The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-09-14
PIX SEAT OF TIE GREAT EAPOSillON'
The Most Interesting CIV III
the Union.
Rhetorical sketch.

t,pent was on a peninsula Jutung out mo
James river short distance below iIcn.
ruond. The English bad already established
themselves in Virginia and had ezp'oieu
The country far above the site OF kchmohu,
and had taken il in the name Of ther you
and their King, and had representative az
.o,oblv when the Pilgrim Fathers set 1901
nm Plymouth Rock. POwha'an had u"ueu
coyn with the Virginia settlers had maze
,esce and war with them for years ana had
r..;,ad from the scene amid his native forests
-, che hanks Of the POwhaian 10y the
bomesick colonists foolishly CHANGED 20 'he
lanes long before Massasoit and Sainose'
If the Wampanseys made Their treaty WIN
Governor Carver and taught The hall starved
remnan, Of the pilgrims to raise corn
James river from Richmond to Ola Ioih'
comfor, was the highway for Virginia boat
xnsn and jamestown. Newport News Der
mpaa Hundreds and Henrico were flourish
inc colonies. when New York was Du'ch
trading post and Boston was forest
No, many mi'es below Richmond are 'Ie
rn;ns Of .le cd 81 Christian church when
.be Saxon race built in America ana me
peninsula is the scene Of the first struggle
,etween the English race and tie forces Oh
,he WILDERNESS and tie savage. Every 1901
Of ground is more directly associated WITH
the set,lcmen, Of this continent tnah ia h's-
iorio Plymouth Rock.
Thus Virginia is The Oldest Of all ttesiaies
IN the Union. nee Eat TIME she has ie-
tanned her historic prestige.
The first representative assembly when
oyer met on American soil convened al
jamestown Tie last oi,he British Domino
ions which held raeto the Crown was 'ir-
ginia which gained Thus The right to be
ouar,ered on British Arms. The first armed
resistance made against yice-r'gal tyranny
WAS made IN Virginia. and was headed by
Young ulanter who owned the very spot Oh
which a portion Of tie city Of Richmond
NOW stands one of the boundaries of the
CITY being named in incidental commcmoia-
ton Of the fact Bacon Quarter Branch.
On Virginia soil 'ook place the long sirug-
ole between the colonies and tie crown be-
tween liberty and oppression, and finally irom
Virginia burst forth that ma'chlcss galaxy oi
STARS which founded this nation and esiab-
lished the American Union
Along the banks Of the james 'lnshea a
race which has had no parallel in mis- land
a race ofEngl h gentry who added to iIaii5
inherited aud Transferred from their British
ancestors. a love OF freedom and passion
for the rights Of the individual born Of the
Tbertv Of the forest The splendid man
sions 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-
g5pted her prestige.
1t was Virginian. Henry, who first flung
down the gauntlet at the feet Of an armed
and mailcad tyranny and declared for lib
erty or death. II was a VIginian, Nelson
who first moved in a general assembly that
the Delegates Of the colony inthe Colonial
Congress be instructed to declare us free and
independeni states II was Nirginian, Ma
NON. who drafted the great Bill Of Right. Il was
a Vircinian, Lee, whowas seleciedto draw the
Declaration of Independence and IN his un-
syoidable absence tie task dcyo.Ved upon
another Virgimian. Jefferson.
II was yirginians who first in the worlds
history ordained a written Constitution as "a
compact between the Governor and the gov
.rnea II was Nirginin Who took COM
msnd of the armies Of the Revolution, and
.f,er conquering Freedom for the new land,
took and held the helm Of State steady
through the rough seas which pre- cedcd The
launching Of nation. 1t was Virgin 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 yindcation and reason which was
their proof.
Al 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. Nirginians had commanded
the armies of the country in the only two
WARS which had taken place snd Nirginlans
had taken the lead in nearly every act in
,olying the welfare and progress Of the
country.
In 1864, Virginia alter long aud painful
dehberation 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 disaain, and upon President lneoin's
call for troops. and demand for passage way
through her borders. deeming this final
violation of her Constitutional rights with
drew from the I'm N, and prepared tor war
he Immediately became the, battle-ground
Within three months one Of thc. bloodie.i