The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-06-11

General wentworth. commanding the attack

ing army, resulted in the sacrifice OF so many
brave men and the failure Of the expedition.
The Nirginians had nothing TO console them
but the fact that they, with Lawrence Wash
ington as a leader. had displayed the greatest
bravery in holding their position under a
destructive fire OF several hours. The expedi-
ton would have bean gladly relegated TO OBJ
liyion by the Virginians had not Captain
Washington named his home on the Potomac
after the Admiral and afterwards IA II the
homo of the Father Of bis Country.
The Spaniards, taking the offensive. had
Georgia and been repulsed by General Ogle-
thrope, the head Of that colony, then but
lately planted.
VRGISIA's ADVANCE.
Virginia had advanced rapidly in the devel-
opment Of her agricultural and mineral re-
sources during the government of Governor
Gooch and Of his distinguished predecessor,
General Alexander SpotswoOd, and her to-
baccO had already become the source OF great
wealth and was destined TO be her mainstay
i'm the troublous times which were to follow.
n had AZ this time come TO the aid of specie
as q medium Of exchange in the business OF
the colony. In 1886 the first newspaper was
published in Virginia at Williamsburg. IL
was a weekly issue and called the Virginia
Gazette. A weekly post carried 1t northward
and a monthly post carried 1t southwark
RDIANTowN.
Looking more Immediately to our surround
ing on this spot we find that the hill called
lndiantOwn,n as il is described by the yes
try. was so called because of an Indian settle
ment. which doubtless was found by Captain
Newport. John Smith and their companions,
when they first explored the river 20 the
falls, within a few days after landing at
jamestown in 1907. This settlement doubt
less remained for years, and was broken up
probably By one of the exterminating attacks
of the whites, which gave the name OF
Bloody Run to the little stream which runs
near by. Here on the north side OF the
river lay the quarter plantation of Nathaniel
Bacon, Dr., at which the murder of his SER
want and overseer occurred, which caused
that accomplished but impulsive man to
make war on the murderous Indians, against
the order of the Governor, and gave rise to
the celebrated Bacon's rebellion of 1876.
After the death Of Bacon the Legislature IN
1879 granted this in a large tract on both sides
Of the river, extending five miles in length and
three and a half in width, to Captain William
Byrd. on condition that he settle on II not
less than $50 tytheables, who were TO be ever
ready for military service against the Indians.
In the year 1852 the fear of the Indians hay-
inc ceased, the military force dlsbanded and
a trading post was established, and afterwards
a tOOBccO warehouse was erected and called
''ShOckOes.n In 1888 Colonel William Byrd,
the son Of Captain William Byrd, having IN
herited the lands at the falls OF the James, de-
termined TO lay of q city at Shockoes TO be
called Richmond. Major Mayo agreed to lay
out the lots. In 1877 Colonel Byrd advertised
for settlers for the new town. and in May,
1742. the General Assembly Incorporated 1t
and gave it the privilege of holding two fairs a
year for four years.
PRINCIPAL CHURCH IN THE PARISH.
In the course of years this became the prin-
cipal church in the parish, and after being
designated successfully as the Upper
Church" the Church at Richmond" Hen
rico Church." the Church on hlchmond
Hill" finally in the spring Of 1929 was named
st. Johns"
Since its erection some of the most i'm
portant events in human history have taken
place. Civil and religious liberty have adj
vanced beyond all previous experience, not
alone in America, but throughout Christen-
dom. The thirteen feeble colonies with
some two and a half million of in
habitants have shaken of their con-
nection with England and have constituted
themselves into a grand republic,
which has grown till il now stretches from the
lakes TO the Rio Grande andfrom the Atlantic
to the Pacific. and has sixty-hve millions OF
inhabitants. Silence has advanced IN every
department along the path pointed out by SIR
Francis Bacon until the human race may be
said to live in a different world from that OF
our forefathers Of a hundred and fifty years
ago. Steam and electricity have made neigh
bors of the most distant nation, and the very
destructiveness Of the new implements OF war
has become the guarantee of peace. Chris
tianity has advanced in the front OF the worlds
progress, and now has a Judgment in every
quarter Of the globe.
A CLAsSIC BUILDING.
Could this old building speak what q tale it
would tell-not only Of happenings Of the out
side world, but of those in and around itself.
Doubtless of all the secular events which 1t
has witnessed, the first it would speak OF as
being the most important would be the IA
nous convention which met within its walls
on the 2Oth of March, l775, and with
which its name will be forever associated.
Let US look for a moment at the stirring
events which brought that celebrated body OF
men together.
BY the peace of Paris in 1863 England was
left in possession of the whole North Ameri-
can continent east Of the Mississippi river,
except the portion bordering on the Gulf of
Mexico known as the Floridas. The wars
| she had been so long engaged IN had ex-
hausted her treasury and she sought to force
has American colonies against all precedent,
to contribute 70 her relief by q tax known as
the Stamp Act. imposed by Parliament,
q body in which the colonies were
not represented. This tax the Virginia
House of Burgessess in May. 1863,
denounced rs unconstitutional, null and
void. and their resolutions aroused
the continent to the violent resistance OF Its
enforcement. Finding it impossible TO collect
the tax. Parliament repealed the act, but In
doing so reasserted its right to tax the colo
MES. Later It attempted 10 collect a revenue
by a duty on tea, and the effort met with OPP
position throughout America, and with such
violence at Boston that the King. in order to
make an example of the town, occupied 1t
with British soldiers and closed the port. At
the same time the Colonial Government OF
Massachusetts, vas changed and her liberties
were restricted.
OLoNIEs ALARMED.
In this condition of affairs the colonies be
came alarmed for their rights and q general
congress was called at the instance of Virginia,
which met al Philadelphia in September, in
177f. TO consult as TO the best steps 10 be taken
to obtain the repeal of the oppressive acts of
the British Government under which their
liberties were so sorely threatened. That
celebrated body, on which Lord Chatham and
other English statesmen passed the highest
encOmiums, formulated a statement Of the
rights claimed by the colonies; and among
other able papers addressed COMMUNICATION
TO the people of Great Britain, to Parliament
and TO the King urging the repeal OF the OBJ
noxiOus acts. AS an earnest Of their
determination to stand by those rights they
fixed On certain days for the stopping OF all
imports and exports in case their appeal was
not needed. II was the general expectation OF
the people and their leaders hat these meas
ures would result in the repeal OF the acts and
-. r.1faf cf MaacachuoatfQ Rut there were