and colonized, and
left no living sign.
Sir Richard Granville's colony of
one hundred men, who had been bro't
in seven ships in 1885, were reduced
to dust and ashes" before want and
the ire of the red man. His second
settlement of fifty men in the year fol.
lowing disappeared so that when
John White brought out largo supplies
of the necessaries of life in 1881, he
found nothing but "ye bones of man,
and the houses untenanted and over.
grown with weeds, standing like tomb.
stones upon the place of death. White
left one hundred and fifty undaunted
adventures behind him and, return
ing from England, in the year 1899
with fresh reintorcemcnts in three
ships, he found naught but a silence
and desolation equal to that which
met his first gaze two years previous.
In vain he searched His colony had
vanished and left no sign, save few
initial letters hacked on the trunk of
a tree.
From this up to 1902 the white man
left the shores of Virginia unmolested.
In this year, however, Bartholomew
Gosnell, with thirty-two men, in a
small barque, landed at Martha's Vine
yard but after brief stay returned.
In the following year, and in 1905,
discouraging and vain attempts were
made to plant a colony Gosnell, sat
isiied with the prospects his glance at
the country promised, predisposcd some
entcrprising men towards his specula-
tions, and receiving letters patent
from King James, and drawing up a
plan of government for the colony,
that expedition set sail on the 10Th De-
cember, 1906, whose landing at James
town on the 18th Of May, 1907, is eel
ebrated with such enthusiasm and hon
or to-day.
One hundred and five men disem-
barked from their little vessels, and
calling the place after King James,
planted the first permanent settlement
in Virginia. Among the colonists was
Capt. John Smith, of ever famous
memory and but for whose heroism,
energy, vigilance, and untameable
strong will, the colony would very
probably have been a failure. Forev-
er associated with those romantic in
cidents oflove and war which strength.
en- fiction and vitalize history, the bold
captain, who is regarded as the foun-
der of Virginia, is a worthy hero for
the Poets and Orators of the Old Do
minion, \
The story Of Smiths struggles, his
management of the whites, who were
becoming equally unruly as the red
men, his ceaseless watchfalness, his
falling into the hands of King Pow
hatan, and rescue from death by Po-
cahontas, are loving national memo
ries with which all are familiar.