The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-08-30
Rich mond
fHR KRAFT or THE GREAT EXPOSITION.
The Most Interesting City IN
the Union.
Historical sketch.

The first permanent settlement OF The
English speaking race Old the American Con
tipent was on a peninsula jutting ont INTO
lanes river a short distance below Rich
rond. The English had already established
themselves in Virginia and had explored
the country far above the site Of Richmond,
and bad taken it in the name OF Their God
and their King, md had representative as
sombly when the Pilgrim Fathers set loot
On Plymouth Rock. POwhatan had traded
corn with the Virginia settlers, had made
paaoe and war with them for years ana had
retired from the scene amid his native fo'es;s
IN the banks Of the Powhatan (by The
homesick colonists foolishly changed 20 the
Janes) long before Massasoit and Salnosc'
of the Wampanseys made their treaty with
Governor Carver and taught the hal starred
remnant of the pilgrims 10 raise coIn
James river from Richmond to Old lo.It
Oo,nfort was the highway for Virgn.a boat
men. and Jamestown, Newport News, Be-
muda Hundreds and Henrico were flourish
ing colonies, when New York was putch
trading post and Boston was forest
Not many mi es below Richmond Ne the
ruins Of the old's Christian church which
The Saxon race built in America, and the
Peninsula is the scene OF the first struggle
Aeayeen the English race and the forces Ci
the wilderness and the savage. Every foot
of ground is more directly associated with
the settlement of this continent than Is his
toric Plymouth Rock.
Thus Virginia is the Oldest Of all the States
In the Union. Snce that time she has 70
tanned her historic prestige.
The first representative assembly which
eyer met on American soil convened at
jamestown. The last Of the British DoInln'
ions which held true to the Crown was VIZ
pipia. which gained thus the Tght 70 he
auartered on British ARM. The first armed
resistance made against vice-r gal tyranny
was made in Virginia, and was headed by
Young plante- who owned the very spot on
which portion of the city of Richmond
now stands. one of the boundaries Of the
CIV being named in incidt ntal commemora-
ton of the fact Bacon's Quarter Brancr.
On Virginia soil ook place the long stag
gle between the colonies and the crown, be
tween liberty and oppression, and finally from
Virginia burst forth that ma chless GALAXY OF
stars which founded this nation and estat
hshed the American Union.
Along the banks of the James fiou,isted
race which has had no parallel in this land.
a race of EBgl b gentry who added 70 traits
inherited and transferred from the- British
ancestors, a love of freedom and passion
for the rights of the individual born Of the
hberty of the forest. The splendid man
mons falling to decay yet dignity and adorn
the banks of the historic river; theiH work
can never decay. Its fruit is the American
Union.
Thus Virginia is historically the nos; ~
teresting of the States of the Union. From
the settlement Of the continent TO the enc Of
the great Civil War she retained unintel
rupted her prestige.
II wass Virginan. Henry, who FIR; tang
down the gauntlet at the feet of al armed
and mailclad tyranny and declared fo' lib
erty or death. II was a Virginian, Nelson,
Who first moved in general assembly that
the Delegates of the colony III the Colonial
Congress be instructed to declare Us free and
ndependent States II was a Virgnian, Ma
son, who drafted thegr Bill Of Right. Ii was
aVirpinian, Le,, no was selected TO draw the
Declaration Of Independence, and in ms IN
svoidable absence, the task devoiyed upon
another Virginian. Jefferson.
1t was yirginians who first in the worlds
history ordained written Constitution as a
compact between the Governor and the gov
erned. II was Virginian who took com.
mand of the armies of the Revolution. and
after conquering Freedom for the new land
took and held the helm of State steady
through the rough seas which pre- eeded the
launching Of nation. 1t was a Virginian
who presided for nearly half century over
the Supreme Bench of the United States and
there expounded the laws and laid down The
principles upon which the new government
was founded. with wisdom which was
their vindication and q reason which was
their proof.
At the time Of the war Virginia tad held
the office of President during half the period
which had elapsed since the formation of the
government; virgnians had commanded
the armies of the country in the only ;wo
wars which had taken place, and Virginians
had taken the lead in nearly every &C; in
vo,x1nc the,> welfare and progress Of the
Country.
In 1861, Virginia after long and painful
elaboration and doubt as to her du'y, and
after exhaus,ing every effort to effect fe-
oonclliati N between the hostile sections,
upon her peace comm ssioners being treated
with disdain, and upon President Lincoln's
call for troops, and demand fora passage way
through her borders, deeming this final
violation OF her constitutional rights, with
drew from the Union, and prepared foI war
She In mediately became the. battle-ground.
Within three months one Of the bloodie.t