Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-12-14
Iamostown and Plymouth Rock.

the land gwen US.
| ---
| jamestown and Plymouth Rock.
The visitor to Plymouth, Mass, sees
On antiqusted town struggling to keep
alive and hearty, and showing signs of
enterprise in the midst Of decay. Every
memorial Of the Pilgrim Fathers has be-
come sacred charge of the community
and Of the societies organized to aid IT.
The rock-landing is covered by a stately
stone archwsy. Into q museum hum
dreds of ancient books, MSS, pictures,
weapons, &C., have been gathered. On
ono Of the highest hiltops q granite
statue and monument stands within
view of the shipping on Massachusetts
bay for miles around. In the old bury
ing ground every grave is well kept. No
sooner does a head board fall than an
other is erected in its stead and the old
inscriptions copied. Even the icono-
elastic excursionists who flock by
steamer and rail from Boston to Ply
mouth stand uncovered as they read
tho brief but simple" biographies
craven upon these tombstones.
The work OF preservation has been
kept up many years, and small annual
expenditure is now all that is needed for
a continuance of the work. New Eng
landers in oil parts Of the world gladly
make up what the towns-people cannot
raise. 1t is q matter which touches
their pride and sentiment, and the re-
suits show that, practical people as they
are, they have both.
How is it at jamestown Here was
the first permanent English settlement
in America here was "the Genesis Of
the United States" and here was the
first capital of Virginia.
A Wondering church-tower and a
graveyard that has been gwen over TO
time and tsmpests are all that remain.
jamestown was burned in BAcON's Gre
belhon" and the capital having been
transferred to Williamsburg the site be-
came plantation instead of city, and
so remains to this day. Few visitors go
there, though it is easily reached by tho
James-river boat or by carriage from VIII
liamsburg. 1t is not the historical Mecca
that Plymouth is. though it has claims of
double value. The incursions of the
water on the mainland side have now
made it verltable island and the en-
croachments OF the river about the
church-tower have been considerable.
Trees now growing out in the stream
we're once high and dry on the island.
The Society for the Preservation OF
Virginia Antiquities was organized to
awaken in our people proper apprecia.
ton of the memorials of the past, and
though it has been in existence but
few years 1t has restored the Powder
Horn at Williamsburg and purchased
what was the home OF the mother
of Washington at fredericksburg, and
is now aiming to acquire the site Of the
old church and graveyard at James
town. In this connection a very in
teresting question has arisen as to the
ownership of these "glebe lands " at
jamestown. It is said that when aban-
doned by thu Church they became pos
session of tho Commonwealth. What, il
anything, Virginia has done by consent
or idches to vest tide in the present
owner Of the jamestown plantation.
might be an interesting subject for in
quiry if there were not good hope that
the landowner and the society viii be
able to come to terms by which the lat
ter may purchase OF the former the little
land that it needs.
With the historic remnants of James
town in the possession of the ladies society
we may hope that the spot viii become
as attractive to visitors as Plymouth
Rock is, and the solid advantage to us
will be that every intelligent person who
goes to jamestown will, periorce, Learn
something of the early history OF our
country.
We must sustain and encourage this |
society in its efforts. We are not too /
poor. That eyerready excuse will not
do. When we have performed our own |
part well We may appeal for help to the |
thousands OF Yirginians who have be-
come citizens OF other States, bat whose
love of the Old Dominion has been in
tensified rather than weakened by alb
sence from the home OF their fathers.