The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-09-29
F edmond
yHB SEAT OF The GRlAT EXPOSITION.
The Most Interesting Citv IN
the Union.
Rhetorical Sketch.

Hiatorica1 Sketch.
The first permanent settlement OF IN
English speaking race on the American Con
tneut was on peninsula jutting out mt
J.mes river a short distance below Rfch
mond. The English had already establishe'
themselves in Virginia and bad explores
the country far above the site OF Richmond
and had taken it in the name OF Their do'
and their King, and had representative as
,embly when the Pilgrim Fathers set foo'
nm Plymouth Rock. Powhatan had traded
arm with the Virginia settlers. had maze
mace and war with them for years and had
retired from the scene amid bis native forests
nm the banks of the Powhatan (by the
homesick colonists foolishly changed to the
James, long before Massasoit and samosel
of the Wampanseys made their treaty with
Governor Carver and taught .Ae half starved
remnant Of the pilgrims 10 raise corn
lanes river from Richmond to Old Point
Comfort was the highway for Virginia boat
men. and jamestown, Newport News, Bor-
muda Hundreds and Henricc were flourish
ing colonies, when New York was Dutch
trading post and Boston was forest
Not many miles below Richmond are the
rims of The Oldest Christian church when
the Saxon race built in America, and the
Peninsula is the scene Of the first struggle
.setween the English race and the forces OF
wilderness and the savage. Every foot
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. nee that time she has re-
tanned her historic prestige.
The first representative assembly which
ever met on American soil convened at
Jamestown. The last Of the British Domin-
ions which held true to the Crown was Nir-
pinia, which gained thus the right to be
ouartered on British Arms. The first armed
resistance made against vice-regal tyranny |
was made in Virginia, and was headed by |
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-
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-
lished the American Union.
Along the banks of the James Trished
race which has had no parallel in This land,
4 race of English gentry who added to traits
Inherited and transferred from their British
ancestors, love Of freedom and a passion
for the rights of the individual born Of the
liberty of the forest. The splendid man
sions falling to decay We. 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 r
the settlement of the continent to the end of r
the great Civil War she retained uninter- !
fppted her prestige.
It was Virginian, Henry, who first flung !.
down the gauntlet at the feet Of an armed .
and mailclad tyranny and declared for lib
erty or death. II was 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 '
States. TWAS Virginian, Ma
son, who drafted the great Bill Of Right 1t was :
, virginian, Lee, who was selected to draw the .
Declaration of Independence, and in his I'M :,
syoidable absence, the task deyolved upon y
another Virginian, Jefferson.
II was Virginians who first in the worlds Il
history ordained written Constitution as a !,
compact between the Governor and the gov ;,
armed. II was Virginian who took com e.
mard Of the armies of the Revolution and u
After conquering Freedom for the new land, +
took and held the helm of State steady 4.
through the rough seas which preceded the
launching of nation. Ii was e Nirgin.an "
who presided for nearly half century over v
he Supreme Bench Of the United States and Al
here expounded the laws and laid down the
upon which the new government
vas founded, with wisdom which was b
heir vindication and a reason which was "
heir proof. OF
At the time Of the war Virginia had held Sc
he Office of President during half the period Of
which had elapsed since the formation Of the W
Virginians had commanded ia
he armies of the country in the only two as
vars which had taken place. and virginians b.
had taken the lead in nearly every act in ii
'olving the welfare and progress of the W
ountry.
!, In 1861, Virginia after long and painful
and doubt as to her duty, and pr
Ifter exhausting every effort to effect a re- III
onciliation between the hostile sections,
lpon her peace commissioners being treated 70
nth disdain, and upon President Lincoln's m
all for troops, and demand fora passage way II,
through her borders, deeming this final
collation. Of her Constitutional rights with ey
rev from the Union. and prepared for war. 70
he Immediately became the. battle-ground. oil
Within three mon some of the bloodiest