Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1866-04-11

wherein the Governor always dwelt, an
a church, built wholly at the charge
the inhabitants, the same being fifty fee
e in length and twenty feet in breadth
;, At Henrico," now Richmond, ther
y were then three old houses, a ruinate
r old church, with some poor buildings, O
j the island.n
p The discovery Of this record of the pro
7 | ceedings Of the first General Assembly
, for many years hafiled the researches q
E Beverly, Stith, Jefferson and Heninp
S It was only after the most careful exam
I ination discovered in the British Stat
2 Paper office some years since,
In the proceedings Of the first legisla
5 tive body in North America, many thing
, are noticeable. The Governor and Coun
J ell sat with the Burgesses, and took par
In motions, debates, etc. The SecretaTl
: Of the Assembly was chosen Speaker
although not Burgess elected by th'
, planters
The number Of Burgesses was twenty.
two, the " cityof Henricus - Richmond
sending Thomas Dowse and John Pollen
; tine The Assembly was in session from
the 30th Of July to the l4th Of August
1913. The sessions Of the body We're held
in the Quire Of Churche, and Sir George
Yeardley, the GOvernouT, being set
: downe in his accustomed place, heCoun-
sell OF Estate safe neXte Hmm on both
handles After prayer, "the Burgesses
were entreated to retyre themselves into
We bodye Of ye Churche, which being
done the oath of allegiance was admin
istered, none staggering at it."
After disposing of several knotty con-
tested election cases, the Assembly went
to work with a viii. The first action Of
the Assembly was to solemnly consider
the complaint Of nOless a parsonage than
the famous old Indian king, "OpOchaD-
| canO," against one - 'Captaine MARITIME, -
who, having sent his shallopn up that
mighty stream the ChickahOminy, in
/ search Of corn, found an Indian "canoan
loaded with grain, from which, with his
/ men, be " took by force the c8Tne, meas
/ uring il with "a baskett they had in the
shallop, and not giving them due satisfac-
! ton in copper, beades, and other trucking
/ stuffe. -
Capt. MARITIME having been disposed of,
| the next obstacle 10 legislation feeiingiY
mentioned is that the Speaker hath for
a long time bene extreame sielJy, and
/ therefore not able 10 passe through long
{ HaraDgUes,n - which, it seems, the long
winded Nirginisns Of 1913 were addicted
l 20 making.
The petitions which this Assembly
forwarded to England were, many Of
them, Of a very singular character. In
one Of them the Burgesses ask share
Of land apiece the male children begot-
ten in Virginia, they being the only hope
Of a pOsterity,n - and "shares for their
wives also, as for themselves; because,
that in a new plantation il il not known
whether man or woman be the most
necessary
Among the petitions is one for the erec-
ton Of a College or University, asking
that wOrkmen and building material be
sent 10 the Colony. The first laws en-
acted by the Assembly, were against
" Idleness, Gaming, Drunkenes and EX-
cesse in APPAREL
The following are the laws TO punish
these vices:
First, in the detestation Of Idleness, be
it enacted, that if any mann be founde
to live as an ldler, or runagate, though d
freedman, it shall be lawful for that plan
tatiOu to which he belOngeth to appoint
him master to serve for wages till he
shewe GDpGrd8t signs Of Amendment.
Against gameing at dice and cards be
it ordained that the winner OF winners
shall loose all his and their winnings, /
and both winners and l0osers shall for I
felte ten shiilings a man, one ten shil- I
lings to 90 to the discOverer and the rest !
20 the charitable and other pious Uses
Drunkenness was punished in the first |
instance by a "reprOof by the Minister /
privately-the second offence by public |
reproof, the third by confinement in the /
stocks for twelve hours, " and off he con-
tinue in this vice he shall undergoe suche /
severe punishment as the Governor and /
Counsel of Estate shall see fit to in |
flicte." EXcesse in apparellen was |
fined for extravaganza in a cQlouist's own /
dress as well as for that Of ais wife and Z
children, Severe punishments We're also /
inflicted upon those "whO enticed awaye 4
the tenantes and servants Of q particular 1
plantation, " and it was made the duty Of |
the Governor and COUNSEL Of Estate !
most severely TO punish both the seducers !
and the seduCed and to return these lat, (
ter 70 their former plaOes.n
Having disposed of the General /
Lawes on the morning Of the Sd of Au- /
gust, 1913, the Assembly proceeded to 4
enact g. thirde s0Tte OF laws, jsuch rs 1
might proceede out Of every mans pri- |
vate conceipts} which were referred bv .
halves 10 those Committees which were
from the beginning Whereupon Cap |
tain William Powell prayed to have 4
% Justice done against q lewd and treach- /
erous servant Of his, who had falsely ac- |
cused him to gett him degraded from the |
place and title Of Captaine,n
This horrible crime so outraged the
Assembly that the unfortunate servant /
was sentenced "to stand Tower daies.
with his ears nayled to the pillorv, viz |
August 4th, and so likewise /
Thursday, Friday and Saturday next fol-
lowing, and on every one of those daies
to be pubiiquely whipped"
The Legislature having established .
" William Powell pretty firmly in his .
dignity and title Of " Captaine,n enacted /
a multitude Of the thirde sOrte Of laws,
such as may isslIe ont of each mans pri-
vate conceipte.n Among them was an
act prohibiting q white man from giving
or selling to any Indian a Bloodhound,
Mastiff, Greyhound, or water Spaniel.
Also declaring the giving or selling of
powder, ball or muskets to Indians to be
treason. Also prohibiting any col0nist
from going twenty miles from home, or
being absent more than seven days with
out making the Governor acquainted
with the fact Of such absence. No colo
mist was permitted to kill any "neatt
cattle whatever, young or old, without
leave from the Governor and all who
F" took cauOesn without the consent Of
the owners, were TO be "helde and es-
tecmed as felons-"
The guardianship Of the morals Of the
Colony was entrusted to the ministers
and churchwardens," ," who were ordered
10 prevente all ungodly disorders, the
committors whereof, if upon good admo-
nitions and milde reproofe viii not for
beaTe the said skandalous offences, such
as suspicious of whOrdomes, dishonest
company keeping with woomen and such
like, they are TO be presented and pun
ished accordingly
" Freemen - and others who are ad-
dicted to profane swearing, after three
were to be fined and
whipped. All persons were required
% upon Sabbath days TO frequente divine
service and sermons both forenoon and
and all such as beare arms
shall bring their pieces, swords, powder
and shotte.n Divine service in those
days was occasionally disturbed by the
Indians, and the whole congregations
-calped at short notice.