The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-10-17

The Most interesting O1tv In
the Union.
Historical Sketch.


r,.,,sb speaking race on the American Con-
bnent was on peninsula jutting out I'M"
Jsuoss river a short distance below kch-
nond. The English had already established
themselves In Virginia and bad explored
the couutry far above the site Of Richmond
and had taken il in the name OF Their uou
and their King, and had representative as
,smblv when the Pilgrim Fathers set 1901
nm Plymouth Rock. Powhaian had traded
oorn with the Virginia settlers, had maze
r.soe and war with them for years and had
,.t;red from the scene amid his native forests
nm the banks Of the Powhatan 10y the
homesick coonists foolishly changed 70 the
y.mea) 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
lanes river from Richmond 70 Old Point
f,omfort 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 a forest
Not many miles below Richmond are the
yuins OF The Oldest Christian church when
the Saxon race built in America ana inc
Peninsula is the scene Of the first struggle
..etween the English race and the forces Oh
the wilderness and the savage. Every loot
Of ground is more directly associated with
tbe settlement Of this continent than IS his
toric Plymouth Rock.
Thus Virginia is the Oldest Of all the States
In the Union. Since 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-
rinia, which gained thus the right to be
chartered on British Arms. The first armed
resistance made against vice-rsgal tyranny
was made in Virginia, and was headed by
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 ook 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
vtsrs which founded this nation and estab-
HsAed the American Union.
Along the banks Of the James Trished
race which has had no parallel in ,his land,
= race of Engh.h 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. 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-
Yrpted her prestige.
1t WIS Virginian, Henry, who first flung
down the gauntlet at the feet OF an armed
and mailclad tyranny and declared for lib
srty or death. II was Virginian, Nelson,
who first moved in general assembly that
4 g DELEGATES of the colony in the Colonial
Oosgress be instructed to declare us free and
independent States. 1t was Nirginian, Ma
con, who drafted the great Bill Of Right. II was
q yirginian, Lee, who was selected to draw the
Declaration Of independence, and in his I'M
svoidable absence, the task deyolved upon
another Virginian, Jefferson.
II was virginians who first in the worlds
history ordained a written Constitution as
COMPACT between the Governor and the gov
erned. 1t was Yirginian who took COM
mard of the armies of the Revolution. and
after conquering Freedom for the new land,
took and held the helm of State steady
through the rough seas which preceded the
launching Of a nation. 1t was "a Nirgin'an
who presided for nearly half century over
the Supreme Bench of the United States and
there expounded the laws and laid down the
rincipies upon which the new government
was founded, with 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; yirginians had commanded
the armies Of the country in the only two
wars which had taken place, and Virginans
had taken the lead in nearly every act in
yo,ying the welfare and progress OF the
sountry.
In 1861, Virginia alter long and painful
deliberation 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 Lincoln's
call for troops, and demand for passage way
through her borders, deeming this a final
violation of her Constitutional rights, with
drew from the Union, and prepared for var
She immediately became the. battle-ground.
Within three mon'R one Of the bloodiest