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

proclaim tn the parent country and its iRonnrch tina
! no matt.r how the dispute between the King an
the company might ev-ntuafe, "the Governor cha
not lay any taxes or impositions upon the colony
their lands or commodities, otherwise than by AT
thorify of the General Assembly, to be levied an
employed rs the said Assembly may appoint" an
'that he should not withdraw the inhabitants fror
their private labOr5 TO any service OF his own und-
any color whatever" II WAS for violation Of thes
great principles that Cherries l. lost his head and tina
James III. forfeited his kingdom. II was for thel
violation that George Ill lost from his crown stud
drd rs il was with precious gene, the most brl!lia
of them all. These proceedings. which in the lal
guage OF Hume, asserted for each man IA iunda
mental property in his goods. and iunlaments
liberty in his person., constitute the principles
what is called the Petition Of Right, and were sdop
British Parliament. TO show the value placed upo
the proceeding when adopted by the Parliament,
read from Macaulsys history few sentences:
1.-THE King ratified in the most solemn man
ner that celebrated law which is known as th
| Petition of Right and which il the second gres
charter of the liberties of England 1.-THE day or
which ths royal sanction, after many delays was
| solemny given 10 this great act. was day o! JOY
| and hope. The Commons, who crowded tue bar q
the House of Lords, broke forth INFO loud acclama
tons az the clerk had pronounced the ancient
form of words by which our princes have, through
many ages signied their assent TO the wishes Of the
estates of the realm. Those acclamations were re-
echoed by the voice of the capital and of the nation
ed, in substance, the same Petition of Right, and the
tidings of what it had done were speedily waited
over the broad water to England. This is enough OF
itself to hnllow this spot, aud to account for this
large a-seInblaga. The house in which that General
Assembly held its session, and from which went forth
these edIcs in favor of the rights of man, has eng
since ceased TO exist. We may even tread on the
dust OF lts ratters but history has recorded her
ndestructbe tablets those brave resolves. and We
have received them Gs our birthrght. ITO lose
them, or tn give them away, were such perdition as
nothing Else could match "
The same principles, in nearly the words
were r+enacted in 1851 during the Governorship ot
Sir j. Hervey. who for time, nearly engrossed all
power 10 himself, leaving to the Council aud General
Assembly but the mere shadow of authority. The
Assembly had fOrborne active Interference, until
orbearance had ceased to be virtue; but IN March,
1851, their resolution taken TO abide any issue,
sooner lhan permit their privileges To be taken from
them. The royal Governor yielded 10 the outburst
of popular feeling and endorsed, by his approval Of
the resolutions of the Assembly, the opposition which
hid tyranny had evoked. But the tyrannicnl Pro
Consul only compromised for II moment Following
the ample ofChares l. III regard To the Petition OF
Right, he sought only 10 re-adjust himself IN his seat
aud await the passing away .; the storm, in order 10
his former authority; but in This, like his
royal master, he courted his fate. He WAS not
only resisted, but finally evictrd from the Governor
ship, and Sent in the custody 81 two members 0i the
Assembly, To England. T.us was a revolution #
At that early day, wholesome Lesson WIS taught 10
public agents; and the colony might well have ba-
z"neh forth the proud motto of Virginia OF this day,
of "Sic semper tvrann,s." Charles | might have DE-
durrd from the tate of his vicegerent NJ Jamestown,
the bloody atunenent which he made in hs per
sou a few years later But instead of profting by
the example, he restored Hervey 10 the Guv-rnorshp
and treated the delegates with contumey. Fortu-
natuly however, matters had taken sucn course IN
England to induce him to dispace lIervey. and
IN send out his deputy in 1912, Sir William
Berkeley, whose name has become Identified with the
most important epoch in our history save that OF the
revolution.
Thus have we hurriedly traced the motives which
actuaed the coonsts, from their first settlement, To
1912. We hav. seen them always prompt and dec-
ded in the assertion OF their privileges, and claiming
at all times the indefeasibe right OF laying aud i'm
posing taxes through their Grand Assemblies. The
nhabtan- m,y, therefore, beusty said to have been
reared under The influence OF the London company,
in knowledge of tree principles. In their assertion
they were always in advance OF the parent country
and ii ut time they havs seemed Ia suInber over
them il but the slunber ot the infant Hercules
TO be followed by vigorous grasp OF the tyranny
which had colled itself around them. Their detern
nation to maintain their rights and privileges became
more manifest in their subsequent history. and WAS
in instance. more cOnspcuously exhibited than on
the arrival Of Comwell's Commissioners in 1851. The
resolution seems 10 have been adopted 10 make the
change in the government OF England tho occasion
for full and completes recognition OF their rights.-
To this may reasonably be attributed til. delay i'll
cognizing the Commonwealth; and hence their
operation in the defence of jamestown against the
hcr of The Protector. These were busy, and Stirring
aud anxious times in the good city Of Jam .stown.-
In on, direction deliberatng the members ot
the House OF Burgesses, in smother the Council, and
in some contiguous pslace WAS the Governor; Zach
engaged in profound reflection on the condition I'll
public affairs On the waters OF that river onted
formidable fleet, with considerable body OF land
forces, TO exactlhe obedience which had been wisely
withheld. Moored close in to the shore were certain
Dutch ships, wha, in violation Of recent laws, had
visited Virginia for purposes OF trade, with batteries
mounted on their decks, TO aid in the defence Of the
city aud at yonder bend in IN. shore, was torthCa
ton nj some preteusons, the traces of which may
still be dscerble ready to open its guns in case ui
of need At length b0ata with white flags seen
passing from the shore the fleet and f."" the aeet
shore regular negotiation IL on iuof between
tho parties, which terminates to the satisfaction of
both. BY the Commissioners il WAS stipulated on be.
half of the Commonwealth Of England, that 'thc
tru- of Virginia shall be- free that of he peopl.
Of England do enjoy, to all places, and with all ma
tons. according tn the laws nf the Commonwealth
That Virginia shall be free from all tares custom and
impositons whatever. without the consent OF the
Grand Assembly. SO that neither ports or castles be-
erected, or yarrsons maintained without Thur con
sent. BY another article, the ffty-acre irceholds
wers preserved for actual settlers; aud upon tho
signing OF these stipul8lons along with others
the colony was transferred To- the Cnmmonw e9,fh.-
Thus was entered into and consummatcj con
tract which bears upon liz face the appearance
of treaty between two independent nations, than
between powerful mother country and dependent
colony The contract thus entered into was faithful.
Iy observed. While the navigation laws, shortly
after passed by the Parliament, drew distinction
between the shipping Of England and the colonies,
yet the provision which restricted the colonial trade
Ia British colonial vessels, and TO British porte,
n.ver recognized or enforced in Virginia during ths
Protectorate. The General Assembly elected their
own Governors, and consulted their own views Of the
interests of the colony. In all RESPECTS there pre-.
vailed coa,entm.nt and happiness. 1t is difficult TO
believe, notwithstanding the opinions constantly ad.
vanced upon the l5cf, that thsre really enter
tanned by the great body Of the people any repug.
nance to the Commonwealth. Such WAS felt by
Governor Berkeley undoubtedly, and may have be.u
by II majority of the Council but that ssch was the
case The part Of the General Assembly and their
constituents. would 10 be conradicted by after
eveu,s. Bennett, one Of Cr0rnwels Commissioners,
WAS Immediately eleored Governor, TO continue rs
such until the pleasure Of the Protector and his
Council should be made known; and Claiborne, an
other of the Commissioners WAS appointed Secretary
Of State; and Immediately after The death of Oliver
Cromwe his son Richard was acknowledged the
Lurd Protector. While the one hand. the civil
wars aud the final execution Of Charles | had in.
duced large emigration of cavalier. to Virginia.
the tide OF emigration greatly swollen by Others,
whose motives essentially different. 1t il OBJ
servabe, that the great ina ,riry came over with
view to avail th.m-.lves Of the gratuty Of the fifty
acre ffeeholds, while many with abundant meSns
sought 10 make investments in large bodies of lands
40 homes for themselves and their descendants. and
the whole course of history bears witness to the
tact that they were tho advocates Of principles
Numerically antagonzsd to those espoused by the
S,uars. While they thought their Assemblies were
advucn;ing z-alousy and strenuously the rights of
III. people the Stusrts were bIgoted supporters of
hs br"ndest pr-rogative aud Charles |. WAS, under
the iut Iencs OF his chief Councillor, Wentworth
shining Al thorough -'he meaning Of which des.
po,ic and consolidated sway in the person OF IN.
king. While the cOlonsts insisted on annual Assem-.
bi-s. Charles sought 10 rule without Parliament,
and for twenty years sb.t-incd from calling one. II
aso Observable that the small prnprietare usually
rallied to leaders, either of their choosing. or
such appropriated to their condition in life
Such WAS the case in the Bacon rebellion and such
also, occurred in 1865, when Patrick Henry offered
his celebrated resolutions. have it from one who
was familiar with the occurrences Of that day THAI
the designation OF parties which Immediately sprung
up. and the first known in Virginia history. WINS Of
~ old field Hndt he hivh.h odudc