The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-06-12

hsh tSo Gnneral assembly dG24-82l that the col
! o1v ia 10 conform both in canons and constltu-
ton to the Chnrch 81 Ehslahe a. ssi were
| dealt with vigorously. being driven ont either
| to Maryland or New England and non-conioIm-
! lists being held 10 strict compliance with the
| law. "'Thev made many laws against Puritans,
! though they were free from them, writes the
| Rev. Hugh Jones in his Present state OF VIZ
'''''"' LOYAL TO THE GROWN.
Holding true to the crown, the Virginians,
| when Charles ~. was fugitive In ttolland SEM
| commissioners 10 offer him an nniapsea h hdnss
| dom beyond the seas and according 10 Jones
| Robertson she was the last of his commons 70
| acknowledge Cromwell and the first 10 pro
tion.-Jones Present state OF Virginia, page q
Yet there was that in the Ergnians whlch
distinguished them for all their aIlslocisa .J
! pretenAons from their British COUSINS oIa!ofu
on the aristocratic instinct was jealous watchs
fitness of their liberties, a gHardiuli.les79 vi
their rights which developed INTO stcIIHs
republicanism nOtwit hstanding the arlstocrauc
| instinct. The standard was not birth nor
family connection 1t was one based ON indlVi-
dual attainment.
PROTESTS AGAINST TYRANNY.
Whom Charles l.. for whom they we're ready 10
vote or fight, claimed MONOPOLY OF the toDdcc9
trade, the loyal people OF virginia pIoeesroJI
WIN TlgOr sent his Governor they deposed
him and reelected him that he might act ony
by their authority They offered Charlcs -. q
ElnU0Oll.
popcr and Arlington they grew READY OF IeNoo-
luton, and finally after long series OF protest,
and denials these very people; laying aslue az
personal interest. flung down me gauntlet ue-
clared the colonies free and independent STATES
and, actuated by mere principal went 10 war.
Many Of the best-known Of the older, m les
of Virginia are descended from royallst teIu-
gees.
SPIRIT OF THE COMMONwEALrT.
On the restoration some Of the adherents of
the Commonwealth, finding England too hot
for them. came over: but they were heli IL no
very high general 6 eem and the 0ld ordel con- con-
tinued to prevail he sprlt OF the colony Will
ID )ear from the following act VII n was
ADOPTED March IS, 1860 81: Whereas our late
surrender and submission to mat execrraEle
mower that soc bloodyly massacred the late Ming
Charles Of blessed in revision Is ADDED
and gloriousO memory, hath made us. by
acknowledging them gully Of thtr crimes. TO
show our serious and hearty repentance and de-
{, alton of that barbarous act: Bee 1t enacted
that the 30th of January. the day the said KING
was boheaded, be annually solemnlzed WIN
fasting and PRAYERS, that our sorrowes may ex-
plate our crime and our teares wash away our
guilt" Hen, Vol. H., p 81.
A MANLY RACE.
Az the eighteenth century passed the settle
ment pushel further and further westward.
new element came in by way of the Upper Valley;
stout Scotch-Ir Irish Presbyterian settlers from
Scotland first and then from Ireland with the
their life. stern in their faith, dauntless in
their courage. race mighty 10 found and TO
hold new lands against all corners or claimants;
a race whose spirit was more potent than the
Inc of forts with which h French attempted
TO hem them in along the Belle REVERE. They
founded new colony looking TO the West. and
the new al the old planter settlers towards the
sea 10 oked to the East and the old.
Now and then the lines crossed, and with in
tercourse gradually the aristocratc tendency
of the Seaboard and Piedmont became grated
into the patriarchal system Of the valley. dis
tinctly coloring it. though the absence Of slaves
distinctions. William Byrd held and left his
land at the Falls of the James on feudal
tenure.
Asimilar grant on tho Rappahannockrive was
made to Lawrence Smith and was ofered 70 any
other persons at near the heads OF any other OF
the great rivers on condition OF their placing
military forces and other persons FOR the pro-
lection of His Majesty's country against our bar
barous enemy, the Indians
SOCIAL SYSTEM LIKE THE ENGLISH.
The wealthy planter families from tho rivers
holding their places III council and ever spread
ing out more and more, maintained social syS-
| TEN as nearly copy of that in England when
| they came over as the conditions Of the new
| land admitted The royal Governor. occupied
! in the capital city mansion called The
| Palace" and during the sessions Of the Assem-
| bly, the gentle folk of the colony assembled at
Williamsburg and the season was celebrated
as distinctly as II was IN London during the
| sitting OF Parliament
SIMPLE SOCIAL STRUCTURE.
| The people being almost universally agricul-
tural and there being no cities and 10 great dlf-
ference OF interests, the structure of society was
| naturally simple,
| race the lowest stratum. Next 20 them were the
| lndented servants and the lowest class OF poor
| whites composed of lndented servants and the
worst element of whites transported, called IN
| Virginia 'jail birds, shipped from the cities of
| England, who although as absolutely under the
dominion of their masters during the period of
| SprNltude the slaves tlomSp Ives vet virtue
| of their race potentlality had rights denied to
| the slaves. and possessed the future if not the
| present. Next were the small farmers and new
| Corners of modest means, who were continually
| increasing in numbers and who were ever strly
| ing to rise, many Of them successfully, in the
social scale, whilst over all was the upper class.
| The large planters q I'D shippers, who owned
| extensive lands and many slaves, lived III the
| style of country gentlemen of means, jealousy
| guarded their privileges and as councillors,
| commissioners and cOOnels managed the col
ony as if it had been their private estate.
| EASY, COMMENTED AND HAPPY LIVES.
! On the whole this is apparently not an mac
/ CITRATE analysis Of the character of the good
| people OF Virginia at that time they lived
| their easy, contented carelessl ives on their
plantations farms in their orchard embow-
| cred homes. The slaves were multiplying rap
| idly. The laws devised TO regulate them most
| of whom were savagos fresh from the wllds of
| Africa, may appear TO this humanitarian gener-
| alton very harsh, but at least they were no
| severer than those enacted III Massachusetts,
| This severity tempered by the friendlIness
| which sprang up between the slaves and their
| masters, the relation between them invariably
| becoming a sort of feudal one and the slaves
| living happy and contented lives. This appears
| 90 have been continual puzzle 10 the outsiders
who visited the colony.
| THE POOR AND UPPER CLASSES.
| The relation between the poor whites and the
| upper classes was not 80 intimate as that re.
| tween the slaves and their masters, and the
| former lived very much as the lower peaSantry
| do in all countries. standing in somewhat in the
! relation OF fetainers OF or dependents on the
| planter class.
| The distinction between the middle class or
| small farmers and the weather. planters was
very clearly marked up to the time of the Revo
luton. when the diffusion OF the planter families
| had greatly increased the number of lesser
| planters OF good family connection. and when
| the common defense of tho country opened the
path Of distinction 10 all irrespective of social
station.
AN OLD PLANTATION.
| Here is travellers description of we'll known
| plantation prior TO the Revolution: The princI-
| pal situations that commanded my notice and
| Charles Carter, ESQ., at present IN the occupa-
| patton of Mr.. Bowler Cock. This is indeed a
| charming place. The buildings are of brick.
| large, convenient and expensive but now falling
| TO decay. They we've erected alta great charge
| by Mr. Carriers father. who was secretary of the
| colony, and this was his favorite seat OF resi-
| dence. The present proprietor has a most opu-
lent fortune and possesses such ayariety of seats
IN situations so extremely delightful that he