Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1857-06-09

sway; where he pracii.es all the rights of hospali
tylives in tn. cultivation of the social virtues. and
partnkas III but few instances Of the vices re found
in the great thOroughsres Of commerce. To argue
the wan. Of prosperity because of the absence of
J large cities, betrays short sightednoss and folly.
With the death of Oliver Cromwell, the Common
wealth Of England may b, considered a. having
passed away. Tho relns Of government fell quietly
from the hands of his feeble successor and Charles
H.. without civil commotion, restored to thu
throne of his ancestors; and Sir William Berkeley
who had been previously elected Governor bv the
t General Assembly, AFTER the restoration
commissioned by the King. 1t fairly to be in.
ferred that Charles who had his father perish
on the scaAod, and had himself been reared in the
school OF adversely would profit by the terrible past
ana England, worn out By civil brol, hailed tn. re.
: storailon with uarigned delight. So, also, was it
} win The colony. Doubtless the hope WAS INDUCED
Thar The navigation laws of Cromwelrs time would
continue Imperative which, added to the restoration
OF Sir William Berkeley who openly advocated free
trade gave universal satisfaction. The proceeding
theref'rr which were adopted by the public auhori
Ties IN Virginia may nationally be ascribed 70
me reasons have stated. Aldsd by desire to con-
cafo the court a; London than to any inordinate
tachnent Ia the house cf the Suars. In the excess
OF this feeling the Assembly made concessions that
nothing can justify, and which they had cause ser
ou-y 10 regret They parted with the great Restrain.
Ing power OF annual taxaton giving TO the Govern.
or The right mposs them for TIRES years. Ii is Off
Irn!t Ia excuse the course OF adulalon which the
Assembly unaffected in their proceedings. lthn
been calculated TO impress false character upon tia
colony that did belong 10 il, and which ia con.
tradicted by all its previous and subsequent history,
There 10 enough in the history of the times to show
that thu great body Of the inhabitants differed essen.
TALLY from their representatives. The private DIS.
satisfaction repeatedly manifested itself in cOntuInei.
expressions and the severe punishments visited
by the Governor aud Council the offenders. proves
very Clearly that they esteemed such course nscss.
sary III resran others.
| 1t was soon eviden; that Virginia had become by
reason of the restoration. both at home and
| abroad the victim OF caamitOus milrul.
navig ation laws very enforced IN
| regard 10 her by all who chose 10 engage
! in II. The free trade which had been protitaby
carried on was placed under monopoly. Forts wrrs
built, against the general Wishes repeatedly e1.
pressed, without any good reason. Immense grants
Ut land were made 10 court favOrtes, which often
embraced the estates OF the small treeholders grants,
In INSTANCES, so large that powerful States have
grown nut o! them; aud As If TO uv-rshadaw all other
u,nrpaiiun- the d"sputlc power OF imposing taxes
the export aud import trade was claimed and
cised by the king. la short, every stipulation OF
much value winch had been conceded by the com
monwealIh was nbroga-d by rhe restored monarch.
Discomfort had manifested s,f in localities and par.
tIcuiar neIgh boriInod-. which would inevitably have
become general, bu new and more urgent evil pre-
scented itself nd for the time. engrosa-d the minds al
nen. The inronds ri the indians, which had become
frequent and marked by extreme bsrbar ",
called f,r immediate measures Of redress. Sir vii.
liam Berkelr in 1914, seemed for 4 moment 10 have
been aroused by the exigencles of the case and or
dared n well appointed body NJ men under Sir ii.
Chchery, drive them from the frontiers, but with
any apparent cause change IN the condition Of
things, Recalled the troops while their line Of
march. The people on the Potomac and Rappahan-
mock rivers the first To take matters into their
hands-a body of men among whom were the
leading m-n Of that region, and under the command
nf Col. Washington the grandfather Of that George
Washington who led ia hers 10 independence. aud
gave his name all that il preeIninently glorious
among mer-assailed and broke thu udisn power in
that direction. and the remnant u the tribes fed to
the western frontiers which then not far beyond
The fas OF the rivers, where. uniting with other
tribes of that REGION they made their ncursions upon
the seters. Their incursions wers marked by all
the atrocities of lndlan warfare. and yet Governor
Berkeley, from his palace al jamestown, seemed
calmly 10 look upon the scene without excitement
emotion. Could i; be that the profits OF the free
trade produced that Indifference aud apSihy His
previously high and elevated character would forbid
the ascrtp;ion, but for obv"us discrepancies in his
character and conduct 1T different stages OF lite. Ii
10 said avnrice. if il Possesses the mind, In
creasrs with years until il occupies US wholly
Fatal passion, which could have induced Sir William
TO complain of the smallness of his perqul-tes and
salary when they adequate and even large, aud
III st. TOO. after the General Assembly had bestowed
upon him Green Spring aud three thousand acres Of
land, set apart for tho Governors IN absolute right
Whatever it wa. tina, produced the l-thargy with the
Governor, the cause did not operate on the III.
habitants. need not dwell on the incidents which
shortly after TRANSFERRED nni which has come down
us under tho name of Bacon's Rebellion
The population Of ihs colony numbered i1,OOO aud
there greater unann1y III any PUBIC
movement Suiilce 1t 10 say, thar the Royal Govern
or while he exhibited a courage worthy of his STD.
ton, had to SEEK shelter from the storm by fleeing
across the Bay; aud in order tn render his return
the government impracticable the resolution WAS Ia
ken by Bacon and his victorious followers 10 consgn
j Jamestown To ashes. Aud in October, 1876 the torch
WAS spilled to ts editc-s. The raging eernen, did
not even spare the sacred edifics in which fore
fathers daily Of red up their prayers To the Most
High. The altar before which Pocahontss had kn-t
wien she received the rite of baptism, and at which
she al-o pghied her faith in marriage; and at which
good Master Hunt hsd cthcated-all WAS consumed
by the 6re mud nothing left standing hut Won
broken .teepls, which has continued To be the land.
mark OF centuries and the aged sentinel the ust
OF departed generations The town was afterwards
partially rebuilt, and many of s houses remained du
ring my early nnviiate ut William aud Mary Col.
lege They stood in connected street. running east
and vest from ne,r the presen, dwelling house to the
ruins If the church.
For two years Virginia exempt from all foreign
control. Assemblies held at WILLIAMSBURG
which passed lave levied war against the Indians
and conducted public affairs If Tee from the rule
of any power whatever. In anticipation Of III. arri.
val III 'roOpa from Eng land 10 relnsiaI. Sir William
Berkeley, aud TO tnfprce the odious Regulations TO
which ] have adverted, after debate Which lasted
until midnight: in which Bacon put forth al his pow
era at eloqucnc. the General Assembly sdor.t tina
resolution 10 oppose any forces sent out agail- .bs
Colony without stipulation for a full hearing before
the King and Parliament; and that resolution nSs
sworn 70 by all the people. Under the lead of tha.
truly preNt irdu tnt colony nan mus pace0 stu upon
ground whsh, had he llvrd, would have required the
whole dspOsabe tOrcs of Great Britain To nave sha-
ken from under them He had already queted the
border troubles by inhlcny terrible vengeance
upon the Indians, which had spread the terror of his
name among the most distant tribes; and having re.
solved not 10 lay down his until a ul redress of
gri .vanc-s WAS obtained, he awaited with firm
solve the arrival of the expected forces from England
Judging from his well authenticated career. we can
entertain no doubt that he would have braved all
dangers, Uner than have surrendered his position
ami con-ld-ring the disturbances which at thu time
existed in England, it may bs well doubted whether
the King could have sent force sufficient 10
have defeated him. There one person in the CO.
lony, aud that woman who had no fear Of the king
achieving any such victory, aud propbesied for Viz
einia glorious triumph wrong aud oppression.
That woman was Sarah Drummond, who has deser
vsdly taken her place tie pags OF romance. Her
husband fell victim TO the inhurnan policy Of Sir
William Berkeley. but rhe demanded Justice ut The
nhDu- OF England; and ahs perrever.d until the Co.
vernon was compelled To pay round sum for his .
gal proceeding. Fa.e. however, decreed that the
conflict between the mother and the daughter should
not then occur. Nathaniel Bacon soon after csa-td
10 live. he died, regretted by the COLONY al the
house of Mr.. Pate. in Gloucester aud to avoid The
dissertation Of his rrmSns his body WA so secretly
INFERRED 10y "thoughu Mr.. lawrence" that no man
knows To this day his burial place. have stood
near III place where he breathed his last and Of IN
visited Peierworth church. nnw al in ruins where
'he pi"us fraud WAS committed thu s.cr-t known
only TO Lawrence. OF eniombng coffin filled with l
STONES ATTENDED, ny All the Impressive Ceremonies "t
IN. ED'copal church, : the substitution for his body.
with hun the soul OF the revolution passed away, \
and Sir William Is .rkelcy like msdman in his rage
RESUMED the chair of Safe.
Had Bacon lived n Century later he might have \
occupied the highest niche in tho tempt. OF fame
L'neraly educated, possessed Of high artsinmen'
and being eloquent, fncible and persuasive q. pub
lie speaker h. might have taken rank with fb great,
eat men ut the revolution. The thrilling of BIS
e"qnence would have been heard s-conding tn.
5DillDns OF Mr. Henry his " ord v0ul 7
afterwards have been seen hishiny over :hD battle
fields of war for independence Unframed To arms
he became almost by intuition disugu.h- Csp.
ts IN sweeping before him all inpeiin.n's in the way