The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-10-19
Richmond
III sgAf OF TIE GREAT EXPOSITION.
f,ha Most fnterestin& Citv in
the Union.
Rhetorical sketch.

The FIRST permanent se'''eie"s "
xnelish speaking race on the American ION
Bnent was on peninsula jutting OUT ihto
I.uas river a short distance below hlch'
uond. The English had already established
themselves in Virginia and bad explored
The country far above the site OF Richmond,
and had taken it in the name Of their goo
and their King, and bad representative az
,smbly when the Pilgrim Fathers set iool
an Plymouth Rock. Powhatan had lraoeo
arm with the Virginia settlers, had maze
c..oe and war with them for years and had
,.4;red from the scene amid his native forests
nm the banks of the Powhatan 10y the
homesick colonists foolishly changed to the
Jsmes) long before Massasoit and sainose'
Of the Wampanseys made their treaty WIN
0overnor Carver and taught the half starved
remnant of the pilgrims TO raise corn
lanes river from Richmond TO Old Point
Comfort was the highway for Virginia boat
men and Jamestown, Newport News, Der
nuda Hundreds and Henrco were hourlsh-
inc colonies. when New York was Dutch
trading post and Boston was forest
Not many miles below Richmond are the
yuins OF the Oldest Christian church whicn
the Saxon race built in America ana the
Peninsula is the scene of the first struggle
,,etween the English race and the forces Oh
tba wilderness and the savage. Every 1901
Of ground is more directly associated WIN
the settlement of this continent than IS MS
toric Plymouth Rock.
Thus Virginia is the Oldest Of all the states
In the Union. Since that time she has re-
tanned her historic prestige
The first representative assembly which
ever met on American soil convened al
Jamestown. The last Of the British Donin-
ions which held true TO the Crown was VIZ
xinis which gained thus the right 10 De
ouartered on British Arms. The first armed
resistance made against vice-regal tyranny
Was made in Virginia, and was headed by
vonne planter who owned the very spot on
which a portion of the city OF Richmond
now stands, one of the boundaries OF the
citv being named in incidental commemor&-
ton of the fact Bacon's Quarter Branch.
On virginia soil took place the long strug-
Gle between the colonies and the crown. be
tween liberty and oppression and finally from
Virginia burst forth that matches galaxy OF
stars which founded this nation and estab-
Iished the American Union.
Along the banks Of the James Trished a
race which has had no parallel in 'his lano'
a race of Engli h gentry who added TO trailS
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
uons falling to decay yet dignity and adorn
the banks of the historic river; their Work
can never decay. Its fruit is the Amencan
Union.
Thus Virginia is historically the most in
teresting of the States of the Union. From
the settlement of the continent to the end oil
the groat Civil War she retained upInier-
rupted her prestige.
II was Virginian. Henry, who first hung
aoxn the gauntlet at the feet Of an armed
and nailclad tyranny and declared Tor I'D
.rtv or death. II was Nirginian, nelson,
Who first moved in a general assembly that
10 Delegates of the colony in the Colonial
Ok,,gress be instructed to declare US free ana
independent States. ltwass Virginian' Ma
.on who drafted the great Bill OF Right IL was
. v;rginian. Lee, who was selected TO draw the
nsc,srstion of Independence, and in his I'M
svoidable absence, the task devolyed upon
another Virginian, Jefferson
II WAS yirginians who first in the world
history ordained a written Constitution as
compact between the Governor and the gov
srned Ii was Virginian who took com
mard of the armies of the Revolution ana
sfer conquering Freedom for the new land
took and held the helm Of State steady
through the rough seas which preceded the
,.rncbing of a nation. II was Nirginian
who presided for nearly half a century over
the Supreme Bench of the United States ana
there expounded the laws and LAID down tne
rinciples upon which the new government
Vas founded. with wisdom which was
their yindication and reason which was
their proof.
At the time of the war Virginia had held
The office of President during half the perod
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 Virginisns
had taken the lead in nearly every act in
solving the welfare and progress OF the
country.
In 1851, Virginia after long and painful
elaboration and doubt as to her duty aho
after exhausting every effort to effect a re
cancellation between the hostile sections
upon her peace commissioners being treated
with disdain, and upon President Lncoin'
call for troops, and demand fora passage way
through her borders, deeming this ffna
violation of her constitutional rights, with
drew from the Union, and prepared for war
Bhe Immediately became the. battle-ground
Within three mont one Of the bloodies