The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-09-28
Richmond
SxB sgAT OF THE GREAT EIPoSl1lOS'
rhe Most Interesting CIV IN
the Union.
historical Sketch.

nn~,isb speaking race on the American ooh-
arsnt was ON a peninsula jutting out ih'o
80 liver a short distance below hich-
mond. The English had already established
themselves in Virginia and bad explored
the country far above thes site oil hiehmoh',
.rd had taken il in the name oil their uou
.nd their King, and had representative az
,embly when the Pilgrim Fathers SET 100,
nm Plymouth Rock. Powha'an hao 'faue'
.c~n with the Virginia settlers. had MADE
,,sace and war with them for years and mao
.s,,rad from the scene amid his native forests
ON the hanks Of the Powhatan (by the
,,o,nssiok colonists foolishly changed to the
Y.mes, long before Massasoit and samoseI
NJ the wampanseys made their treaty Win
s1overnor Carver and taught the half starved
rsmnant of the pilgrims 10 raise corn
Iames river from Richmond to Oid foin'
romfort was the highway for Virginia boat
men and jamestown, Newport News Der
,,pds Hundreds and Henrico were hoursh-
,ry colonies. when New York was Du'cH
trading post and Boston was forest
Not many miles below Richmond are the
xu,ns Of .be Oldest Christian church which
the Saxon race built in America ana 'ne
Peninsula is the scene of the hrst struggie
..stVeen the English race and the forces OF
wilderness and the savage. Every 1901
ground Is more directly associated with
the settlement Of this continent than Is DIS
toric Plymouth Rock
Thus Virginia Is the Oldest OF all the STATES
In the Union. snce that time 'he has IT.
tanned her historic prestige.
The first representative assembly "nicn
aver met on American soil convened at
Jamestown. The last of the Brush Doiiilh'
ions which held true to the Crown was VIZ
y;nia. which gained thus the rght 10 DC
on.ytered ON British Arms. The first armed
resistance made against vice-regal tyranny
WAS made in Virginia, and was headed ny
yopnp nlanter who owned the very spot on
which portion of the city OF Richmond
,,ow stands one of the boundaries OF the
citv being named in incidental commemora-
t,on of the fact Bacons Quarter Branch.
On Virginia soil look place the long strug-
,,s between the colonies and the crown be-
tween liberty and oppression, and finally ITO"
Virginia burst forth that matches galaxy OF
,tars which founded this nation and es'ao-
Iished the American Union.
Along the banks Of the james rrshed
race which has had no parallel in ,his iahu'
= race of Engli h gentry who added to trans
,rher;ted and transferred from their BRUSH
ancestors. a love OF freedom and passion
Vor the rights of the individual born Of the
,ihertv of the forest. The splendid man
mons falling to decay yet dignity and adorn
the banks of the historic river; their work
can never decay. Its 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-
,apted her prestige.
II was a Virginian. Henry, who first hung
aown the gauntlet at the feet Of an armed
and maiIclad tyranny and declared for lib
srty or death. II was a Virginisn, Nelson,
who first moved in q general assembly that
the Delegates of the colony in the Colonial
Congress be instructed to declare us free and
independent States. ltwasa Virginian, Ma
.on who drafted the great Bill Of Right. ltwas
.yirginian, Lee, who was selectedto draw the
Declaration of Independence, and in his UNI
ayoidable absence, the task deyolved upon
another virsnisn, Jefferson.
1t WAS yirginians who first in the worlds
history ordained written Constitution as a
compact between the Governor and the gov
armed. 1t was Virginian who took COM
mard Of the armies of the Revolution, and
after conquerrg Freedom for the new land
took and held the helm Of State steady
through the rough seas which pre-. eeded the
launching of a nation. II was a Virgn'an
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 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 and progress of the
country.
In 1861, Virginia alter long and painful
elaboration 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 Lncon's
call for troops, and demand fora passage way
through her borders, deeming this final
violation Of her Constitutions rights, with
drew from the Union, and prepared for war
She Immediately became the battle-ground.
Within three mon'Nsone of the bloodiest