The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-06-02
SPEAKERS CHAMBER, }
yoELAyIyE ASSEMBLY,

was used IN your Statc. he -,
settled by those sympathlzlng Win 'pou-
archy, it Is probable that this sta'emen.
correct. Will you oblige by feielI'ns W!
se,,ar a. come official. saw your State Libra
ron who NAV be able 10 tell me whether tDe
mace was ever used in Virginia, whether u
now exists. and II so, what are the particulars
NJ lie anpearance, shape, and material. The
Halted states Navy Department kindly iur-
nished me with q detailed description ana
nbotograpbs OF q mace captured in YORK,
Inner Canada, by the United States forces
in 1918, aud feel deeply indebted 10 theih
for the interest taken by the officials 10 "!
queries. r ,o,,or
win be highly appreciated by,
CHARLES CLARKE,
Sneaker Ontario Legislative Assembly.
His Honor the Governor Of Virginia.
Richmond Va.
Failing In information regarding Inc
mace and lis use. which had been person
aIly promised by gentleman resident Oh
Williamsburg, the subject was referred by
Colonel Taylor, the private secretary OF tue
Governor, 10 Mr.. Brock, OF this city, whose
response we now give: o,
"RICuMoND, VA, May %, 1881.
"My Dear Sir,-I have pleasure in re-
spending as may to your Request OF tDis
morning, made at the instance OF MS EN-
celIepcy Governor Holiday In behalf OF the
Hon. Charles Clarke, Speaker OF the Assem-
bly OF Ontario, Canada. Though nave
not met with definite description OF the
mace used by the House OF Burgess9s OF
the Colony OF Virginia, yet l nave an ao,
solute conviction that such symDoi OF
authority was in Use by that Douy,
and that IN the course OF my readlng
/ have seen frequent reference 10 1t
where, however, l cannot at the pres.
ent moment recall. AS 10 the ia'e oi
the identical mace, its loss may he
credibly assigned to the period OF our de-
termination to separate from the motner
country. when The ardor of patriotism
brooked the perpetuation Of no insignia OF
regal authority. This feeling is forcibly
exampled by contemporary, Edmund
Randolph, In the outline OF projected
History Of Virginia, manuscript copy OF
which Is in the collections OF the Virginia
Historical Society.
"Not vestige OF royalty was tolerated
when The public voice could be brought to
act upop IL. The wall OF the House OF
Burgesses, which was now transferred TO
the Convention, was decorated with several
OF them. The char in which the Speaker
sat Iuow preserved in the hall OF the State
Libraryl was filled by the president OF the
Convention, bad frontisplece commend
ratiye OF the relation between the mother
country and the Colony. These had been
criticized before any formal act OF reprOba-
tion was taken, and all OF them were at
different times efIaced. Nay, so Irrational
was tue fury Of some, that the noble statue
which public affection had erected to the
memory OF Lord Botetourt, who by his
patronage and example had fostered reil'
gion and learning 10 Virginia, was with
difficulty saved from midnight attack"
The mace alluded to as having been eX'
bibited at the 250th anniversary OF the land-
ing at Jamestown, which was observed IN
1857. was not that OF the House OF Burgess
es, but another, as evidenced by the follow
ing article, which, with cut Of the mace,
appeared in the american Historical Re-
cord, Vol. Ill, No. 80, December, 1874, p.
53S:
"THE SILVER MACE OF THE BOROUGH OF
NORFOLK, NA.--Captain j. Hampden Cham
beriayne, OF the city oil Norfolk, has fur
nished me with the enclosed photograph OF
the silver mace which was formerly the
badge OF royal power 10 the ancient
borough Of Norfolk, aud with it the follow.
ing description 1t is foity-three inches
long and weighs six aud half pounds
avoirdupois; OF pure silver, IN six sections
which screw together. The staff is twenty
eight inches long, Of irregular sizes, bu
averaging two and half inches IN diane
ter, and (as will be seen in the photograph
deliberately ornamentcd with scrolls, leaves
&c. The upper end is cyliudricsi, sever
inches long and eight and half inches il
diameter, upon which are the emblems o.
England, Scotland, and Ireland, ope OF then
being each In separate panel, and fourth
including the combined quarterngs OF
Great Britain. and this Is surrounded with
crown made Of four bands united at the
top TO support globe, above which is 9
cross. Around the base OF the CYLINDER, il
a sracefuIy.curving line, is the following
legend:
"'The gift Of Hon. Robert Dinwiddie
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS OF Virginia, to tb'
corporation OF Norfolk, 1852 in Roman
letters. This interesting relic Of the day
OF royalty was carried by the MAYOR OF th,
city In the procession which parsded In th,
streets OF the city ut the celebration Of it.
Centennial anniversary in 1886, upon which
occasion the late William Maxwell delivered
suitable address. The next time il ap
peared In public land think the LAST wa:
upon the celebration OF the two hundred
and 6ftieth anniversary OF the isnding al
jamestown In MAY, 1857, which was held al
Jamestown Island, aud the city being rep
resented by the municipal authorities OF VI
. ancient city, the mace was borne by them
In short time afterwards, there being q
great demand for the precious metal.
wherever they could be found, the mace
WAS carefully hidden Ia vault OF the Elk
change Bank, In charge OF q. w. Camp
Esq.. cashier OF the same. where IL remained
safely during the war, aud at the liquida
ton OF the affairs Of the bank Mr. Camp
delivered 1t 20 4. ID. Smith. Esq, cashier o
the Exchange National Bank. who now
holds II subject TO the orders OF the CITY
Council Of Norfolk
"THoMAs ii. WHINE.
:" Richmond"
Though the mace used by the colonial
House OF Burgesses can not now be pro
duceG, nor definite refereoce made 10 its
authoritative use In printed annals. yet that
such was the fact May be confidently as.
sumed In the present existence oi incon.
testibIe collateral evidence as afforded by
the example just cited. which was pre-
scented by provincial authority 10 subordi.
nate borough.
lam, dear sir, faithfully yours,
X. A. Brock.
Colonel Charles \. Taylor. private secre-
tary ic his Exeelleney r. w. N. Holiday,
Governor Of Virginia.
s In testimony not only Of the pse OF The
mace By the colonial House OF Bursesses Of
Virginia Until the period OF the separation
from the mother country, but OF It's wbiIop
preservation, we are Informed BY Colonel