The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1886-09-30
7tspE ta4gFI 'fs1IN Fl.. st...t
! An OLD Virginia TOWN.
williamsburg as aislace Or historical
Intcrest--.A Famous Old college
.ss Tile scene OF IsstfiClx Henry's n
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Williamsburg as a1slace or Historical
Jntcrest--A Famous Old college.
,as Tile scene OF Is#tfick Henry's
f5f agsg Elo4dcncs. ~ ga sst't
A viii ansbuprg. va,,. correspondent
nj 1ne sPhiladelpllia Press writes;
Boarding the steamer at Richmond. a
pleasant ride of about seventy m les
WI bring you to what there is left of
James Cittie," the first English settle
lncnt in America The spot where the
town once stood is on an island. half q
mile from the mainland, and nothing is
now left to mark the site of the town
save a few rough stones. said to have
bcen used in the chimney of one of the
houses. The village was never rebuilt
after it was burnt by Bacon during his
rebellion. fe
A dilapidated coach awaited the
arrival of the steamer. for the con-
-vcn:ence of such passengers as wished
to 60 to Williamsburg. The distance
is eight miles on very good road. but
the country was the most dreary one
can imagine. Here and there we
passed what had once been fine old
mans on, but now most of them are
fast going to decay. They are monu-
ments of another age, and their days of
usefulness are past.
Entering Williamsburg, the first
thing that attracts the attention
of the stranger is the antiquated
appe arance of the buildings and the
absence of that enterprise and push
that is the characteristic of even
the small American towns. The old
chapel is situated on the peninsula that
is made by the York river on one side
and the James on the other. In
colonial times this slip of land was the
center of civilization of Virginia, and
on it were born many of the men who
played, a prominent part in the; great
drama of the American Revolution.
At the time the town was laid out Will
liam and Mary sat upon the English
throne, and out of compliment to them
the loyal colon:sts determined to lay
the streets out in the form of w and
NJ. But this inconvenient plan was
never carried out for the village has
but one street that deserves the name.
This is the Duke of Gloucester street,
or. as it is now called Gloucester.
At one end of this avenue stands the
famous William and Mary college, and
at the other the old capital building.
Scattered between these two principal
buildings are the residences of the lead
ing citizens and two or three public
buildings of historical interest.
The building around which centers
the most interest for the stranger is the
ruins of William and Mary college, for
it is now not much more than pile of
rnins that mutcly speak Of its departed
glory. It is the Oldest college. with
the exception of Harvard, in America.
and that antedates it few years. 1t is
another sad monument of the run that
war spread over the south, but it may
not long remain useless, for there is
now a movement on foot among the
Ealumni that may end in its restoration
to the place it formerly held among
American colleges. A university that
is the alma mater Of three presidents,
seventeen governors, seven cabinet Of
ficers, and numerous generals. senator's,
congressman and Judges, ought surely
to be considered worth restoration.
was shown a chronicle of life at the
college, couched in the quaint language
of the time, and. if it be true, the stu
dents were an unruly lot, 1t was re-
corded that .they would keep race
horses at ye college. and he at ye gam
ing tables. = and this. too. .swherc youth
can be piously educated in good letters
and manners. a certain place of uni
versal, study or perpetual college of di-
yinity," as the charter hath it. Even
the professors did not escape tho re-
proach of the old7fashianed author.
There was law OF the college thai
read, ..All professors and masters
to be hereafter appointed must be con
stantly resident at ye college. and upon
the marriage Of such professor that his
professorship be Immediately vacat
ed" A number were dismissed fol
breaking this law, but the others were
not to be intimidated, and Cupid contin
ued his ravages with the hearts of tn,
learned men until the trustees revoked
the law and tho wrath of the Williams.
Fburg bellies were appsased.
The building next:in interest to tn,
collsge, though first in an historioa
point Of view, is the old capital where il
colonial days the burgess met and mad,
the laws 10 govern the royal colony o
Virginia tS te
When it was in use II was larg'
brick building with broad portic,
running the entire length Of the house
After the seat of government waa re
moved to Richmond It was used as fc
male college, hat during tho war wa
burnt and has never been restored
The assembly chamber was In the up
per story. aud here once sat some Q
| the ablest men Of the Rcvolutionar,
era. II has been we'll called the Hear
Of the Revolution by the colonial his
torians.
/ Its dark. walls now stand bleak an
gloomy against the landscape and ar
slowly crumbling away. Bat what
tale could these blackened ruins ;tcl
had they but the ! power Of speech
| It was in !. this house that Patricl
Henry uttered his aRary denunciation q
the staaan act. and by this door STOP