The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1883-04-22
fHA 0oDDACGHrER or r,,o,x,.
a Dsst !. . es.de.ssM uh,.l tie Stat.
hss since CnsaiIaHtiy Res,c,: a 20

/ aepu0tDtRA. ~
RICHMOND. April 7.-virginia like o,ho,
states OF tine Union. has. buried away in n.
musty archives. much that is interss,i,a,
capable Of sfording rich material fos , ,s.
worn-out novelist OF our country who 'uo
his search for material for the lstes, an. ~. ="
really American novel" has recent,v cot,
upon everything In sight and much M, ~,
sight. 1t may therefore be intelligence n, o,n,
startling and welcome to this class Of D,er,,i
to know that Virginia has locked IN in i,s nv
printed records nothing less than the vron,
plot and original characters for n romance ~,
reputation.
Virginia enjoys tho novel distinction Of b,v.
Ing been the only one Of tho American co,orio,
that took upon herself tho adoption Of A girl
| In other words. that became the godmo,h.,o a,
a little baby. with all the rites and ceremonial,
fthe Episcopal Church service supplemcntcI
By the majesty and circumstance Of vlrer,y.
atty. That an episode 80 remarkable IN IN,
history OF tho State should have gone 40 lnn.,
| unrecorded can only be accounted for by ,h,
| fact that 1t was overlooked by the compiler, a,
tho earliest laws OF the Old Dominion from
| whose work the history OF the State wa, suh.
seQuently written.
| "Henning's Statutes at Large" which in.
cludes all tho laws passed from the frs; day, -,
the formation OF tho House OF Burgesscs I'm.
been tho groundwork for all histories Of thu
| State. This work contains only the acts OF ,b,
primitive body. not its resolutions. and con,e.
| quently a romantic and sad chapter has until
now been lost. The manuscript records OF thu
| House OF Burgesses are piled away in tho a,ti,
OF the Capitol building In Richmond and no
one has cared to trouble them. Among them /.
resolution PASSED at the time the Enrl II
ginia. This nObemnn was transferred from
New York TO virginia and was It's Governor
he fed. In the early years Of his aImin, SiT.
| ton he was very popular in the colony Ths
ths cssn ns c tSe yas NJ us
| life there was patterned as nearly Ms possible
nftor the royalty Of England; Lady Duh.
dor y snythins 81 tho Kind IN Americ,. ''''",
reached tho summit Of their ~popularit,y "' a
| daughter was born to them The House 81
SsS was IN session th at ne ms he
slowed away q ssc Capitol al his city "' AVd stI:
asa%ss$ " had g. sSys'i o 2a
daughter OF the coony He promissd thu that f Rsy
S MSa shs sv se asr ro ns D1os. .r
name Of the State and e ner exalted rank Ho
cumul ate during the girls minority. and TO be
Which time It V would amonn t9 I" sio o s or
Dunmore was touched by this r"ruest. made in
been his intention that the infant Should BEAR bar
her mothers name. but the parents thought 10
longer OF this, and accepted the kin offer Of
The christening Of the little maiden adopted
by the colony was an impressive c"rcm"nv. 1t
burg. Tho chancel was gay with flowers alm
In ne centre 81 an arch Of green nrpeartd III,
mounted by the arms Of Virginia wrousn, on
white satin, in blue and gold The House OF
BnTfGesses m. had adjourned in honor Of The oc-
iilad with carriages of the gorgeous fashion OF
hss Sry IN r RRs sos tlS 81
glance. the picturesque features OF cour, attire.
than the church cSnd Hold. Lady S' ba ss
p GSfa %Asq Ao the eA t' s ssT' ba5 5
81 eO rank ssputsS BY hsT Hqu. 1"a
the nurse the little girl about TO bo dedicated
child lay awake. calmly gazing ut her father.
But WHEN he gave her into the charge o. her
ing against tho transfer. some Of the spe".a.
tors nosl the nedsn; and reinsmPered i in
tho ADVANCED few s'9Ss anS Ys
Bishop came forward offered the prayers AMI
administered the sacrament, OF baptism. In
Virginia Mnrray" along with the names II
her sponsors, Representatives delegated from
the House of Bur- esses. So the responsibility
was assumed and the young girl made thu sol-
daughter OF AN American colony.
brought on the Revolutionary war. The Earl
of Dunmore was loyal to his King and stouty
endeavored TO stamp out the first seed. Of re
hated rs he had before been loved by the col.
oInists. and had 70 fly with his family 10 Eng
goddaughter of Virginia Is unknown becaus.
no historian has taken the trouble to inyes,i-
II is however known that when her father
died ne ieit her totally unprroviIed for The
War Ind Long G hen emo over and the United states
MES. The poor girls thoughts turned to the
new republic She knew thnt tho people Of ora
altar Of God to maintain hcr. and she hoped
that they had nut aside what amounted TO u
handsome fortune for her.
AN APPEAL TO THOMAS JEFFERSON.
She then wrote the following letter to Jeirsr.
son. then President OF the United States:
S,s am a, los: hsw I" begin Letter in The
Sa%s lsso',rn %hIst ,%,"s no ."s s ca:
!saf WIZ s.ys f. .s GS tx. rs . N,
ers-thr late Earl Of Dlnmor.- Ame,na
@ T. i"is
..nnsr .ush. hanor the, s""sr@. ~, lyon me.
meg MI sS i".t',
krs"ihnN anu named httf ulr STATE fHsiie
have since occurred which in nrasurr
have altered the intentions thus expr~ssed fnyor.
Thehs were Gao have uuderntooID that
should he settled upon which bv sccuninnr !ur
ing my minority. would make in. of Nun.
dred thousand pounds when became Of age 1t true
many changes NAV have taken place INT
that fact still Remains the saue s,i,l the r"tdaush.
Ter OF the Nrgihinns by being that not Halter
my.eh have some claims upon their n.nevoisn" !; no!
upon Their Justices MAY not ask the griilrirra OF
si S,sr especially yon air. their Governor 10 fHn IN
rs 'r% i
My father Died wi,h"u making viii! 1I' &y tro'Gyf,
not being hound 20 do thing for me gard wi
Indifference my unprotected and neglected situation
Perhaps ought not tn mention this ctrcu ms,anrr
proper intucement for you to act upon nor ""li
were not my excuse for wishing To remind o the
claim now ady.nce hope you vii feel my r4i'"
Sour nNor OF protection 10 lie founded the pr0ul.c.
mndc 6y yonr own father and on the .tnston II whh
stand with regard to the state of Virginia You VIII
ak sir why my appeal TO your generosity ani iuscc
has been so tardy. While father lived lived under
hts protection ANA guidance. lie had Incurred the h.
pleasure OF the virginians aud he feared applies
uon FOR me then would have seemed Ike FROM Inn
AZ ms dealt, hecnm. N free agent hal taken no part
winch could displense my Rodfathers and m, rrf re
man-d what the Assembly had made me-,thrr g'l
dhig'ter--conseqnently their charge wish rhrtru.
larry To enforce my dependence your bounty fnrl