The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-09-21
yuR xRi7 OF THR GREAT EXPOSITION
The Most Interesting Civ IN
the Union.
Historicai Sketch.


urent was ON a peninsula jutting out into
James river a short distance below hlch,
mond. The. English had already established
.hsmselves in Virginia and had explored
the country far above the site OF hlchmond,
and had taken il in the name OF tnelr ood
and their King, and had representative as
.embly when the Pilgrim Fathers set 1901
rn Plymouth Rock. Powhatan had traded
,nyn with the Virginia settlers had made
resce and war with them for years and mao
ret;red from the scene amid his natiyeforests
an The hanks of the Powhatan (by the
hornec;ck oolonists foolishly changed to the
I.msso long before Massasot and Samoset
Of the wampanseys made their treaty WIN
Hovernor Carver and taught the half starved
remnant OF the pilgrims TO raise corn
James river from Richmond to Old Point
Comfort was the highway for Virginia boat
men. and jamestown, Newport News, Der
muda Hundreds and Henrico were flourish
inc colonies when New York was Dutch
trading post and Boston was forest
MOI many miles below Richmond are the
ru,ns Of the Oldest Christian church when
the Saxon race built in America ana the
Peninsula is the scene Of the first struggle
.,stweeu 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 MS
toric Plymouth Rock.
Thus Virginia is the Oldest Of all the States
IN the Union. S nee 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 Domin-
IONS which held true 70 the Crown was VIZ
v;nia which gained thus the right to be
uuartered on British Arms. The first armed
resistance made against yice-regal tyranny
WAS made in Virginia, and was headed by a
young 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 commemora-
ton of the fact Bacons 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 nrlsheo
race which has had no parallel in this land
race ofEnglish gentry who added to traits
inherited and transferred from Their British
ancestors love Of freedom and passion
yor the rights of the individual born of the
liberty 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-
rupted her prestige.
wass Virginian, Henry, who first flung
down the gauntlet at the feet OF an armed
and mailclad tyranny and declared for lib
srty OF death. II was Virginan, Nelson,
who first moved in a general assembly that
the DELEGATES Of the colony in the Colonial
Congress be instructed to declare US free and
independent States. II was a Virginian, Ma
ron. who drafted tine great Bill Of Right. TWAS
Virginian, Lee, who was selectedto draw the
Declaration of independence and in his I'M
avoidable absence, the task deyolyed upon
another virgnian, Jefferson.
1t was Virginians who first in the worlds
history ordained written Constitution as a
co.npact between the Governor and the gov
armed. II was Virginian who took COM
mand Of the armies of the Revolution. and
AFTER conauerirg Freedom for the new land,
took and held the helm of state steady
through the rough seas which preceded the
launching of a nation. II was Virginian
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 yindication and a 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; Virgnians 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
volying the welfare and progress Of the
sountry.
In 1861, Virginia after 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 Lncoln's
call for troops, and demand fora passage way
through her borders, deeming this a final
violation Of her Constitutional rights, with
drew from the Union, and prepared for war
She immediately became the. battle-ground.
Within three mon Rsone Of the. bloodiest