The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-10-04

WHY vIRGINIAyS ARE PROUD.
What They Have Done to Justify Their
Pride.
For tho rimes.l

From the earliest Colonial days, 800 year,
ago, their history has been proud and high
These people were of higher type than AM
were who came from England into the Other
settlements OF America. he original granted
Oh the charter OF Virginia were gentlemen oil
| good birth and standing at home. and under
Their guidance Virginia grew and prospere O
as no other colony had ever done for near one
| hundred years
And when, in 1886 the edict of Nantes wa
revoked the exiled Huguenots found homes
and warm welcome here. and brought with
| them the education the handicrait and the
| high principle s which had made them the
| nOblest and the brayest OF the sons OF France.
Alter the execution Of King Charles his adj
hogenis TO the number OF thirty thousand
sought refuge in Virgins.
Thus. this iairest OF al the lands Of Great
| Britain was possessed by a higher class OF
people than had ever before. or has since.
! colonzed and developed any country. From
the beginning they were stcadiast in their
principles. and when their king was fugi-
! tive seeking asylum the House of Bur-
gesscs Of Nirgnia deputed an envoy Colo
mel horrison) OF their body to seek him and
! invite hlm 70 set his throne up here, and. this
stea fastness OF character is the foundation
OF the high and noble pride of our people.
II sustained AMI developed the colony in its
remarkable history during the first two
hundred years ago the Nirgnians would
no longer endure the entertainments
OF the king. declared their indepen-
dence OF his crown and created this great re-
public. Nirginians conceived. sustained and
accomplished tins great scheme of civil lib
erty. which all mankind to-day admire and
initiate
One Of the wisest statesmen of our time de-
clares the histories of the United States. writ.
ten 10y New England book-makers. are all
false. They teach that New England had
much TO do with the creation Of this Gov
eminent whereas 1t was conceived sus-
tanned and accomplished bv about dozen
\irginian gentlemen. and New England had
nothing to do with it," The noble author Of
this declaration was q Pennsylvania OF the
very highest standing. IL Is unfortunate that
10 has passed away For he declared his
cherished purpose 10 be 10 study and demon
strate what twas that made these men so
great.
The great Georgia senator. Ben Hill. in
the last speech he ever made the hand Of
death was then upon HIM. declared: II never
enter Virginia that do not feel ! should un-
cover my head in reverence TO her great dead
and IN respect 10 her living men, for tell
you that never in the worlds history has any
nation produced 80 many men so great AS Vir-
gina has"
We all know who they were. They were
born and bred right around Us here. Gentle
men al # birth, breeding aud education
Their names are household words and their
statues stand upon that noble monument TO
Washington. their chief.
While Virginia then an independent ma
ton, bore moro than her part Of the Revolu-
tOnary war she sent hersOn, George Rodgers
Clarke, with troops 10 strike Great Britain in
her northwest territory.
Under unparalleled hardships that little
Virguian army penetrated into the heart OF
oil nf
and added it TO the territory of Virginia
When the war for Independence closed the
cOnfederated States soon settled amongst
themselves their respective quotas of the
costs.
The little New England States plead pow
erty in bar of the claims due from them.
Therehpon Virginia. with grandeur before
unknown in history, gave all that great do
main which to-day embraces Ohio, Indiana,
Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin to he the
common property OF all the States. And then
went further. Having more than twenty times
INTO her own territory, she caused an |
enactment by the Government Of the United |
States that no slave should ever enter that |
ceded land This prohibition greatly dis |
pleased the New knglanders who had mainly |
lived and grown rich bystealing negroes from |
Africa and selling them TO the other colonies |
of England
When peace was made with England. each |
one of the colonies being an independent
state made its separate treaty OF peace with
England. each being then recognized az an
nation and then under Viz
ginia's guidance formed the Government Of
the United States, each State expressing or
its right TO secede from the
new formed confederation whenever the
powers delegated TO II as central govern
ment should be iniuriOusly exercised.
Thenceforwhrd Virginia. having created the
United States guided theirpolicy and expand
ed their power for more than fifty years in
their purest 70 highest period. Early in the
century Nirginian acquired from France the
Louisiana Territory west of the Mississippi.
and the same great statesman sent the Vr-
,inian pioneers. Lewis and Clarke. beyond the
Rocky mountains TO the shores of the Pacific.
Her hardy sOns-JOhnstOn and Field and
SEWER had years before cleared Kentucky of
he Indians and made it a white mans home.
md all over the great South young Nirginians
eft their pleasant homes TO colonize and or
,anize that vast and fertile region which to-
lay produces the chief wealth of this coun-
ny.
it was Virginan (Sam Houston) who
vent down into Texas and led it to indepen-
lence Of Mexico. and few years later on a
lirginian President annexed Texas to the
Jnited States.
When the war with Mexico followed two
Iirginian generals led our conquering ar
MES and won us New Mexico, Arizona and
california.
Thus ever since her existence Virginia's
ons have ledin all great measures Of this Ia
ion.
Up TO the outbreak Of the war between tho
tates they were the able presidents. senators.
0vernors and generals of this country And
D that greatest war of the worlds history,
n which more than three millions OF names
'ere enrolled. three great names will go
oundng down the ages, forever exemplars to
he unborn generations Of every noble senti-
ient and manly virtue. You know them all
elore [ name them. Lee, Joseph Johnston
nd Stonewall jackson, all Virginia's sons.
And therefore we are proud.
y n