The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-08-28
Rich mOnd
THE SEAT or TUE GREAT ElPOSl1lON'
The Most Interesting City III
the Union.
Historical sketch.

English speaking race on the American Con
tinent was on peninsula jutting out into
lanes river short distance below Rich
mopd. The English had already established
themselves in Virginia and had explored
the country far above the site OF Richmond
and had taken il in the name OF their God
and their King, aDd had representative as
sembly when the Pilgrim Fathers set foot
ON Plymouth Rock. Powhatan had traded
corn with the Virginia settlers, had made
peace and war with them for years and had
retired from the scene amid bis native forests
IN the banks of the POwhatan tby the
bomesick colonists foolishly changed to the
.Iames) long before Massasoit and Samose.
of the Wampanseys made their treaty with
Governor 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, Ber-
muda Hundreds and HenricO were flourish
ing colonies when New York was a Dutch
trading post and Boston was forest.
Not many miles below Richmond are the
ruins of the oldest Christian church which
the Saxon race built in America. and The
Peninsula is the scene of the first struggle
between the English race and the forces of
the wilderness and the savage. Every foot
of ground is more directly associated with
fine 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 Viz
einia which gained thus the right 10 be
ouartered on British Arm. The first armed
resistance made against yice-rsgai tyranny
was made in Virginia, and was beaded by
young plante- who owned the very spot on
which a portion Of the city Of Richmond
now stands, one of the boundaries Of the
city being named in incidental commemora
ton of the fact Bacon Quarter Branch
On Virginia soil 'ool place the long strug
gle between the colonies and the crown. be
tween liberty and oppression, and finally from
Virginia burst forth that ma'chlesS galaxy OF
stars which founded this nation and estab-
hshed the American Union.
Along the banks Of the James hourshed
race which has had no parallel in this land
race ofEngli h gentry who added 10 traits
inherited and transferred from their British
ancestors. n love Of freedom and passion
for the rights Of the individual born Of the
liberty of the forest. The splendid man
slons falling to decay yet dignity and adorn
the banks of the historic river their work
can never decay. lis 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.
1t 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 a Virginian, Nelson,
who first moved in ii general assembly that
the Delegates of the colony in the Colonial
Congress be instructed to declare us free and
independent States It was Nirginian, Ma
son, who drafted the great Bill Of Right. 1t was
avirginian, e,who was selected to draw the
Declaration Of Independence, and in his I'M
ayoidable absence, the task deyolyed upon
another Nirginan Jefferson.
il was Virginians who first in the world
history ordained a written Constitution as a
compact between the Governor and the gov
erned II was Virginian who took COM
mand of the armies of the Revolution. and
after conquerirg 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 q Nirginian
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 a wisdom which was
their vindication and reason which was
their proof.
nv tis bAiuN vi tllt wal ISlllld luu uclu
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 1851, 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 Lincolns
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 months one Of the bloodiest