The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-08-21
THE SEAT OF THE GREAT EXPOSITION
The Most Interesting City in
the Union.
Historical Sketch.

English speaking race on the American Con
tinent was on peninsula jutting out into
James 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 it in the name of their God
and their King, and had representative as
sembly when the Pilgrim Fathers set foot
on Plymouth Rock. Powhaian had traded
corn with the Virginia settlers, had made
peace and war with them for years and had
retired from the scene amid his native forests
on the banks of the Powhatan (by the
bomesick colonsts foolishly changed to the
James, long before Massasoit and Samoses
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 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
the settlement of this continent than is his
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 at
jamestown. The last of the British Domin-
ions which held true to the Crown was Vir-
einia, 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 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
city being named in incidental commemora-
ton of the fact Bacon's Quarter Branch.
On Virginia soil took place the long strug-
ole 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 tins nation and estab-
lished the American Union.
Along the banks of the James flourished
race which has had no parallel in this land,
race ofEngli'h 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 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.
II was Virginian. Henry, who first flung
down the gauntlet at the feet of an armed
and mailclad tyranny and declared for lib
who first moved in 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
son, who drafted the great Bill Of Right. II was
aVirginian, Lee, who was selected to draw the
Declaration Of Independence, and in his un-
ayoidable absence, the task devolved upon
another Virginian, Jefferson.
II was Virginians who first in the worlds
history ordained written Consultation as
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 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 a wisdom which was
their yindication and 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
volving the welfare and progress of the
country.
In 1861, Virginia after long and 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 disdain, and upon President Lncoln's
call for troops, and demand for passage way
through her borders, deeming this 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