The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-01-19

'sPOwder Horn was the part described AZ
"a powder room having no communicative,
with the armofy," hence, perhaps, liz quaina
and significant name. II would not hs.o
been safe 10 have risked the accidental cor.
tact Of iron and steel with gun-powder :"
the same apartment with cutlasses, iilu--
kets aud bayOnets. There must nave yenn
several compartments in this ancient UNI
tary establishment, separated from W"
other, aud devoted TO distinctive purpose
DoINGs OF DUNMORE.
Rut tho interest attached to this an
cient relic chiefly depends upon the events
Immediately preceding the breaking OUT Oh
the Revolution OF 1875, and the condnct on
those who first assumed the responsibility
M that important movement m virginia.
II would be- out Of place 10 recount here tue
causes which. after years OF solemn pro-
test. finally drove the patriots OF America
10 take 40 arms against the mother couh-
try. nor Is IL necessary 10 tell readers OF
Virginia history how and why u was that
tho mos, loyal Of all the English colonies
Ala not hesitate 90 take her stand on the
sido OF civil and religious freedom,
after every honorable expedient had been
exhausted TO divert the calamities OF long
and cruel war. II may be proper the It-
mind the reader that az the time referred 10
Lord DunmOre was Governor OF virginia.
lie had succeeded the amiable and popular
NorbOrne Berkeley, but soon showed ny hIs
oyerbearing and exacting disposition tnat
the administration Of affairs nad now laiieh
into very different hands. bnioflunaieili
too. the condition Of the public nina had DeeI
for some time growing more ana inoIeeA ile '.
The cause of this state Of things need not
i,e given here except 10 say that ever since
the wear 1866, the people had been partlcu-
lorly sensitive % the late acts OF Parlia-
ment. whereby they considered themselves
unduly and unfairly taxed. Other matters
contributed 10 the general feeling OF dis
content, but the passage OF the famous
Sfamp Act was the eliminating feature Oh
British Legislation, which finally brought
on the war.
THE KINGS MEN.
The Kings naval and land forces were 10
he found i'm an the chief seaport towns
These had been quietly. but steadily, rem
forced as the troubles increased. Inc pee.
ple were not 70 be- deceived. They had
noticed this conduct on the part OF the gov
eminent. and were prop0rtionately IN
ccnsod. AT length the matters reached
crisis. The war began In the Morrill, Whei
Gates. the British commander at Boston
landed his forces with the purpose Of seiz
/ ing the arms and other munitions Of war
| depOsifpd at Concord. Massachusetts. lie
claimed that they did not belong to the PEG
ple. but 10 the King. But his real Onec
/ was part Of n predetermined policy Of the
government 10 seize all the arms ana pow
der i'm the colonies, hoping thereby 10 para
I'VE at once any effort at armed resistance
on their part. II was this movement ina
brought on the battle of lexington tn
British troops having been resisted al ina
place on their march upon the town con
q H.. rf..san -. m
eminent had always been deposited. Ihes
events inaugurated the bloody scenes o
the war on the 18th Of April, lIl5. Gates
effort 10 seize the powder at Concord CAV
Massachusetts the honor of first afiordin
armed resistance 10 British tyranny.
VIRGINIA NOT IDLE.
Had Virginia been idle or Indifferent al
this timey By no means. For more than
decade a spirit Of discomfort had disturDe
! the eauanimity of a people eminenty con
/ seryaiiye and loyal. Although this was true
they were sensitive and proud, and could mo-
brook any infringement Of public or PEI
1 soual right They had been for years pro
testing against the policy Of the parent GOV
eminent. Public meetings had alfedd
been held all over the colony IN opposiuo
% the government, and even as FAR BACK a
the year 1924 Virginia had claimed the rlgh
|
other" Her foremost men. from Washing
ton down, had been presiding over publ
meetings and encouraging the people D
their patriotic demonstrations. The ieelin
of discomfort had reached such ahelght tina
10 only required the friction Of such ste
as Gates had taken IN Massachusetts, to 81
Virginia ON fire At length the crisis came
Immediately upon the passage OF "a
Stamp Act. one who had already becOm
4 distinguished for his zeal i'm behalf Of huma
rights. boldly denied the power Of the Pal
lament 20 tax the colonies without thel
consent. When Patrick Henry's famou
resolutions against that odi0us measuf
PASSED the House of Burgesses in 1863, th
revolution had already begun. Althoug
tbe Assembly was dissolved by the royi
Governor. the people Immediately electe
another representation still more decide
IN their opposition. They had caught Ola
shirt Of him who was now 10 become nor
than ever the leadef Of the people.
II is not necessary 10 trace here the sue
ceoding events down tO the actual breaking
out Of hOstilities, except so FAR as they ar
connected with the subject Of this article
of Virginia. but had found responsive echOe
Ten years Of anxious sOlicitude and increal
ugirOubles had passed since the day NJ
Henry had given the key note 10 the stOrI
which was soon 20 burst upon the countrl
10 was not only heard with joy by the peopl
in all the American colonies. BY 10 the timl
were embOldoned, the doubling encouraged
and the bOldest fired II possible with create
zeal in behalf Of their country. He ha
meantime become the leading spirit OF Oh
revolutionary mOyemont.and when az la'
the crisis became imminent, his daring an
prophetic figure suddenly appeared IN Oh
forefront Of armed resistance.
TYRANr AND DIssEsBLER.
Lord Dunmore az Williamsburg had Ion
been playing by turns. tyfant and dissen
bier. He was both bully and coward an
by consequence unworthy of credit as ma
Of truth. lie too like Gates Of Boston, ha
40 his command a military force CONNER
surate with what he supposed was needle
near his yice-regal court at the car
/ tal A considerable feet Of wal
vessels lay either i'm the harbOr at Norl0lh
or cruised among the waters OF the Chesa
peake. One or more Of these could Away
be seen doing at anchor, either in the Jane
or at York within call Of the Governor. III
had never been popular and now VINE
the irritation against his government hal
risen 10 fever heat, his person and polio
had become more than eyer0diOus. Atlengt
the crisis 10 which reference has been sOO ite
! IIAIt fNllfs lfMAiNNA'f AAtAth- hN 'NNA
neither caiole nor bully the people he pro
fessed % govern, resorted 10 chicanery G
effect their ruin.
DARKNESS RATHER THAN LIGHT.
lie had not the courage to follow the OK
ample Of Gates by openly attempting 9
seize and carry of the munitions OF wa
deposited within n few hundred yards Of hi
palace, in accordance with the policy ne
ierred 20 above. Instead Of this, he com
mitted the fatal mistake Of stealing then
under cover of night. The movements o
his troops had aroused the suspicion
of the people Of Williamsburg. They hat
been long Keeping watch at the old maya
zine fearing some such move. suddenl,
one night, on Thursday, the Dist OF April,
body Of marines landed, and We're seen q
carry of in wagon "A large amount o
powder in barrels from the magazine, 20 th
| Magdalon. a war vessel, then lying il
James river. The people having relaxe,
their accustomed vigilance. he thus tool
advantage Of 10. The marines employed il
/