The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-08-25
FHg SEAT OF FHB GREAT EXPOSITION.
The Most Interesting City in
the Union.
Historical Sketch.

tinent was on q peninsula juttiDg out into
James river n short distance below Rich
mo d. The English hadalready established
Themselves in Virginia and had explored
The cour try far above theste 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 loot
on Plymouth Rock. Powha'an had traded
corn with the Virginia settlers, had made
neace and war with lhem for years and had
retired from the scene amid bis native forests
ON the banks of the Powhatan (by the
homesick colonisis f9olishly changed to the
Jares> long before Massasoit and Samose'
of the Wampanscys 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, Der
pouda Hundreds and Henrico were flourish
ing colonies, when New York was Dutch
trading post and Boston was forest
Not many mi es below Richmond are the
yp;ns If the old st 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 bis
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 when
ever met on American soil convened at
Jamestown. The last of the British Domin'
ions which held true to the Crown was Vir-
gipia. which gained thus the right to be
ouartered on British Arm. The flrst armed
resistance made against vice-r gal tyranny
was made in Virginia. and was headed by
young plante- who owned the very spot on
which portion of the city of Richmond
now stands, one of the boundaries OF the
civ being named in incid ntal commemora-
ton of the fact Pacons Quarter Branch
On Virginia soil COX place the long strng-
Gle between the colonies and the crown. be
tween liberty and oppression, and finally from
Virginia burst forth that ma CHESS galaxy OF
stars which founded this nation and estab-
lshed the American Union.
Along the banks Of the James flourished
race which has bad no parallel in this land
Q race Of Engli gentry who added to traits
inherited and transferred from their British
ancestors, love of freedom and passion
for 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. It's 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 rninter-
rupted her prestige.
II was a Virginian Henry, who first flung
down the gauntlet at the feet of an armed
and maiclad tyranny and declared for lib
erty or death. 1t was a 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
independent States. it was Virginian, Ma
son, who drafted the great Bill # Right II was
aVirginian, Lee who was selected to draw the
Declaration of Independence, and in his I'M
avoidable absence, the task devolyed upon
another Virginian, Jefferson.
It was yirginians who first in the worlds
history ordained writ en- Constitution as a
compact between the Governor and the gov
erned. 1t 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 pre- eeded the
launching of O nation. Ii was u Virgin an
who presided for nearly half a century over
the Supreme Bench of the United States and
there expounded the laws and laid down the
principles upon which the new government
ives founded, with wisdom which was
their yindication and reason which was
tncir prOVi.
At the time of the war Virginia had held
the office of President during half the period
which bad 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 Nirginians
had taken the lead in nearly every act in
yolving the welfare and progress of the
country.
In 1861, Virginia after long and painful
delberation and doubt as TO her duty, and
after exhausting every effort TO effect re
Cancellation between the hostile sections,
upon her peace ooIm ssioners being treated
with disdein, aud upon President Lncoln's
call for troops, and demand for passage way
through her border, decming this final
violation of her Cor stitutonai rights, with
drew from the Union, and prepared for war.
She immediately became the battle-ground.
Within three months one OF the bloodies,