The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-09-18
yHg SEAT OF THE GREAT ElPoSlIlON'
The Most Interesting Civ /"
the Union.
Historical sketch.

English speaking race on the AlHei''"' UV'
tnart was on n peninsula jutting out INTO
x.rnss river short distance below hlch-
nond. The, English had already established
th.,,ss,ves in Virginia and had explored
the country far above the site OF hlcninonu,
and had taken il in the name OF their you
and their King, snd had representative as
.embly when the Pilgrim Fathers SET ioot
nm Plymouth Rock. Powhatan had traded
corn with the Virginia settlers had mace
r.ssce and war with them for years and had
rst;red from the scene amid bis native forests
nm the banks Of the Powhatan 10y the
bomesick colonists foolishly changed 10 the
J.mes, long before Massasoit and samose'
of the Wampanseys made their treaty Win
Governor Carver and taught the half starved
remnant Of the pilgrims TO raise corn
lanes river from Richmond TO Old folnt
Comfort was the highway for Virginia boat
men. and jamestown, Newport News Der
mnda Hundreds and HenricO were flourish
inc colonies. when New York was a Dutch
trading post and Boston was a forest.
MOI many miles below Richmond are the
wins Of The Oldest Christian church which
the Saxon race built in America ana 'he
Peninsula is the scene of the first struggle
.,etyeen the English race and the forces o.
the wilderness and the savage. Every 1901
nj ground is more directly associated with
TIE settlement Of this continent than Is MS
toric Plymouth Rock.
Thus Virginia is the Oldest Of all the states
In the Union. 5 nee that time she mas re-
tanned her historic prestige
The first representative assembly which
ever met on American soil convened al
Jamestown. The last Of the British Domln.
ions which held true to the Crown was VIZ
sinia. which gained thus the right to be
ouartered on British Arms. The first armed
resistance made against yice-regal tyranny
was made in Virginia, and was headed by a
young planter who owned the very spot on
which a portion Of the city of Richmond
now stands, one Of the boundaries OF the
civ being named in incidental commemora-
ZION of the fact Bacons Quarter Branch
On Virginia soil took place the long strug-
ole between the colonies and the crown, De
tween liberty and oppression, and finally rom
Virginia burst forth that ma chless galaxy OF
ytsrs which founded this nation and estab-
lished the American Union.
Along the banks Of the James Hnshed a
race which has had no parallel in his land,
\ race Of Engli gentry who added to traits
Inherited and transferred from their British
ancestors. a love of freedom and passion
for the rights of the individual born Of the
liberty of the forest. The splendid man
MONS falling to decay We, dignity and adorn
the banks of the historic river; their work
can never decay. It's fruit is the American
Union.
Thus Virginia Is historically the most in
teresting of the States of the Union. From
the settlement Of the continent to the end OF
the great Civil War she retained uninter-
rnpted her prestige.
1t wasa Virginian, Henry, who first flung
down the gauntlet at the feet Of an armed
and mailelad tyranny and declared for lib
erty or death II was a Virginian, Nelson,
who first moved in general assembly that
the Delegates Of the colony in the Colonial
Congress be instructed to declare us free and
independent States. Itwas Virginian, Ma
son. who drafted thegreat Bill Ct Right. It was
Virginian, Lee, who was selected to draw the
Declaration Of independence and in his I'M
ayoidabe absence, the task deyolyed upon
another yirginian, Jefferson.
II was Virginians who first in the worlds
history ordained a written Constitution as
compact between the Governor and the gov
erned. Ii was q Virginian who took CON-
mand of the armies of the Revolution. and
after conquerirg Freedom for the new land,
took and held the helm of State steady
through the rough seas which preceded the
launching Of nation. II was a Nirgin'an
who presided for nearly half a century over
the Supreme Bench Of the United States and
there expolnded the laws and laid down the
principles upon which the new government
was founded, with 8 wisdom which was
their vindication and reason which was
their proof.
At the time Of the war Virginia had held
the Office of President during half the period
which had elapsed since the formation of the
government; Virginians had commanded
the armies Of the country in the only two
wars which had taken place, and virginians
had taken the lead in nearly every act in
volving the welfare aud progress Of the
country.
In 1861 Virginia after long and painful
deliberaiion and doubt as to her duty, and
after exhausting every effort to effect re-
Cancellation between the hostile sections,
upon her peace commissioners being treated
with disdain, and upon President Lincoin's
call for troops, and demand for passage way
through her borders, deeming this a final
violation Of her Constitutional rights, with
drew from the Union, and prepared for war.
She Immediately became the battle-ground.
Within three mon Nsone Of the blo0diest