The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-05-27
GENERAL GEORGE ROGERS CLARKE.
Early state Of the Country-His Charsc-
teristics- Temporary tnsction-H His FIRST
Exploits.


ing 20 say anything OF his subsequent
career. il will be necessary 10 let the
reader know something OF the country
that lsv before him. and with which bis
future operations were 10 be so closely
connected In doing this, II must not be
expected that more than mere historical
outline can be given.
When the western frontiers Of Viz
riuia lsy along the head waters q the
North Anna river and cast OF Willis
mountain in Buckingham county, and
had 90 be strictly guarded by bands Of
Rangers lest the savages might make sud
den incursions upon the neichborinc set
Elements The great West. waiered by The
Missouri and Mississippi, was in the pos
session Of civilized white men. Before
Governor SpottswoOd had made he
famous expedition 90 the SUBMITS OF ihe
Blue Ridge. and he and bis knighly band
nsd raZcC with longing eyes upon that
mysterious distance that stretched away
westward before them the French ad-
verturer and TIE Roman Catholic mis-
,ionarv bad carried respectively the rife
and The cross 20 settlements beyond The
Ohio and The Wabash rivers They had
established trading stations and had in
cOrporated communities where forts
tristlinE with cannon and defended by
arms asserted iheif ownership 20 ihe
country they bad acquired in The name
o. their king. tie great Louis We are
SO much 10 tie habit Of adapting our
scales Of antiquity 10 the history and
traditions Of our own State that We do
not az once realize these facts. The
reader Of history knows that a. The time
90 which Va DOW refer the French gov
eminent held sway over The cOunrt
reaching from tie Gulf ot Mexico 10 the
west indefinitely. and uortlward 10 The
head waters ~ fhe Missouri and Nis-ls-
-irpi rivers 10y over sixty years More
tlau tiis tbev La been D. possession q
Canada for even a create. length q lime.
having made tutir trst sediment in
1l- They were Low erdeaeorinc 90
connect these vast territories by con-
lruous line nf posts. stretching from the
guest .akes in The north 20 the Gulf n'
Mexico .u the south Their purpose was
thereby go secure 20 tbe French crown
and me Catholic church the entire c0nti-
uert west Of The Ohio and its tributaries
and the Mi-.issippi river They had IRE
euentv crossed The beautiful river. as
tley called The ohio. but had never 81
tempted "a permanent settlement south ~
TO- They seen however. 90 have set o
boundary 20 their lands south Of the
Ohio Proof ~ Ibis lies u the fact that
leadtU plates were sunk into the ground
t0 designate this line one of these.
found near .he mouth " The kaLavha
river. is DOW ID the possession of the
Virginia Histor.ca. society
Unfortunately for the realization of The
plans Of empire and power which seen
ed already within her grasp, France by
the fortunes q WAY was suddenly de-
ur,vel of al heI vast possessions About
the wear 1868 she not only JOSH Canada.
but HE whole Of Louisiana spain fell
heir 90 the latter and England acquired
She former Thisuuf0reseer and violent
change iu the affair, o. That vast couu-
NV brought about a. We slG.. see The
most important results
From the earliest time ~ France &C.
QUESTION of this territory down 20 The
date q The catastrophe just referred 20
subjects NJ Great Britain had also been
making Judgements DO The North Amer
"a, rrst comparatively q small amount Of
territory stre,cAu- along The Atlantic
shores Under The u--t charters their titles
gave rlglt 81 lands lying between 70 .le
Jus. below the Ca-oIlas and aloler
including Massachusetts. aaG al t.is Was
called Virginia. and gave 10 That ancient
colony d r.ri, tca. tte land extending
westward Indefinitely Later charters
suo-lfllel ft., wholesale grant. tu' re.
tanned the claims 20 western lands. N0V
e the people Who .et.lel the lands under
these charter bad been sufficiently mum
erous and strong enough t0 have o. once
pushed tlfir invasion westward they
might have 81 lc.uate1 the French and
secured actual possession Of the country
go which reference has been made above.
and 90 which they were entitled tv TIE
terms OF Tie charters from The English
crown InasmucL as they were 10, able
10 eiiec. tbs, they were Oh this account
anticipated by the French. WHO upon
getting actual possession OF The country
became the real and richtful owner.
thereof They remained the ac,ua
occupants AND owners fOr more than
sixty years Upon this faci depends IL
portsut conclusions and The reader should
bear il in mind
The French as We have sale JOS.
Canada by ibe fate Of war. and the En-
glsh. who succeeded them. fell heir 90
al the posts and towns and trading
stations down 90 ;he banks o. the Ohio
and DO ,he limits Of Louisiana ou the
west All this was THE result q VIVA.