Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-11-29
THE RECORDS AT EASTVILLE.
A Bill Providing for Their Preservation
Their Historical Importance.

November y, 1891. }
To he Editor of he DisD1ich:
Sir.-I understand that it IS contem-
plated by some of our citizens WDo are
interested in the Ea5tern-Shore historical
Society TO have introduced in the Assem-,
Div at its next session, and TO use all
honorable means to secure It's passage,
bill providing Tor the copying an1 pre-
seryatiop of the ancient records OF North
amptOn county. .,l
Tins movement is an important one and
should be encouraged. / am afraid that
our citizens DO not fully appreciate
the value of the old records at EastvllIe,
the oldest Of which are now bordering on
decay, and il not copied at an early day
will be irrecoyerably lost.
While | am not familiar with the pro-
visions Of the bill, yet | understand that ~
IS the intention OF the authors OF 1t 10 pub
fish its provisions so that our citizens can
offer supgestions thereto before It Is intro
duced in .he Assembly.
Thomas jefferson fully appreciated the
Importance of preserving the laws OF VIZ
ginfa wnen he wrote TO William W. Hen
inc from Washington January u. 1907:
- The only object l had IN
making my collection Of the laws OF Ir-
ginia was 10 save all those Tor the puDilc
which were not then already lost IN the
hone that at some future day they might
loo r.pubhshed. Whether this be by pri-
vate or public enterprise my end would be
eCualIv answered. ." (Hening
Vol. l., page 10, preface)
What Jefferson SAYS about the laws of
Virginia is applicable to the records OF
Northampton county.
The General Assembly has of various
times encouraged the collecuonand preser-
walton Of historical matters referring to
The Code of 1897, section 3l35, provides
for the rebinding and transcrlbing OF
records in the clerks oficeS and sur
yevors' Offices of the different counties OF
the Commonwealth, but as those IN
terested in the matter are preparing bill
applicable to these certain records, the
provisions of section 3I35, must suppose.
are not broad enough 10 cover the case,
or the introduction OF speclho Dill
would not be necessary. ms section VI
the Code reads as follows:
Section 3i3j. Books, etc, IN clerks
Offices and Offices Of county surveyors
| NAV be rebound or transcribed; credit 70
be given TO transcripts"
"Hrhe Circuit, County or Corporation
Court Of any county or corporation, ana
| the Chancery Court of the city OF hlch-
mond, shall cause any OF the BOOKS or re-
cords in their respective clerks othcos
which NAV be in need thereofto be rebound
| or transcribed; and the court Of any coun-
| ~ NAV also order any Of the books or re-
| cords in the Office of the surveyor OF such
| county to be rebound or transcribed. The
same faith and credit shall be given to
such transcripts a. the book or record
! transcribed would have been entitled TO.
STATE POLICY as TO HISTORICAL MATTERS.
TIE preamble of act of February II. 1886
| chapter l09, printed laws, entitled " an act
| authorizing the Secretary OF the Common
| wealth and State Librarian to transmit TO
| ". A. Glasgow, of Fincastle. Va, one copy
| of the calendar of the Virginia historical
manuscripts has q bearing on this case,
AZ it indicates the policy of the state OF
| Virginia in reference to historical matters
| The preamble is as follows:
| whereas W. A. Glasgow, late Der
! of the General Assembly, ls prosecuting
| INQUIRIES pertaining TO our colonial period
m the interest of public history, and IT
| being deemed wise aud proper 10 encour.
age the elucidatIon of that period and
the familiarity of the people Herewith"
| In view of the provisions OF section 25t
of the Code of 1881, as amended by chap
ter l79 of the Acts of 1890, approved March
4. 1890, it seems strange that no provision
has heretofore been made for the preser-
walton of the records of Northampton
county. Section 256, as amended, Is q!
follows:
The committee Qibraryl shall espe-
cially cause TO be procured from time to
time, as opportunity may offer, copy OF
any book, pamphlet, or manuscript, work
of art, or relic relating 10 the history OF
Virginia not now in the general library
which can be obtained on reasonable
terms, and may cause to be printed any
manuscripts relating to the history OF Viz
glnia which have not been published, ln-
GLIDING such portions of the executive
journals and executive lettor-books and OF
legislative papers as the committee may
deem proper TO print in the calendar OF
State papers and shall cause the legislative
papers so to be printed 10 be arranged for
that purpose and preserved tor reference.
The records at Eastville date from 1851
TO this time, and are complete to the pres
emit day, bat as they are written In the old
English of that period they are not reada-
BILE By the average person. They are the
only records in the State OF Virginia thai
date prior to 100 that are complete. ano
contain some very interesting and yalua
bic historical matter referring not only tc
the Eastern Shore. but also to q great OK
tent to the Colonial history Of the whole
State of Virginia. They contain consider
able matter entirely unknown TO the mis-
toric world, and would without doubt il
searched out put different phase on many
Of the early Colonial matters OF the State
of Virginia.
The bill for the copying aud preservation
OF those records should be perfected a
once and introduced early in the session
30 that It will get the consideration anC
attention that 1t deserves, and so that the
Assembly can make some provisions fol-
these historic records. Yours truly.
j. n. WEST.